The Maroons are a special people, a unique sub-culture of Jamaica. The name means ‘runaway slave’ and is believed to be a derivative of the Spanish word Cimarron. In Spain the Cimarron was cattle that had escaped into the hills. Since the runaways lived in the hills and were viewed as being ‘untamed’, they were called Maroons. Contrary to popular belief, the Maroons of Jamaica were the first group of ex-slaves to have their freedom officially recognized.

These people are secretive so many aspects of their history and current practices are hidden from outsiders, but the little that they care to share is exciting. Written accounts differ from what oral historians have passed on from generation to generation in recounting the feats of the Maroons.

The first Maroons in Jamaica were slaves freed by the Spanish in the 17^th century (around 1655) when the British navy attacked the island under the Western Design. Frustrated by their persistent attacks, the British offered the Maroons full freedom and land if they stopped attacking their estates in 1663, but they refused. They were already free and had lands aplenty in the hills. These freed slaves were later joined by runaways thus increasing their numbers. In 1690 a group of slaves, the majority of whom were from the Coramantee tribe from Ghana, rebelled and escaped to the mountains where they joined forces with the original Maroons. They survived by living off the land and periodically raiding plantations for supplies.

Folklore attributes many powers to the Maroons, such as their ability to disappear into thin air. This was later revealed to be use of their intimate knowledge of their habitat. They knew where caves were and would seem to disappear by going through waterfalls into hidden crevices.

The Maroons were great warriors, partly due to their being descendants of the Coromantee and Ashanti tribes of West Africa. They also took the art form of camouflage to new heights, skillfully disguising themselves with leaves and shrubbery. They were skilled marksmen which allowed them to win the ongoing guerilla warfare against the British.

Cudjoe [a prominent figure in Maroon legend] and his brothers Accompong (after whom Accompong Town is named) and Johnny joined forces with two sub-maroon leaders from another area, Quao and Cuffee, to raid plantations where they robbed and sometimes killed those who resisted. Under the leadership of Cudjoe, these attacks culminated in the first Maroon war which took place in 1734.

So fearful of the Maroons were the British soldiers/settlers, they enlisted the assistance of Mosquito Coast Indians and tracking dogs to find them. It was with the aid of these Indians that they were able to locate and level Nanny Town (after which Jamaica’s sole female hero is named) in 1734.

Like the Native Americans they had a secret form of communication which helped them to elude their enemies. The Abeng, which is made from a cow’s horn, was used to warn of approaching soldiers or to call the Maroons to rally together. The range of the abeng is at least five miles. It remained the principal means of communication until fairly recently times; but to the chagrin of Maroon elders the youngsters have embraced cellphones as the preferred mode of communication. It is still used to announce the death of a community member or to publicize special meetings, and of course in celebrations. It was also important in helping any member of the community who got lost to find their way home.

Over the years there were many other encounters between the Maroons and the English soldiers, which eventually led to the signing of the March 1^st 1738 peace treaty. This, the first and most commonly known treaty was signed by Cudjoe, Colonels John Guthrie and Francis Saddler, thus ending over seventy-six years of fighting. Nanny refused to sign the treaty but eventually agreed to cease hostilities against the English. After this truce, Nanny’s group split in two; one set going with her to form the New Nanny Town (now known as Moore Town) and the other with her brother, Quao to Crawford Town.

After Cudjoe signed his treaty, other maroon groups also signed such as the Windward Maroons led by Quao, in 1739. These Maroons are now known as the Moore Town Maroons.

Maroon historians said that the treaty was signed in blood in a cave known as Peace Cave although no official documents exist to support this claim. Peace Cave is today a prominent feature in Maroon celebrations.

The treaty stipulated that the maroons were to be granted 1500 acres of land, although oral recount states that they were actually promised 15,000 acres. To maintain friendly relations between the Maroons and the British, a white man was assigned as Superintendent in each community.

It was the signing of the peace treaty that has resulted in some viewing these brave and steadfast people as traitors to their own kind. The reason? One clause of the treaty stipulated that they return runaway slaves. Despite the fact that they were ensuring their own freedom and autonomy, feelings ran deep, existing even to this day. It is believed that they should never have sided with the slave owners. This is an issue on which many Jamaicans are still widely divided, and some view Cudjoe as a ‘traitor’ for uniting with the British, others see him as a hero for repeatedly besting the well-trained British.

The heroic story of a handful of Africans, who bested thousands of trained soldiers, could not have been written without the contribution of women. Women were respected in all Maroon communities, since they were viewed as being the foundation of the society.

Grande Nanni was the greatest of these women warriors. Born in Africa, she was a member of the Ashanti tribe. Shortly after her arrival in Jamaica, she along with her five brothers, Accompong, Quao, Johnny, Cudjoe and Cuffy escaped into the hills where they joined other runaways. She became Queen Mother and held great influence in her community. The chief or headman sought her guidance in matters of grave importance. She had responsibility for anything that concerned women and children, but her influence did not stop there. A major part of her responsibilities was to assist in planning war strategies.

Nanni was a popular name among the Maroons, which was meant as a term of respect for an elder or royalty. It is derived from the Akan language, Nana and Ni (Mother). To differentiate between these other Nanni, the eastern Maroons called their leader, Grande Nanni or Queen Nanni. Today she is known as Nanny of the Maroons. Her image appears on the Jamaican Five Hundred Dollar note. There is some debate as to whether of not she actually existed, or is just the embodiment of all the female leaders of the maroons.

Nanny of the Maroons was said to be a fearless warrior and well respected by both her people and the British soldiers for being a great military strategist. She was believed to have possessed supernatural powers. Her mystique includes having the ability to catch bullets by using the powers of obeah (black magic or Myal).

Today the word maroon is equated with freedom fighters and bravery. There are four groups existing today, the most dominant being the Accompong Maroons. The others are Charles Town Maroons, Moore Town/Nanny Town Maroons, and Scots Hall Maroons. Some, for the most part, still live in the mountains, maintaining a life style similar to that of their ancestors, but modernization is fast overtaking them. Others live in surrounding areas, while still more are residing overseas. Despite minor differences between various Maroon groups, they are united within the maroon culture and hold tightly to what their ancestors fought so hard to achieve.

The actual number of Maroons is unclear due to migration, both internal and external and there is no proper documentation in place. However rough estimates put around 6000 across the island and over 10, 000 are believed to be living overseas. In addition there are many Jamaicans in all walks of life who are descendants of the Maroons. National Hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey is of Maroon descent.

Accompong is a little village nestled in the cool hills of the Cockpit Country (also known as the Land of Look Behind), in the parish of St. Elizabeth. This settlement is the only one to still retain its original name. The real population of the town is unclear; some sources say approximately 500 persons actually live in and around the area. The charm of this place is the co-existence of modern buildings alongside others that are over one hundred years old.

Charles Town in the parish of Portland is on the decline but some younger maroons have been desperately trying to save it. A museum was officially opened there in 2004 to display objects such as the kalaban (a trap for birds), the abeng and dishes made from the calabash gourd.

Picturesque Portland is also home to the Scots Hall Maroons; another small group who are trying to preserve their way of life.

Moore Town/Nanny Town in Portland is also almost gone, but hopefully some remnant of these proud people will remain for future generations. Visitors to the island can take a tour of some of the villages by enquiring at the Jamaica Tourist Board.

Each group has its own leader who is called Colonel, a throwback to their militant past and a mark of honour. Still bound by the treaty of 1738, the Maroons are self-governed and exempt from taxes, but have full Jamaican citizenship. Legal infractions are dealt with internally, except in capital cases such as murder. Surprisingly, unlike the rest of the island, Maroon communities are virtually crime-free even though there are no police in their communities. The few reported incidents in recent times were committed by outsiders.

In the past the position of Colonel was held for life, but that has now changed, and an election is held every three to five years to select a leader.

This group of Jamaicans retains some of the cultural and religious practices of their African forbearers. The tradition of oral historians passing on the legacy is still being practiced, but it is feared that this too will cease as it is mostly the elders who cling to the practice.

Past Colonel of the Accompong Maroons, Merdie Rowe laments the fact that there is ‘too much outside influence on Maroon communities and the adaptation of modern culture by the younger generation.’ He states that this is partially due to a lack of understanding by both Maroons and outsiders of the culture and the need to protect it.

Today the Maroons are predominantly Christian, with little remaining of the religions of Africa that was the norm in former years. Much of the knowledge of African religion has been lost or has been assimilated into Christianity. As the older generation die, the younger ones show less interest hence the traditional religious knowledge is lost.

Their dance forms call for vigorous movements, and are reserved for special occasions. Dance still retains its African elements and is normally done to drumming. Re-enactment of past battles and victories won are favoured subjects. It is amazing to see the very old as they participate, belying their ages and putting many much younger to shame.

The dramatization of the defeat of the British Red Coats in dance won the Moore Town Primary & Junior High school a gold medal in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Festival of the Performing Arts in 2004.

The music of the Maroon tells of their history and is used to tell the story of battles won. Singing is used in all aspects of their life, celebrating birth, death and everyday activities as songs helped to ease the burden of labour. Most of their songs are in the language of the Coromantee tribe.

Because they retain so much of their African heritage, the Maroon cuisine tends to be a mix of authentic African dishes as well as a unique blend of all the nations that make up the Jamaican cultural landscape.

Maroon festivities are an ideal time to get to sample authentic Maroon fare at the Bickle Village. Bickle is another term for food in the Jamaican vernacular.

Jamaicans are lovers of the peppery jerk, especially jerked chicken and pork, but few remember that this is a gift from the Maroons. It is a link to the Coromantees who made up the bulk of the maroons. Boston in the parish of Portland is synonymous with jerk, and it reputed to be best place to find authentic jerked pork.

If you cannot tolerate hot spicy food, do not attempt to eat Jamaican jerk, as the main spice is Scotch bonnet pepper. For it to be real jerk, it has to be ‘hot’, which is Jamaican for peppery. Jerk also refers to a method of preserving meat, especially wild boar once plentiful in the hills of Portland.

At one with nature, the Maroons place strong emphasis on the use of herbs for their medical use. The roots and barks of trees are also used to make ‘roots’ drinks which are said to be cure alls. Known in Jamaica as bush medicine, this holistic approach to healing, while not as popular with the young, is still practiced.

Aspects of maroon life have been captured in popular culture, being highlighted in books such Young Warriors by V.S. Reid, folk songs, and the island’s annual pantomime on many occasions.

A few monuments to the memory of the early Maroons have erected. The chief of these are:

• • * Bump Grave in Moore Town where Nanny’s body lies interned after it was taken from Nanny Town.

On the northern side of Accompong can be found KINDAH, the large cotton tree where traditional dances are held. Each year a pig is killed under the tree for the ritual meal. This is where consultations were held during the Maroon wars. This tree is said to be hundreds of years old. Kindah means “we are family”.

According to Maroon historians this is where the actual signing of the 1938 peace treaty took place. It is has been passed down through oral tradition that the treaty was signed during a ‘blood brothers ceremony’. It is believed that the men collected the blood from their cut hands into a bowl made from the fruit of the calabash tree, mixed it with rum and drank the concoction to seal the treaty.

January 6^th is a very important date especially to the Accompong Maroons. On this date they celebrate the birthday of Cudjoe and the signing of the treaty. It is known by many names, chiefly ‘Treaty Day’, ‘Cudjoe Day’, and ‘Maroon Christmas’. Although the celebration takes place in Accompong other Maroon groups join in the festivities. Family is very important to the Maroons, and January 6^th is also a time for reunions, especially with family members who live far away, as Maroons from home and abroad journey to the celebrations.

Many of the activities that take place are exempt to outsiders, but with a growing tourist trade, some are now done for public viewing.

To help preserve the heritage of the Maroons, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has given a grant of US$900, 000 to the Moore Town Maroons under the international “Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. The grant will enable the community to build a museum as well as cottages for tourists. There are also plans to incorporate the music of the Maroons into the Jamaican school curriculum.

As they strive to maintain their heritage, the Maroons with the help of various agencies hope to record and save what remains of African retentions that have survived. Chief among these organization are the Tourism Development Project Company, UNESCO and The Institute of Jamaica. Their main request is that outsiders respect the culture and do not destroy the delicate environment of the mountains.

Not all the Maroons are in favour of some of the proposed plans as they fear it will also serve to further destroy their unique culture. Supporters of the changes see it as the only way to survive the harsh economic conditions in the towns and tourism is expected to provide much needed employment and income.

By Jessica McCurdy Crooks