Slaverys exiles is the first booklength study of african and african american maroons in the american colonies and the united states. There is much variety among maroon cultural groups because of differences in history, geography, african nationality, and the culture of indigenous people throughout the western hemisphere. They ran away from their spanishowned plantations when the british took the caribbean island of jamaica from spain in 1655. Escaped africans who were enslaved during spanish rule over jamaica 14931656 may have been the first to develop such refugee communities the british, who invaded the island in 1655, expanded. In 1509 the spanish settled jamaica and brought with them the institution of slavery. The first british governor, robert hunter, was frustrated by jamaicas mountainous terrain, which the maroon leaders used to their advantage. The story about nanny who is a jamaican hero iirc and on money in jamaica talks all about how she used to do obeah and how it saved the maroons in jamaica. A journey through their history and their ethnic identity formation the maroons, by their daily struggle for freedom, forged for themselves an identity according to which they judge themselves.
The maroons of jamaica and nova scotia, extract from proceedings of canadian institute, 1890 the african in canada reprinted from the proceedings of the association for the advancement of science, v. The second immigration of free blacks into the province of nova scotia was similar to the first in that it developed from. If that struggle and identity are not understood then any judgment of them is not valid. Today there are four major maroon communities in jamaica. The maroons of jamaica black resistance against slavery. During the 17th and 18th centuries, some of the africans brought to jamaica as slaves escaped to the mountains. The first british governor, robert hunter, was frustrated by jamaica s mountainous terrain, which the maroon leaders used to their advantage. A careful and thorough study of the jamaican maroons from the british conquest to the late 18th century. Many have written about jamaicas windward and leeward maroons over three centuries plus, expressing a variety of view points.
When england seized jamaica from spain in 1655, the africans held in bondage by the spanish escaped into the interior of the island and began an 80 year struggle against the british. In the words of one historian, she was the most notable rebel woman in. A number of the first africans that were brought into jamaica by the spanish, 15 onwards, moved straight to the hills. Maroons of jamaica forged an identity for themselves in the century under slavery. Mar 26, 2012 jamaica is known for many things like its beaches, wildlife, and reggae music.
Escaped africans who were enslaved during spanish rule over jamaica 14931656 may have been the first to develop such refugee communities. From 1729 to 1739, a state of open warfare existed between the british and the maroons. The accompong maroons of jamaica harness within their social order distinct approaches to environmental. Healing herbs of jamaica download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Choice this richly textured study of the struggles of the maroons of jamaica against the british colonial authorities, their subsequent collaboration with and betrayal by them, will be of great interest to historians of africa. Jamaica has a mix of people from different races, religions, and countries so its culture is varied. They moved to the hills when the spanish invaded jamaica in 1494. Harris, made the transition into the ancestral realms. They set up independent african societies, complete with towns, crops and armies in the mountains and valleys of jamaica.
What many people in bristol, including many of jamaican decent, do not know is that he was the sea general responsible for the attack on the spanish slave colony of jamaica and annexing it as an english colony in 1654. A black canadian history guide launched on april 18, and is a gripping read for anyone interested in history, canada, and. Held in the maroon community of charles town surrounded by jamaicas blue and john crow mountains, this interdisciplinary conference will explore issues, values, and practices of maroons and indigenous peoples as well as ideas about marronage and indigeneity to consider the ways they have endured, transformed, and resonated in the caribbean. There was little formation of maroon communities in jamaica. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. There they settled, and over time, they became known as maroons. In return, the maroons provided military assistance to the british, capturing and returning the enslaved who escaped the plantations, and, decades after emancipation, helping the british suppress the 1865 morant bay rebellion. Jamaican maroons descend from maroons, africans who escaped from slavery onto the island of jamaica and established free communities in the mountainous interior, primarily in the eastern parishes. When the british captured jamaica from the spani ards in 1655, they ta11ed to subdue numerous negro slaves who were no longer content to be slaves. As noted earlier the admiral is buried in st mary redcliffe church, bristol, england. When the english conquered the island of jamaica and drove the spaniards out of it, they failed to conquer its sable inhabitants, negroes who had been slaves. Upward of 1,500 slaves revolted across the island, but there is no evidence that the majority of revolts were initiated by maroons, unlike brazil where. Also of importance will be the conditions under which the maroons received freedom the british and to what extent these conditions continue to persist in an independent jamaica.
The jamaican maroons are often described as enslaved africans and persons of noticeable african descent who ran away or escaped from their masters or owners to acquire and preserve their freedom. The jamaican maroons are descendants of africans who fought and escaped from slavery and established free communities in the mountainous interior of jamaica during the era of slavery. In preparing the essay i oontacted primary, secon dary a. The maroons of jamaica the good, the bad, and the forgotten. Jamaica is known for many things like its beaches, wildlife, and reggae music. In this paper, i argue that the practice of holding people in bondage in maroon communities, which was strongly influenced by the west. They fled to the mountainous areas of jamaica, where it was difficult for their owners to. The fighting maroons of jamaica robinson, carey on. Admiral sir william penn was the father of the quaker william penn. Choice this richly textured study of the struggles of the maroons of jamaica against the british colonial authorities, their subsequent collaboration with and betrayal by.
In the mountains, they developed their own way of life by incorporating the various cultures with those of the other runaway slaves who made up the diverse maroons. In jamaica, the first maroons were the indigenous tainos, a group of arawak people that migrated from south and central america. In her introduction, diouf argues that scholars have frequently denied or downplayed the existence of u. Maroons, indigenous peoples, and indigeneity the caribbean. Cudjoe, the negro chief, and the maroons of jamaica full. Published september 2, published september 2, 2004, pp. In 1796 approximately 600 jamaican maroons were deported from jamaica to nova scotia because of their rebellion against the colonial government. The fighting maroons of jamaica national library of australia. The second immigration of free blacks into the province of nova scotia was similar to the first in that it developed from events entirely divorced from nova scotia history. Healing herbs of jamaica top results of your surfing healing herbs of jamaica start download portable document format pdf and ebooks electronic books free online rating news 20162017 is books that can provide inspiration, insight, knowledge to the reader.
Maroon history, music, and sacred sounds in the americas. Ebook healing herbs of jamaica as pdf download portable. Upward of 1,500 slaves revolted across the island, but there is no evidence that the majority of. I went to a maroon museum when i went to ja on a cruise and it really changed the way i looked at history and what happened in that part of the world. The spanish colonists fled from jamaica after the land was captured in 1655. During the 18th century, the powerful maroons, escaped exslaves who settled in the mountains of jamaica, carved out a significant area of influence. The actions of the united states and jamaica in interfering with the maroons drug policy thus violate the treaty of peace between the maroons and the british, and should cease. These slaves escaped from their plantations to become moun. The absence of a masjid, which is a formal house of worship for the muslims, as an archaeological evidence cannot be used as an argument to refute the islamic heritage of the jamaican maroons. The word maroon comes from the spanish word cimarrones, which meant mountaineers. Through the use of slave labor, the production of sugar in this british colony flourished.
Jamaican maroons, such as edward longs three volume the history of jamaica 1774 and robert. African slaves imported during the spanish period may have provided the first runaways. To a muslim, the whole world is a house of worship. It draws on the authors multidisciplinary research and engagement with the windward maroons of jamaica, which include, inter alia, the production of a. Maroons played an important role in the histories of brazil, suriname, puerto rico, haiti, dominican republic, cuba, and jamaica.
There is much modern writing on this topic, sometimes suffering from presentism when the maroons are viewed from modern perspectives which do not take adequately into account the context of earlier centuries. The name maroon was given to these fugitives, and for many years they harassed the british oolonial government of jamaiea. The maroons and freedom in jamaica by lennon claude henry. Jamaican maroons the indomitable maroons of jamaica. But the courageous resistance of the maroons threatened this prosperous industry. They were paid two dollars for each slave returned. Collins and sangster jamaica kingston wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. By 1720, the maroons took the offensive, mounting raids against british plantations along the base of the mountains.
The authentic and original history if the maroons in the history of jamaica, 14901880. Many have written about jamaica s windward and leeward maroons over three centuries plus, expressing a variety of view points. A history of resistance, collaboration and betrayal. Christopher columbus discovered jamaica in 1494, but people have in habited the island for thousands of years before. Why the treaty frees the maroons harvard university. In contemporary jamaica, many innercity neighborhoods are controlled by criminal leaders known as dons. The jamaican maroons are often described as enslaved africans and persons of noticeable african descent who ran away or escaped from their masters.
This took place after they contributed to the near extinction of the native taino arawaks from overwork and european diseases. Tv had the pleasure of holding a reasoning in accomopong with a brethren who is very knowledgeable in the history of. The purpose of this essay is to present a history of the maroons from their earliest rebellions to their present role in contemporary jamaican society. Today, four major maroon colonies still exist in jamaicas rugged western cockpit country and in. Under it the maroons are to be left alone on their land, free from outside interference and responsible for their own criminal code. Also, some maroons kept their freedom by agreeing to capture runaway slaves. Click download or read online button to get healing herbs of jamaica book now. A secondary purpose is to provide material and information which. Maroons the life and family of the quaker william penn. A history of resistance, collaboration and betrayal campbell, mavis c.
The word maroon is derived from the spanish term cimarron, which was used initially to refer to domesticated cattle that had escaped to the hills of hispaniola and then later applied to runaway slaves in the americas, since the latter half of the 17 th century. The maroons of jamaica date back to 1517 when the spaniards, who were the first europeans to colonize the island, imported enslaved africans as cheap labor. In fact, among the maroonsand among the people brought to jamaica as slaves in generalakan cultural influences predominated. This article examines the practices of captivity among the maroons of jamaica during the early colonial period. Last tuesday evening, only a few days after he celebrated his 100th birthday, former colonel of the moore town maroons in portland, charles l. Today, four major maroon colonies still exist in jamaica s rugged western cockpit country and in the eastern blue mountains. The word maroon is commonly believed to be derived from the english equivalent of the spanish. Download healing herbs of jamaica or read online books in pdf, epub, tuebl, and mobi format. View maroons in jamaica research papers on academia.