Carlota Lukumi (aka. La Negra Carlota)was an African slave woman who lived in the 1800's. She was from the Yoruba tribe (their territory is in what is now Nigeria & Benin) & was captured by white slave traders when she was just a child. Carlota was taken to Matanzas, Cuba, where she was sold as a slave to the sugarcane plantation, Triumvarato. Conditions on these plantations were brutal, comparable to the cotton plantations in the southern USA. Carlota's strong spirit didn't break in these dark times; she was also musically-gifted & highly intelligent. In 1843, Carlota & another female slave, Fermina, plotted a slave rebellion. When their plot was uncovered, Fermina was badly beaten & sent to prison. In order to free her, along with many others, Carlota employed the use of talking drums, as a form of code. When the Spanish heard the drums they likely though it was some sort of ritual, not a form of communication. Using the talking drums, Carlota organized a slave uprising, in which she and other slaves freed Fermina & dozens of others.
The uprising officially began on November 5, 1843 & mostly targeted large sugar plantations, using guerilla war tactics. It also turned to some cattle & coffee plantations. These skirmishes carried on for a year until Carlota was captured by Spanish landowners, then tortured & executed.
Carlota's uprising inspired many others to lead revolts against their European owners, to fight for their freedom & independence.
https://badassladiesofhistory.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/carlota-lukumi/
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Female Warriors
Non-FictionFrom Naotara li and Mulan to Eleanor of Aquitaine and Boudicca. Strong women throughout history who fought for the countries, families and beliefs; that made a stand against those who threatened to destroy them. They took charge when no else would.
