Victoria Montou, known as Toya (? – 1805), was a Haitian fighter against slavery and for independence. She takes up arms alongside Jean-Jacques Dessalines .
Slave on a plantation
In Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti), then a French colony, Victoria Montou, called Toya, was exploited as a slave in the coffee plantation of colonist Henri Duclos. Strong and energetic, she is condemned to the harshest and most painful tasks. Among the other slaves exploited on the plantation, she rubbed shoulders with Jean-Jacques Duclos – who received, as is often the case, the name of his master -, who would later become Jean-Jacques Dessalines, future emperor of Haiti. and considered the father of the nation. Later, Jean-Jacques Dessalines will speak of Toya as his aunt.
Their master is a tough man who does not hesitate to use violence, and Toya and Jean-Jacques share the same hatred of slavery, the same resentment against masters and the same spirit of insubordination. Older than him, she teaches him elements of African culture, but also knife handling and hand-to-hand combat. The two develop a strong bond. Henri Duclos sees in their relationship and in Toya's teaching a risk for his safety, and decides to get rid of the two:Toya is transferred to the Deluger habitation, and Jean-Jacques is sold to a black man named Dessalines. Jean-Jacques Duclos then becomes Jean-Jacques Dessalines.
In its new domain, Toya continues to be exploited in the fields. Of strong character, she is placed at the head of about fifty slaves. The French doctor Jean-Baptiste Mirambeau, who would later become the emperor's doctor, met her at the time and described her as follows:“(…) at the head of about fifty slaves, was Toya, having a scythe in his hand, a hoe on one shoulder and an indigo knife hanging from the belt of his jacket (…). On Toya's command, part is sent to deforest, another to plow, others to harvest and put in large baskets of cereals. The doctor speaks of her as a charismatic and authoritarian woman:“her commandments are identical to those of a general. “
The Haitian Revolution
The Haitian revolution broke out in 1791, following the famous Bois-Caiman Ceremony, in which the mambo Cécile Fatiman participated and which was followed by a general uprising and a great massacre. Jean-Jacques Dessalines joins the revolt and becomes a lieutenant of General Toussaint Louverture, fighting against slavery and against France alongside Spain. In 1794, Toussaint Louverture changed allegiance and now fought for France, which had just abolished slavery. Jean-Jacques Dessalines follows him.
In 1802, Napoleon reestablished slavery and launched an expedition to Haiti to subjugate Toussaint Louverture and his troops. The general was arrested and exiled to France, where he died the following year. At first, Jean-Jacques Dessalines submits to France. But quickly, he rallied support and raised a general uprising, of which he took command, against the French.
Toya revolted
Victoria Montou also contributes to the Haitian revolution and the slave revolts that agitate the island. At the head of a small troop of rebellious former slaves, she takes up arms and takes part in the fighting. The same Jean-Baptiste Mirambeau will say of her:"This small quantity of rebels, under the command of Toya, was quickly surrounded and taken prisoner by the regiment. During the fight, Toya flees pursued by two soldiers; a clinch took place between them and Toya; one of them was seriously injured by Toya and the other, helped by some other soldiers who arrived in time, Toya is a prisoner. »
Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed the independence of Haiti in January 1804. The same year, he had himself crowned emperor and made Toya an imperial duchess. Victoria Mantou lived long enough to see the independence of Haiti, but would benefit little from it:in 1805, her health deteriorated rapidly. Calling on Mirambeau, Jean-Jacques Dessalines urges him to treat her as well as possible:“This woman is my aunt, take care of her as you would have taken care of me myself. She had to undergo like me all the sorrows, all the emotions during the time that we were condemned side by side to work in the fields “.
Despite the doctor's care, Victoria Montou died in June 1805. The emperor ensured that she had an official funeral; the funeral procession is led by Empress Marie-Claire Bonheur and escorted by eight brigadiers of the Imperial Guard.