Maroons facts for kids
An 18th century illustration of a Maroon
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Quick facts for kids Regions with significant populations |
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| North and South America | |
| Languages | |
| Creole languages | |
| Religion | |
| African diasporic religions | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Maroon peoples Black Seminoles, Bushinengue, Jamaican Maroons, Kalungas, Palenqueros, Quilombola Great Dismal Swamp maroons |
Maroons were groups of people in the Americas who escaped slavery. They formed their own communities far away from where they were enslaved. Often, they joined up with local indigenous peoples. Over time, they developed unique cultures, like the Garifuna and the Mascogos.
Contents
Understanding the Word "Maroon"
The word Maroon came into English around the 1590s. It comes from the French word marron, which means 'wild' or 'runaway'.
The Spanish word cimarrón is also thought to be a source. It means 'wild' or 'runaway slave'. Some experts believe the English word came directly from Spanish.
Another idea is that maroon comes from an old Arawakan word, simarabo. This word meant 'fugitive' in the language of the Taíno people. The Taíno lived on the island of Hispaniola.
History of Maroon Communities
In the Americas, enslaved Africans started escaping as early as 1512. They either joined indigenous peoples or lived on their own. The first major slave rebellion happened in what is now the Dominican Republic in 1522. Many enslaved people escaped after this revolt. These were the first maroon communities in the Americas.
One leader, Sebastián Lemba, fought against the Spanish for 15 years starting in 1532. Other maroons like Juan Vaquero joined him. By the 1540s, maroons controlled much of the island's interior. They would attack villages, burn plantations, and free other enslaved people.
In Jamaica, escaped Africans formed communities by 1655. By the 1700s, Jamaican maroon villages like Nanny Town fought for their independence.
Maroon communities faced many challenges. They had to survive attacks from colonists and find food. On smaller islands, they struggled as plantations took over more land. But on larger islands, they grew crops and hunted. More enslaved people escaped and joined them.
Maroons often raided plantations. They would burn crops, steal tools, and invite others to join their groups. Sometimes, they teamed up with local indigenous tribes. Maroons played a big role in the history of countries like Brazil, Suriname, Haiti, and Jamaica.
One famous maroon was François Mackandal in Haiti. He was a voodoo priest who led a six-year rebellion. This happened before the Haitian Revolution.
In Cuba and Puerto Rico, maroons found safety in the mountains. They often joined with Taíno people. Some of these communities still exist today.
Maroon Wars in Jamaica
Maroon communities grew in many Caribbean islands. The Jamaican Maroons were a big threat to the British. They fought the British colonists in the First Maroon War (1728–1740).
In 1739 and 1740, the British governor signed treaties with the maroons. The maroons were given land and freedom. In return, they agreed to help capture other escaped slaves. This effectively freed the maroons a century before slavery was abolished in 1838.
Today, Jamaican Maroons are largely independent. Their communities are still hard to reach. In Accompong, their largest town, about 600 people live. They celebrate a festival every January 6 to remember the peace treaty.
Maroon Communities in Suriname
In Suriname, enslaved people escaped and built villages from the late 1600s. By 1740, they formed strong clans. They forced the Dutch colonists to sign peace treaties.
On October 10, 1760, the Ndyuka signed a treaty. This treaty is still important today. It defines the land rights of the Maroons in the gold-rich areas of Suriname.
Maroon Culture and Life
Many enslaved people escaped soon after arriving from Africa. They often kept their African languages, cultures, and religions. For example, they used special herbs with drums and dances for healing.
The jungles and forests offered food, shelter, and safety. Maroons grew vegetables and hunted. Their survival depended on their culture and military skills. They used guerrilla warfare tactics. They also built strong, hidden homes with traps.
Maroons often developed Creole languages. These languages mixed European words with their African languages. An example is Saramaccan in Suriname. Sometimes, they adopted a local European language as a common tongue. This was because members often spoke different African languages.
Maroon communities created their own independent societies. Some of these lasted for centuries. In the 1800s and 1900s, many disappeared as forests were cut down. But countries like Guyana and Suriname still have large maroon populations. Many maroons have moved to cities recently.
Types of Maroons
Early maroon communities usually had three types of people:
- Most were enslaved people who ran away right after arriving on ships. They refused to lose their freedom and often hoped to return to Africa.
- The second group had worked on plantations for some time. They had adjusted to slavery but were often treated very badly. Others ran away when they were suddenly sold to a new owner.
- The last group were skilled enslaved people. They strongly opposed the slave system.
Maroon Relations with Colonial Governments
Escaping slavery was a constant problem for plantation societies. Punishments for recaptured maroons were very harsh.
Maroon communities had to be hard to reach. They were often in difficult places like remote swamps, deep canyons, or thick jungles. They used these harsh environments to their advantage. They created hidden paths, false trails, and traps to protect their villages.
Maroons were excellent at guerrilla warfare. Nanny of the Maroons, a famous Jamaican maroon, developed tactics still used by armies today. European soldiers used strict strategies. Maroons, however, attacked quickly, used ambushes, and fought on their own terms.
Even though colonial governments hated maroon communities, some individuals traded with them. Maroons also traded with isolated white settlers and Native American groups. Maroon communities sometimes used rival colonial powers against each other.
Secrecy and loyalty were vital for maroon communities to survive. They used strict rules to prevent desertion or spies. New members were brought in using winding paths so they couldn't find their way back. They also had to go through a trial period. Crimes like desertion could be punished by death.
Where Maroons Lived
Africa
Mauritius
In 1642, Dutch settlers brought enslaved people from Madagascar and Asia to Dutch Mauritius. Many escaped into the wilderness. In 1695, a group of maroons tried to take over the island by setting fire to a Dutch fort. They were caught and executed. When the Dutch left in 1710, the maroons stayed. Later, French settlers also faced attacks from Mauritian maroons.
Réunion
Important maroon leaders on Réunion included Cimendef, Cotte, Dimitile, and Mafate.
North America
Canada
Nova Scotia
In the 1790s, about 600 Jamaican Maroons were sent to Nova Scotia. They were unhappy with the conditions there. In 1800, most of them moved to Sierra Leone in Africa.
Caribbean
Cuba
In Cuba, escaped enslaved people joined Taíno refugees in the mountains. In 1538, runaways helped the French attack Havana.
In 1731, enslaved people at the Cobre mines revolted. They set up an independent community called Sierra del Cobre. It grew to over 1,000 people. In 1781, the Spanish agreed to recognize their freedom.
Maroons in Cuba formed well-organized communities called palenques. Some even traded by boat with Jamaica and Santo Domingo. Many palenques thrived until the Ten Years' War in 1868. During this war, many maroons joined the Cuban Liberation Army.
Today, there are archaeological sites in the Viñales Valley linked to maroons. They show that maroons lived in caves in the region.
Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent
Similar maroon communities formed on other Caribbean islands. The Garifuna people on Saint Vincent are descendants of maroons. Many Garifuna were later sent to Central America.
In Dominica, escaped slaves joined the indigenous Kalinago people. They created maroon communities in the island's forests. These groups often fought with the British.
In Saint Lucia, maroons and French soldiers formed an army. They fought against the British who had taken over the island.
Dominican Republic
American marronage started in Spain's colony on Hispaniola. The first slave rebellion happened there in 1522. Maroons joined Native Americans in their wars against the Spanish. By 1542, there were an estimated 2,000–3,000 maroons on the island.
Haiti
In Haiti, enslaved Africans who fled to mountains were called marron or mawon. They formed close-knit communities. They grew food and hunted. They were known for returning to plantations to free family and friends. Some also joined Taíno settlements.
In the 1700s, French forces tried to destroy these hideaways. They had limited success. Maroons continued to attract runaways. In 1785, some maroons under a leader named Santiago agreed to a peace deal. They stopped attacking French territory.
Other resistance efforts were more direct. The maroon leader François Mackandal led a movement to poison plantation owners in the 1750s. Boukman declared war on the French in 1791. This started the Haitian Revolution. A statue called the Le Nègre Marron in Port-au-Prince honors the maroons' role in Haitian independence.
Jamaica
People who escaped slavery during Spanish rule in Jamaica fled inland. They joined the Taíno people and formed communities. More enslaved people gained freedom during the English invasion in 1655. After treaties in 1739 and 1740, maroons helped the British hunt other runaways.
The British tried to capture maroons because they raided plantations. This led to the First Maroon War in the 1730s. The British could not defeat them. They signed treaties, giving maroons autonomy in exchange for military help.
Tensions led to the Second Maroon War in 1795. About 600 captive maroons were sent to Nova Scotia. Later, many moved to Freetown, Sierra Leone. In the 1840s, about 200 returned to Jamaica.
Today, Accompong is the only Leeward Maroon settlement with formal autonomy. Other communities include Charles Town, Jamaica, Moore Town, Jamaica, and Scott's Hall, Jamaica. The music of the Moore Town Maroons is recognized by UNESCO. The Jamaican government supports these communities. Maroons from other countries are invited to an annual conference.
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, Taíno families and escaped African enslaved people moved into the southwestern mountains. They intermarried. DNA analysis shows African and Native American ancestry in people from this area. These maroons escaped from plantations around Ponce.
Central America
Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua
Several maroon societies formed around the Gulf of Honduras. Some were in the mountains of modern-day Honduras. Enslaved people escaped to these mountains for safety. In 1548, a self-freed slave named Miguel led a rebellion in San Pedro.
The Miskito Sambu were a maroon group formed around 1640. Enslaved people revolted on a Portuguese ship, which then crashed. They escaped inland and mixed with indigenous people. They later became leaders of the Mosquito Coast.
The Garifuna people are descendants of maroons from Saint Vincent. They were sent to the coast of Honduras in 1797.
Panama
Bayano, an enslaved man from Africa, led a rebellion in Panama in 1552. He and his followers founded villages in the lowlands. The Spanish could not defeat them. They offered terms, recognizing their freedom if they didn't accept new runaways.
These people, called the Cimarrón, later helped Sir Francis Drake fight the Spanish.
Mexico
Gaspar Yanga was an African leader of a maroon colony in the Veracruz highlands of Mexico. He was a fugitive since the 1570s. In 1609, Spanish forces fought Yanga's maroons. Neither side won easily.
Yanga negotiated with the Spanish. They agreed to establish a self-ruled maroon settlement. It was called San Lorenzo de los Negros, later renamed Yanga. Yanga's maroons gained freedom. In return, Yanga had to return any new runaways to the Spanish.
United States
Florida
Maroons who escaped from the Thirteen Colonies allied with Seminole Indians. They formed one of the largest and most successful maroon communities in Florida. This was partly because the Spanish Empire gave them more rights. Some intermarried with Seminoles. Others kept their African culture. Their descendants are known as Black Seminoles.
Illinois
Lakeview was a town started by African-American runaways and freed people. They came from North Carolina after the War of 1812. They arrived between 1818 and 1820. This area was good for Native Americans, and the black community mixed with them.
Louisiana
Until the 1760s, maroon colonies were along Lake Borgne in Louisiana. These escaped enslaved people controlled many waterways from Lake Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico. Spanish forces eventually destroyed these colonies.
North Carolina and Virginia
The Great Dismal Swamp maroons lived in the marshlands of the Great Dismal Swamp. This swamp is in Virginia and North Carolina. Life was hard, but thousands lived there from about 1700 to the 1860s.
Robeson County, North Carolina was a place where Black people, Native Americans, and some white outlaws lived together. They mixed, creating a diverse population.
South America
Brazil
One of the most famous quilombos (maroon settlements) in Brazil was Palmares. It was founded in the early 1600s. At its peak, it had over 30,000 free people. It was ruled by King Zumbi. Palmares stayed independent for almost 100 years. The Portuguese conquered it in 1694.
Many quilombos were destroyed soon after they formed. But Palmares was very large because of its location. It was between the Atlantic Ocean and Guinea, a key area for the slave trade.
Portuguese and Dutch forces tried to take Palmares many times. Between 1672 and 1694, Palmares faced almost yearly attacks. Ganga Zumba and Zumbi were well-known warrior leaders of Palmares.
Colombia
In 1529, rebel enslaved people destroyed Santa Marta in what is now Colombia. Escaped enslaved people formed independent communities along the remote Pacific coast.
In the early 1600s, a group of runaways formed a palenque near the Magdalena River. The governor defeated this community in 1654.
The palenque of Castillo was also formed by runaways. In 1732, the Spanish tried to make a peace deal. They wanted the maroons to return runaways, but Castillo refused. The Spanish defeated Castillo in 1745.
The Caribbean coast still has maroon communities like San Basilio de Palenque. The Palenquero language is spoken there. This community started in the early 1600s. Benkos Biohó led about 30 runaways into the forests. He declared himself King Benkos. His palenque attracted many runaways. The Spanish captured and executed Biohó in 1619.
But runaways kept escaping to San Basilio. The Spanish eventually agreed to peace terms in 1772.
Ecuador
In Ecuador, survivors from shipwrecks and escaped enslaved people formed independent communities. They lived along rivers on the northern coast. They mixed with indigenous communities in areas the colonial government couldn't reach.
French Guiana and Suriname
In French Guiana and Suriname, escaped enslaved people, called Bushinengues, fled inland. They joined indigenous peoples. They created several independent tribes. These include the Saramaka, Paramaka, Ndyuka, Kwinti, Aluku (Boni), and Matawai.
The Ndyuka were the first to sign a peace treaty in 1760. It gave them control over their land. The Aluku also wanted a treaty, but the Dutch fought them. This led to the Aluku moving into French Guiana. The other tribes signed peace treaties with Suriname. The Kwinti were the last in 1887. In 1891, the Aluku officially became French citizens.
In the 1980s, Bushinengues in Suriname fought for their land rights. The Surinamese Interior War (1986–1992) was fought by the Jungle Commando. This group fought for the rights of the maroon minority. In 2005, the Suriname government agreed to pay victims of a massacre. In 2020, Ronnie Brunswijk became the first Maroon to serve as Vice President of Suriname.
Venezuela
There were many slave rebellions in colonial Venezuela. Many free and escaped enslaved people formed communities called cumbes. One famous cumbe is Curiepe, where the annual Fiesta de San Juan is celebrated.
Another cumbe was Ocoyta, led by Guillermo Ribas. This group included both African and Indian runaways. They traded in cocoa. The cumbe of Ocoyta was destroyed in 1771. Guillermo was killed, but most of the runaways escaped into the forests.
When the Venezuelan War of Independence began in 1810, many members of these cumbes fought with the rebels.
See also
In Spanish: Negro cimarrón para niños
