A State Within a State
In the rugged, mountainous interior of eastern Jamaica, the descendants of escaped African slaves maintain a semi-autonomous society forged in rebellion. These are the Jamaican Maroons, whose name likely derives from the Spanish word cimarrón, meaning wild or untamed. Their story begins in 1655 when the British seized Jamaica from Spain. In the chaos, large numbers of enslaved Africans fled the plantations for the nearly impenetrable mountains, joining others who had escaped Spanish rule.
For over 80 years, they resisted British colonial power. Two main groups emerged: the Leeward Maroons in the west, led by a man named Cudjoe, and the Windward Maroons in the eastern Blue Mountains, led by the military and spiritual leader, Queen Nanny. The Maroons perfected guerrilla warfare, using their expert knowledge of the terrain for ambushes and quick withdrawals. Their skill was so effective that between 1700 and 1739, the colonial assembly passed 44 separate acts and spent £240,000 in failed attempts to defeat them. Communication across the hills was achieved using the abeng, a side-blown cow horn that could send complex, coded messages.
The Treaties of 1739
By the late 1730s, the British government recognized it could not win the First Maroon War (c. 1728-1739). Governor Edward Trelawny offered a peace treaty. On March 1, 1739, the British signed a treaty with the Leeward Maroons. This agreement granted Cudjoe and his followers full freedom, liberty, and 1,500 acres of land in perpetuity. A year later, the Windward Maroons, under leaders Quao and Queen Nanny, also signed a treaty. The community around Nanny Town (now called Moore Town) in Portland Parish received a 500-acre land grant in 1741.
The treaties came with obligations. The Maroons had to cease hostilities, act as a militia to defend Jamaica from foreign invaders, and, controversially, they were required to help recapture new runaway slaves. This last clause created a lasting division between the Maroons and the wider enslaved population of the island. Despite this legacy, the treaties were an achievement, recognizing Maroon self-government nearly 60 years before the Haitian Revolution. Today, communities like Moore Town in Portland Parish still operate under their own local political structures, led by a Colonel. In 2015, the Blue and John Crow Mountains, which include Maroon lands, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their cultural and natural importance.