The Fighting Maroons

Engraving of a Maroon captain, originally engraved from life. Engraved by Abraham Raimbach. Credit: Nova Scotia Archives

An African legacy shaped by resistance and relocation

Who were the Maroons?
The word maroon first appeared in English in 1666. Its roots may lie in the French marron – meaning a runaway slave – or the Spanish cimarrón, meaning a wild or untamed runaway. The Spanish originally used the word to describe stray cattle before applying it to enslaved people who escaped captivity.

Rebels in the Mountains of Jamaica
When the British seized Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655, many Spanish colonists fled – but left behind hundreds of enslaved Africans. These men and women escaped to the mountainous interior, where they formed self-sufficient communities and fiercely resisted British rule. They became known as the Maroons – and for decades, they were both feared and admired for their courage, tactical brilliance, and refusal to submit.

A Forced Voyage North
In 1796, after renewed conflict in Jamaica, roughly 600 Maroons from Trelawny Town were forcibly deported to Nova Scotia. The government of Jamaica allocated £25,000 to support their resettlement.

Arrival in Nova Scotia
The Maroons were sent to Preston and quickly put to work on British military projects. In Halifax, they were tasked with helping rebuild the third iteration of Citadel Hill – Fort George. They constructed one of its defensive bastions, which became known as the Maroon Bastion. It no longer exists, having been demolished when the current Citadel was later built.

Struggles and Resistance
The Maroons faced constant pressure to assimilate. They were expected to convert to Christianity, take up settler farming, and perform hard labour for low wages. Their living conditions were harsh, and they found the climate and treatment intolerable.

Like the Black Loyalists who had arrived before them, the Maroons soon demanded to leave.

Departure and Legacy
In 1800 – after just four years – the British agreed to relocate the Maroons to Sierra Leone. Many had hoped to return to Jamaica, but that was not permitted. Their time in Nova Scotia was brief, but the Maroons left behind a legacy of resilience and pride. While most of the Maroons left for Sierra Leone, some individuals remained in Nova Scotia and their descendents still live in the Preston area.

Reference:

Nova Scotia Archives  B. Edwards, The Proceedings of the Governor and Assembly of Jamaica, in Regard to the Maroon Negroes… to which is prefixed an Introductory Account… of the Maroons… (London, 1796) (F210 /Ed9) negative number: N-6202

Lawson, Mrs. William (Mary Jane Katzmann). 1893. History of The Townships of Dartmouth, Preston and Lawrencetown. Morton & Co.

Government of Canada. Parks Canada. The Government of Canada honours the national historic significance of the Jamaican Maroons in Nova Scotia. https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2024/07/the-government-of-canada-honours-the-national-historic-significance-of-the-jamaican-maroons-in-nova-scotia.html