Makandal was a slave on a plantation in the parish of Limbé in the Northern Province, where he lost one of his arms while working in a sugar mill. … He knew how to make it from harvested plants, and coordinated its use against livestock, slaves who were deemed enemies, and masters. In order to carry out his attacks, Makandal developed an extensive network among the slaves of the Northern Province, including those who worked as merchants traveling from plantation to plantation.

Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ …, loc. 86