Indigenous Resistance

Queen Nanny

Maroons were slaves in the Americas who escaped and formed independent settlements. The word ‘maroon’ derives from the Spanish word ‘cimarron’ which originally referred to domestic cattle and soon was applied to slaves who had escaped from the Spaniards in the Americas. Plantation slavery produced violence and resistance, and the setting of early New World plantations allowed marronage and the existence of maroon communities.

Throughout Afro-America, maroon communities presented military and economic threats to white authority. Tieing together to create independent communities, maroons developed skills in guerrilla warfare and struck at the plantation system. Additionally, maroons served as living proof of slave consciousness that refused to be limited by the Spaniards.

These societies ranged from small bands that survived less than a year to powerful states with thousands of members that survived for generations and even centuries. They extended from Brazil to the southeastern United States and from Peru to the American Southwest. Nevertheless, they had to be inaccessible so villages were typically located in remote, desolate areas.

Nanny Town was a village located in the Blue Mountains, on the Eastern side of Jamaica, away from European settlements and difficult to assault. Here maroons prospered and multiplied. This village was founded by Nanny, a Maroon leader, and one of her brothers. Nanny was an escaped slave shipped from Western Africa to Jamaica. She was sold into slavery together with her brothers and later escaped from the plantations into the mountains where she founded her village, Nanny Town.

Nanny was perceived by the Maroons and the British settlers as an outstanding military leader. She became a symbol of unity and strength for her people during crises with her outstanding leadership attributes which increased her influence over the Maroons. She made numerous successful raids to free slaves caught on plantations and her efforts contributed to the escape of almost 1,000 captives. She was skilled in organizing the Eastern Maroons guerilla warfare who kept away the British troops who attempted to enter the mountains and overpower them.

The British colonial administration became embarrassed and threatened by the successes of the Maroons because plantation owners were losing slaves and having equipment and crops burned by raiders. For this reason, hunting British parties searched the Jamaican jungles for maroons. Additionally, Nanny encouraged the continuation of customs which instilled the Maroons with confidence and pride.

Nanny is nowadays remembered as the most outstanding women Maroon leader for directing her people with courage and inspiring them to maintain their spirit of freedom and independence. For this reason, she has been recognized by the Government of Jamaica, has been honored as a National Hero, and awarded the title of “Right Excellent”.