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Berbice & he told that he never knew of Baracara! So, I was not alone.

In reply to BeatDball

Sounds Trini to me..lol

In reply to BeatDball

I had looked it up in the wake of young Joseph's success. It's a Maroon settlement* on the Canje River inland of Adelphi-NewAmsterdam. The map has it close to a place called Wel-te-Vreeden. The Guyana Chronicle did this story from there a year ago.

*[I previously didn't know there was any Maroon village in your part of the Guianas.]

--Æ.

In reply to JayMor The Maroon part was most surprising. Thought it was only a Jamaican thing.

In reply to BeatDball

Maroon camps in Trinidad were established in areas like Terre Bouillant in Guayaguayare and the Governor Sir Ralph James Woodford launched a military attack on this camp in 1825. Out of the twenty eight maroons, fifteen were captured and two were killed, Ralph Short and Carlo. Runaway Africans were also discovered to have established a maroon base in the district of St. Ann’s in 1805, while several deserters of the Seventh West India regiment set up their camp in a valley behind an estate in Carenage.
Many maroons fled to the eastern part of Trinidad and a hill located in Manzanilla, named Brigand Hill, has been identified as one such sight where a maroon community flourished during the 1800s. In 1805, Governor Hislop deployed British troops under the command of Colonel Soter, after having learnt that a planter named Walsh and an enslaved African were killed by a suspect band of maroons in the Manzanilla district. The incident had caused much alarm to white settlers particular those residing in eastern Trinidad.

By 1825, a maroon settlement was discovered on the east coast of Trinidad between the Nariva and Ortoire Rivers. Upon confrontation with the British soldiers, 14 Africans were captured and two were shot for attempting to escape, however some were able to get away.
In an attempt to further stamp out the maroon communities a survey of the interior was conducted and four maroon camps were discovered near the coast in the Nariva area.
Again another attempt was made to eliminate the maroon community this time on the eve of emancipation, for fear that the announcement would incite them to further revolutionary action and the British militia was deployed.
The term Brigand comes from the French and British who used the term to describe Africans who took back their freedom and established maroon camps.


In Trinidad we also had Merkins , they had settlements in the hills of my home town Moruga.

They fought for the Americans in the war of 1812 , the British won the war and the Canadians almost burnt down the White house.
They set it ablaze.

Americans (The Merikins) History of Moruga

In reply to sgtdjones Hmmm...good read. Now, I know. Well, my grandpoupah was about 5' 2"...couldnt have been of Maroon descent!

In reply to BeatDball

You and me both bro, I was equivocating whether to display my ignorance or not, but your bravery gave me courage.
I think someone had posted an adventure/tour video on Baracara a couple years ago which was quite interesting

In reply to JayMor

Thanks for posting the video!
I never knew such a place existed in Guyana.

In reply to StumpCam
Yuh done know seh it at be top of de itinerary fe mi nex' visit to GT.

In reply to BeatDball and birdseye
I thought everyone knew of the Suriname maroon communities, some much larger than any in Ja. Indeed, until fairly recently they operated almost entirely as their own countries-- they had remained that isolated and independent.

BeatDball, you never heard of the "Jukka" people from across the border? (So I guess the right spelling is "Njuka"; now I know.) Their other name, "Aukan" is quite interesting. The Asantes, Mfantes, Bonos/Abrons, Kwahus, etc. of Ghana are all "Akan". Sweet how they could have kept their original name.

In reply to sgtdjones
Thanks much for that contribution, Sarge. Love it! I wonder if there might be any ruins or known historical spots standing as monument to those brave souls. Tobago is more hilly than Trinidad so I bet there are stories from there too.

--Æ.

In reply to JayMor

During my recent visit to T&T, I obtained some material regarding the Merkins, a large community of individuals who still reside in those areas.
They cultivate a unique variety of rice, which is quite remarkable. T&T should export all organically cultivated produce.
I attended school alongside some of their children. I plan to write a blog, provided that my sons grant me access to the documents.

The maroons I was informed that there are still relics present in the communities where they established settlements in the southeastern region of Trinidad and Tobago.
Surviving in the forested hills during the 1800s required exceptional bravery and expertise.
The location was in close proximity to my hometown of Moruga. This region is predominantly covered in untamed wilderness, interspersed with sporadic oil extraction facilities.
The creatures migrate on arboreal rafts from the Orinoco River in Venezuela and disembark upon reaching land.
Within the Moruga woodlands, sizable serpents are observed. These snakes, when undisturbed by local residents, do not cause any trouble.

In order to venture into such densely wooded regions, one must enlist the assistance of a guide.
This is the location where Columbus observed the three hills and called the land "La Trinity.".

Where's Arawak? This board is still eating posts. Luckily, this time I remember to copy it to my clipboard.

--Æ.

In reply to sgtdjones

Years ago I did read about the Trinidad red rice* and the 'Merikins' who brought it to T'dad. I sure would like to taste it soon. I'm still yet to catch Panorama live in P.o.S. so when I do I'll check out the possibility of seeing any Maroon relics. Thanks for the info.

*Moruga Hill Rice-- a bit of an advert, but with the story integrated.

--Æ.

In reply to JayMor

I have heard of the Ndjuka of Suriname on cursory level! Guyanese refer to them as juka.

In reply to StumpCam

Indeed. Plus, it seems GTers call all Suriname Maroons by that name; now we know it one particular 'tribe'.

--Æ.

this was staple common entrance thing in the late 80s early 90s and then of course if you dwell around new amsterdam area you'd know more

In reply to sgtdjones

Merkins fought for The British not Americans. They did so on the understanding they’d be free after the war. British kept their word but having lost settled those vets in Bermuda and TNT. There are many Maroon villages throughout The Americas. Mexico, Columbia; all over

In reply to Brerzerk

During the second world war, three forts were set up in Moruga. One at the La Lune Fort, the other at the St Margaret’s Fort and the third at the CatsHill Fort.
These ports were used by the American soldiers to defend the South Coast of the Island from the invasion of the Germans.

Merkins supported the USA.

In reply to sgtdjones

If they supported The US in WWII then they also supported The Brits. The war I speak of is The American War for Independence
(Revolutionary War) Brits encouraged American slaves to fight for them in exchange for freedom. They then transported them to TNT and Berrmuda. Many of those were from offshore estates and slaves from Senegal who were skilled in both wet and dry land rice-farming. The variety of rice you speak of is an heirloom variety from Senegal. I think it is still grown there as well as some parts of The Diaspora Americas.

Recently a vlogger went to Suriname and recorded a most beautiful traditional Maroon wedding. Many of the traditonal practices from Africa still intact

In reply to Brerzerk

The Merikins. America, Trinidad and Canada's forgotten history official documentary

It was the engagements in the Atlantic States of Maryland, Virginia and Georgia, between the United States and Britain that led to the founding of the Company Villages in Moruga Trinidad.

During the battle Britain lost to America, the black soldiers who fought against their ex-masters as Corps of the Colonial Marines in British service were later awarded lands in Trinidad in companies where they became known as the Merikins.

The war that lasted for two years had developed a peculiar relationship between black American marines and the British. The Colonial marines who were former slaves believed the British King had come to free them, while the British saw the black American marines as a source of fighting power to curb American expansion.

After the war, Alexander Cochrane, Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief in North America issued a proclamation in 1814 inviting those who may have been disposed to emigrate from the United States, to board a British vessel where they would be taken to one of Britain's overseas possessions and set free. An estimated 761 marines took up the offer and came to Trinidad in six batches or companies.