Page 2 - The Maroon- Patricia Reid
P. 2
The Journey of the Maroons
Patricia Reid
Wednesday July 23, 2020
To be Published by: The Gleaner Company
Dear Editor,
The Jamaican Maroons are identified as enslaved Africans of noticeable African descent who ran away
or escaped from their masters or owners to acquire and preserve their freedom. The word maroon is
believed to be derived from the English equivalent of the Spanish word Cimarron (wild). The origins of
the Maroons date back to 1655 around the time when Tainos and Africans who were freed by the Spanish
took to remote parts of the island for refuge from the English invasion and to establish settlements. From
the second half of the seventeenth century to the mid eighteenth century the Maroons developed into a
dreadful force that significantly challenged the system of enslavement imposed by the English, Campbell,
Mavis (1655-1796). Upon the Maroons settling in the hills, they created among themselves their own
cultural beliefs and Practices. The maroons socialized like normal human beings in their settlement. They
never spoke the common language of their slave owners but instead crafted a language for themselves
(Krimanti). One of the Maroon’s earliest means of communication was the Abeng, which was used in
defeating the British soldiers.
