Jamaican maroons the indomitable maroons of jamaica. Two hundred of those people were accordingly imported into. A careful and thorough study of the jamaican maroons from the british conquest to the late 18th century. Home essays cudjoe, the negro chief, and the maroons of jamaica. Find the fighting maroons of jamaica by robinson, carey at biblio. This book will long stand as the definitive account of these maroons whom the british considered, after those in jamaica, the major menace to their plantation system. 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. This crucial time in jamaican history marked the end of spanish power and the rise of an independent force in jamaica, the maroons. From 1729 to 1739, a state of open warfare existed between the british and the maroons.
The word maroon comes from the spanish word cimarrones, which meant mountaineers. Luther king jr got much of his inspiration for his books in the island of. Cudjoe, the negro chief, and the maroons of jamaica full. 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. They fled to the mountainous areas of jamaica, where it was difficult for their owners to. The spanish colonists fled from jamaica after the land was captured in 1655. Resort was then had to the mosquito indians, who, it was thought, would be more than a match for the maroons in bushfighting. A history of resistance, collaboration and betrayal campbell, mavis c. Africans in jamaica continually fought and revolted against slavery which threatened sugar production.
Annotated bibliography nanny of the jamaican maroons. After a brief introduction to the maroons, the book goes into detail about how rebellious the jamaican maroons were and how their rebellion contributed to the history of jamaica. To this day, the maroons in jamaica to some extent remains autonomous and separate from the rest of the jamaican culture. Defeat of the british by the jamaican maroons by carey. In the forests of freedom opens a window onto a littleknown west indian history. The maroons, escaped slaves in the west indies, were feared by colonists and slave owners for their fearsome fighting ability and magical arts. 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.
The maroons of jamaica black resistance against slavery. According to what we read in the history books, after the long war between the english and those africans, who allow themselves to be called maroons, a peace treaty was signed, allowing the maroons to live on 1,500 acres of land, in the cockpit country parts of. Her study gave me a thorough background and understanding of the maroons during the period of study, when they were in their heyday. Lennox honychurch the author, who is a dominican historian, tells the story of how the maroons escaped slaves of the caribbean island of dominica challenged the colonial powers in a heroic struggle to create a. Fighting maroons of dominica history workshop journal. The text talks about the maroons, not only as the group led by nanny, but also as almost a movement that was in existence way before nanny came into the picture. In this detailed, brilliantly researched book, historian lennox honychurch tells the. A history of resistance, collaboration and betrayal. Being the exactly opposite of the intended meaning of their name, maroons in jamaica were highly skilled, clever, organized and courageous men and women, who, despite being forced to unfamiliar lands, were able to easily adapt and. During this period, the spanish had managed to secure the help of some of the maroons natives and africans in order to reclaim. Famous authors view all authors joel chandler harris. In the forests of freedom university press of mississippi. Upward of 1,500 slaves revolted across the island, but there is. To a muslim, the whole world is a house of worship.
The fighting maroons of jamaica hardcover january 1, 1971 by carey robinson author visit amazons carey robinson page. Dominicas maroons have finally found their chronicler. They set up independent african societies, complete with towns, crops and armies in the mountains and valleys. The fighting maroons of jamaica was his first book, followed by fight for freedom which was published by kingston publishers in 1987. This book was originally published privately by the author under the title negre mawon. 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. The word maroon is commonly believed to be derived from. 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. When fighting a superpower, it is not possible to free every single person we live in an age were now even the most fringe of arguments, the idea of reparations. African slaves in jamaica were first imported by the spanish and then the british. The isolation used to their advantage by the ancestors has today led to their communities being amongst the most inaccessible on the island. Collins and sangster jamaica kingston wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be. 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. They ran away from their spanishowned plantations when the british took the caribbean island of jamaica from spain in 1655.
The fighting maroons of jamaica by robinson, carey. The authentic and original history if the maroons in the history of jamaica, 14901880. Anyone who wants to understand the maroons has to read this book. The first british governor, robert hunter, was frustrated by jamaicas mountainous terrain, which the maroon leaders used to their advantage. Honychurch takes the reader deep into the forested hinterland of dominica to explore the political, social, and economic impact of the maroons and details their struggles and victories. From their origin to the establishment of their chief tribe at sierra leone, including the expedition to cuba, for the purpose of procuring spanish chasseurs. The maroons of jamaica are descendants of africans who fought and escaped from slavery and established free communities in the mountains of jamaica during slavery. Collins and sangster jamaica kingston wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. The fighting maroons of dominica, was published privately by the author in 2014. An investigation into the life, political thought, and assassination of george jackson. The maroons are very important to our jamaican history because it shows the resilience of our people and our fighting spirit that came with us all the way through the middle passage, all. The maroons in turn unleashed their vengeance upon the white planters, raiding plantations at night, and killing whites regardless of their age or sex. What jamaican maroons and the founding fathers have in. The fighting maroons of jamaica robinson, carey on.
These escaped salves inherited the name maroons, which is derived from the spanish word cimarrones meaning unruly, fugitive or wild. By 1720, the maroons took the offensive, mounting raids against british plantations along the base of the mountains. The fighting maroons of dominica and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. The fighting maroons of jamaica by carey robinson goodreads. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
The maroons and their fight for freedom the english took possession of the island from the spanish in 1655, however, fighting between the two continued for a period of approximately five years. Today, maroon communities live and thrive in jamaica. However, with the financial crisis impacting the world they too struggle to thrive economically. Tv had the pleasure of holding a reasoning in accomopong with a brethren who is very knowledgeable in the history of jamaicas rebellious. Much has been written about the maroons of jamaica, little about the maroons of dominica. Even after the first maroon war ended in the famous treaty between their leader cudjoe and the colonial government of jamaica, conflict between the two warring parties continued.
The government of jamaica declared nanny a national heroine in 1976. The fighting maroons of jamaica, goulds book arcade. Much of the islands events were determined by its landscape and as the author guides his readers through a timescape of war, betrayal, survival and a stirring account of how a displaced and enslaved people fought to create a free. What jamaican maroons and the founding fathers have in common. Henry alfred alford nicholls 18511926, born in london, went to dominica in 1873. We can trace the tale of the courageous run away slaves, or maroons of jamaica, back to 1655, when the british captured that island. The fighting maroons of jamaica national library of. The revised and greatly expanded edition of the wellknown book, the fighting maroons of jamaica, vividly describes the maroons war against the british in. Acceptance of maroon autonomy as a kind of mythic quality belonging to all jamaicans is exemplified by a letter recently published in the daily gleaner, jamaicas main newspaper, in which the writer waxes enthusiastic about the magic of witnessing a traditional celebration of the maroons, our own sturdy, independent descendants of brave.
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