a897: Re: a873: Re: a861: Toussaint GUINOU (Saint-Vil indicates source) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JSenechal@aol.com

Hi Adrien Bance:

A statue of Toussaint Louverture, an African Prince, is erected in the
village of the Alladas ( not Aradas ) in Benin, formerly the Dahomey or the
Dan Homey in the   "FONG" language of  Benin.

Gaou Guinou, son of the Alladas king, was Toussaint Louverture's father.  At
the death of the Alladas King around 1724, Gaou Guinou became the rightful
heir to the throne of his father. But, unfortunaly, some political unrest
took place.  Gaou Guinou decided to leave the village of the Alladas because
the enemies of the kingdom were out to get him.  In the meantime, a ship
which belonged to the French stood ready to leave the Dahomey ports,
promising the Africans in the Alladas' village a new world: America.  Gaou
Guinou and his wife Catherine daughter of the king of the Aguias, another
tribe of the Dahomey, joined the exodus for the promised land.  According to
several historians, between 1724 - 1727, most of the 10 - 12000 slaves who
ended up in the island of Saint Domingue ( Santo Domingo ), formerly
Hispagnola, were from Alladas.  Amongst the slaves were Gaou Guinou and his
wife Catherine who were later separated.  Catherine was taken to the town of
the " CAYES " at the habitation La Fontaine, and Gaou, with the new name
Hyppolite, at the habitation Comte de Noe in the North.  Ten years later,
Gaou Guinou wedded a certain Pauline who was also from the Alladas village.
Together, they had eight children including Toussaint Louverture.  For more
details information, please read " HAITI ET LA LOUSIANE " a book recently
published by Mr. Francois Latortue.


To get a copy contact:

Jean-Jacques Senechal
Executive Director
Haitian Cultural Society, Inc.
P.O.BOX 2041
Brooklyn, New York 11202
TEL: (718) 940-6957
FAX: (718) 940-4059
EMAIL: JSenechal@AOL.COM