Macandal
François Mackandal (also known as Makandal or Macandal) (c. 1730- January 20, 1758) was a Haitian maroon and spiritual leader in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). He is sometimes described as a Haitian vodou priest, or houngan. However other historians say he was a bokor. French colonial authorities accused him of joining the maroons to kill slave owners in Saint-Domingue and executed him by burning him to death. The scandal over his case was seen as a precursor to the Haitian Revolution.
Haitian historian Thomas Madiou states that Mackandal "had instruction and possessed the Arabic language very well."
Early sources identify him as coming from the Atlas Mountains which span the Maghreb, but contemporary scholars such as Sylviane Diouf have speculated that he may have been from the modern day nations of Senegal, Mali, or Guinea. According to contemporary accounts of the time, during his interrogation he repeated the Arabic-language Shahada (Muslim testimony of faith) several times and even translated its meaning to his French captors during his interrogation before being condemned to death. By tracing the etymology of Mackandal's name, historian Kathryn de Luna suggests that he may have been from an area located closely to the coast of Cameroon.
His significance as a leader in the fight for Haitian independence has been immortalized through Haitian currency.
The association of Mackandal with "black magic" is due to his Congo-inspired religious practices and reputation as a poisoner. Recent scholarship has disputed the idea that Mackandal ever used poison to kill.
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