Archaeology and the Maroon Heritage in Jamaica
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Portland State University PDXScholar Black Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations Black Studies 1995 Archaeology and the Maroon Heritage in Jamaica E. Kofi Agorsah Portland State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/black_studies_fac Part of the African Studies Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Citation Details Agorsah, Kofi. (1995). Archaeology and the Maroon heritage in Jamaica. Jamaica Journal 24:2: 2-9. This Article is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Black Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Mutabaru Maroon Early Avi · ion . ennis S~ott 1~ Archaeology and the MAROON HERITAGE IN JAMAICA Maroon (?) grindstone from Nanny Town Kofi Agorsah f""Alt all the fascinating aspects of Jamaican history, the Maroon Melement appears to be the only one that weaves through the whole period, includiJJg the present day. Referring to themselves as 'True blu chankofi piti bo" ,lsome Maroons of Moore Town in the parish of Portland claim that, with the exception of the freedom fighters of South Africa, they are the only living ge.nuine and most honourable freedom fighters worthy of the name. Another interesting feature of the Maroon element in themselves. Maroon guerrilla warfare had its origins in Jamaica is that it provided a testing ground for British the struggle for freedom that has characterized the colonial tactics and also for their economic and greater part of their history. In the eighteenth century political policies. In addition it demonstrated the the Maroons amazed the whole world by their un colonial government's perception of freedom and imaginable feat of resisting the supposedly invincible human dignity, for freedom to the British at the time British army to the point of military stalemate, thus was a phenomenon that was applicable only to forcing the govemrilent to negotiate a peace treaty. 2 JAMAICA JOURNAL 24/2 Fig2 Students at work on floor of a Maroon living area. At the time of the British conquest of this connecting function of the Maroon The First Nanny Town Expedition the island in 1655, it became clear that heritage in Jamaica that makes their In 1973 an exploration society in the escapees, as the Maroons were history outstanding, forming as it does a · considered to be, were a force to be cooperation with the Institute of continuous and permanent feature of Jamaica organized an archaeological reckoned with. Apart from the burden the history of the island itself. This of the increase in the number of black expedition to Nanny Town. It la§!ed element also makes the overseas history only a few days. Led by Tony BOnner slaves after the conquest and the of the colonial and related European attendant complex organization neces as the site director and Allan Teulon as nations more interesting and the historical adviser, the expedition sary to maintain control, the colonial meaningful. power quickly recognized that the conducted a test excavation of a limited It would be unfair to state that 'runaway' COfi,!-munities were a legacy section of the military fortifications at historical references to the Maroons are that was to determine or significantly the Nanny Town site.2 Working mainly few. However, these references fail to influence the course of events. From the on the surface around the rectangular time of the return of King Charles II to examine the Maroon past as a cultural military wall, members of the exped the throne in 1660 to King George III in history. In the main, emphasis is limited ition recovered fragments of tobacco 1795, and beyond, the British had to to the role of the Maroons as 'rebels' pipes, musket balls, gun barrels, but grapple ceaselessly with the desperate implying that they did not have the tons, green glass bottles, and several efforts of the plantation slaves to free right to fight for freedom and human pieces of metal objects such as nails, themselves and the simultaneous dignity. Only a few years ago it would knife blades, staples and spear-heads. struggle of the free Maroons to have been inconceivable to mention The most spectacular find was a large maintain their hard-won liberty. Maroon heritage as a study falling stone with an engraving recording that It is now clearly recognized that the within what is known today as 'Histori the British forces had captured the site from the Maroons at the end of Maroons of Jamaica provide a cultural cal Archaeology'. It is now considered December 1734 and briefly occupied it link between the so-called prehistoric to be not only part of this sub-discipline up to July 1735. However, after this but also the most important element as 'Arawaks' and the Spanish on the one expedition, there was not much archae far as Jamaica is concerned. hand and the British on the other. It is ological activity at any Maroon site for JAMAICA JOURNAL 24(2 3 •N Maroon area 0 km 50 • -. Maroon settlement Fig. 5 Map ofJamaica showing Maroon areas some years. In fact, it is only very The main objectives of the UMARP maps exist that indicate the approxi recently that the homelands of the study of Maroon settlements are (a) to mate territories occupied by the Maroon heritage have seen a systematic obtain archaeological data that can be Maroons at different times. It is with archaeological investigation. used for the interpretation of the the aid of these maps that archaeologi It was gradually realized that any sociocultural patterns of the behaviour cal reconnaissance and surveys can study of the culture and settlement of the Maroons; (b) to determine the identify Maroon dwelling sites, guer patterns of the Maroons requires more factors that contribute to the location rilla war camps, hideouts, burial and than mere determination of the location, and character of Maroon settlements; battle grounds and military tracks. 3 number, size and spatial distribution of (c) to obtain material for dating and Several of these maps indicate the the sites which they occupied. Such a providing a chronological framework limits as well as the changing nature of study must also go beyond the percep for the origins and development of the settlements which were occupied. tion that limits Maroon history to 'a Maroon heritage in Jamaica. The From other maps can be gleaned in history of rebels'. For example, it is overall objective is to identify the formation as to the distribution of the important to identify the functional role character and mechanism of the func Maroons within the settlements. A 17 57 of a site, such as seasonal occupation. tional adaptation of Maroon societies in map of Accompong in western Jamaica Political, economic and social ties Jamaica over time. and an 1842 sketch map of what was existing among and between sites are A reconstruction of the Maroon past formerly known as Trelawny Town important factors that should be must also be done in the context of the (Maroon Town) are useful for a study considered. Also necessary is an territories they occupied and the special of the patterns of family distribution understanding or reconstruction of the and changing features of these areas within those settlements. A study of the Maroons' movements and interaction over time. For example, the Cockpit social relationships and the develop and of the information flow among country in western Jamaica with its ment of families would reveal factors themselves and with outsiders. remarkable but harsh geomorphology of that are crucial to an explanation of the tropical karst and vegetation was the nature of the mechanisms by which the scene of some of the Maroon wars. It continuity of Maroon cultural practices UMARP and Recent Investigations was these wars which established the has been maintained until the present With the establishment of the Maroons' reputation for extraordinary day. It would, therefore, be possible to Uni v.ersity of the West Indies, Mona, military and organizational abilities. trace the evolution of modern social Archaeology Research Project (uMARP) How did they cope with the environ networks and behaviour patterns of the Maroon settlements were brought ment? What mechanisms enabled them Maroon societies. Information on these into entirely new focus. to overcome the harsh conditions from is minimal in colonial documentation, The first phase of UMARP ( 1987- the social, economic, technological, and the only main source of Maroon 89), was a general study aimed at military points of view? It is important history. identification and location of historical to identify the character and mechan Place names in areas inhabited by sites in Jamaica. The second phase, isms of their functional adaptation Maroons at one time or another, like which started in 1990, narrowed down through time. those of other groups of people else to the coverage of Maroon settlements. Seventeenth to nineteenth century where, are very useful for archaeo- JAMAICA JOURNAL 24{2 5 logical research and reconstruction. flows into the Black River in the River near Alligator Church Bridge, Such names as Parade, Gun Hill, Look direction of Aberdeen. The famous cave Portland, sits high on a hill that out Point, Kinda, Bathing Place, Pette where the peace treaty of 1739 was overlooks the road skirting modern River Bottom, Watch Hill, Gun Barrel, signed between the English and the Brownsfield. The main features are Nanny Town and Killdead are a few Maroons is located at an intersection on remains of houses, with a few frag examples of such useful names. In the track linking Accompong to ments of ceramics and green glass some of the modern Maroon towns Aberdeen.