Makak is an elderly charcoal burner living on Monkey Mountain who suffers from severe visionary fits. Poor and uneducated, he harbors deep insecurities about his identity on the island. After experiencing a powerful dream in which a white woman tells him he is descended from African kings, he becomes consumed by a desire to leave his home and reclaim his royal heritage.

Moustique is Makak’s business partner, recognizable by his malformed foot and the jute bag he carries. He relies on their shared charcoal business for survival and values Makak as the only person who shows belief in him. Highly practical, Moustique views Makak's sudden visions as opportunities for financial gain rather than spiritual salvation.

Corporal Lestrade is a biracial law enforcement officer who actively identifies with the island's white colonial authority. He treats the black men in his custody with intense contempt, viewing himself as superior and functioning as a strict instrument of state power. His aggressive policing masks his own internal conflict regarding his racial identity.

Basil is a local carpenter and coffin maker who cuts a strange and foreboding figure on the island. He frequently dresses in the manner of Baron Samedi, wearing a tall silk hat, a long coat, and white makeup painted over half his face. He serves as an ominous presence who delivers cryptic premonitions to those he encounters.

Tigre is a cynical, opportunistic prisoner sharing a cell with Souris when Makak arrives. He operates purely on self-interest and immediate survival instincts. Rather than engaging with Makak's spiritual visions, Tigre immediately begins plotting ways to exploit the older man and steal his money.

Souris is a prisoner sharing a cell with Tigre. Though initially involved in mocking the authorities and complaining about his conditions, he displays a more reflective nature than his cellmate. He gradually becomes intrigued by Makak's visionary ideas and the promise of a different identity beyond the colonial system.

The Apparition is a ghostly white woman who appears to Makak in his visions. She serves as the catalyst for his entire journey, telling him he is descended from African royalty and urging him to reclaim his heritage.

The Market and Sanitation Inspector is a local official who frets over the conditions and order of the public spaces. He decries the behavior of the locals as ignorance and relies on Corporal Lestrade to maintain colonial standards of propriety.