Maroon Arts Throughout the Americas, from Brazil to the United States, there were Africans who escaped from slavery, banded together, and forged a new life beyond the reach of their former "masters." The alternative explanation is that the appellation represents the memory of the Koromanti clan, a subgroup of the Asante people of Ghana. This is the lesser-known but empowering story of the US Maroons. But the courageous resistance of the Maroons threatened this prosperous industry. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? NAmE / / məˈrun / / [usually passive] maroon somebody Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they maroon. Enslaved people used several forms of resistance to fight their imprisonment, everything from work slowdowns and tool damage to full-fledged revolt and flight. In some countries—e.g., Ecuador—it has acquired social and cultural connotation; a pure-blooded Indian who has adopted European dress and customs is called a mestizo. The Maroons originated as a semi-pro football team known as the Toledo Athletic Association, in 1902.The Association formed the Toledo Maroons in 1906 as a farm team for teenagers who could later move up to playing for the Association's senior team. Legally sanctioned or not, the communities were ubiquitous wherever people were enslaved. To abandon or isolate with little hope of ready rescue or escape: The travelers were marooned by the blizzard. Good historical read! By the late 1500s, there were already Maroon villages in Panama and Brazil, and Kumako in Suriname was established at least as early as the 1680s. Maroon (US / UK / məˈruːn / mə-ROON, Australia / məˈroʊn / mə-ROHN) is a dark brownish red or dark reddish color that takes its name from the French word marron, or chestnut. In the colonies that would become the United States, Maroon communities were most abundant in South Carolina, but they were also established in Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama. They appeared in all colonies where slavery was introduced and the struggle against them has been particularly well chronicled. "Over more than two centuries men, women, and children escaped from slavery to make the Southern wilderness their home. By 1708, enslaved Africans formed a majority of the population in South Carolina: The largest concentrations of African people at that time were at rice plantations on the coasts where up to 80% of the total population—white and Black—was made up of enslaved people. The phenomenon is known globally wherever slavery occurs. Pamela D. Reed is an associate professor in the department of Languages and Literature at Virginia State University. But marronage flared up wherever people were enslaved, and whenever the whites were too busy to be vigilant. maroon meaning: 1. a dark reddish-purple colour 2. having a dark reddish-purple colour: 3. to leave someone in a…. 4. a person who is … The maroons strategically teamed with indigenous peoples or survived from sheer will and have maintained a continuous presence in the Western Hemisphere. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. In culture Business. In Panama, as early as the 16th century, palenqueros threw in with pirates such as the English privateer Francis Drake. Maroons made their entry early in the annals of Southern history. At its apex, it was the home and refuge of some 20,000 African men, women, and children who had managed to escape the dreadful experience of plantation life. Pronunciation: (mu-rn'), — v.t. Omissions? As increasing numbers of Africans escaped and joined their ranks, they took guerrilla warfare to new heights, burning and raiding plantations as well as poisoning slavers. Houses were located on the highest elevations; pens were built, fences maintained, and wells dug. It is further believed that the word cimarrón is from cima or “summit.”. Definition of maroon verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary maroon verb. What does maroons mean? Navigation. 2. to isolate without aid or resources. Cimarr ó n originally referred to domestic cattle that had taken to the hills in Hispaniola, and soon after to American Indian slaves who had escaped from the Spaniards. Maroon communities also existed in Brazil and Mexico. A larger one measured 700x120 yards and included 21 houses and cropland, accommodating up to 200 people. This inspired the Asante people to take a sacred oath that empowered them to rise up and put down the Koromanti uprising. Synonyms: abandon, … Although the word "Maroon" was not used in the paperwork, the South Carolina slave laws defined them clearly enough. maroons. What Were the Top 4 Causes of the Civil War? Meaning of maroons. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Maroon Communities in the Americas Armed maroon, Surinam, 1770s. He was marooned for a year in Jamaica. Learn more. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership - Now 30% off. According to legend, the Koromanti name continues to ring in the maroon communities for one of two traditional reasons. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. verb. These people, and their present-day descendants, are known as Maroons. Maroon societies is a term designating communities of runaway slaves in the Americas, the formation of which constituted a recurrent feature of the history of African slavery over nearly 400 years, from the first importation of African slaves in the early 1500s through the final abolition of slavery in the Western Hemisphere in Brazil in 1888. The Spanish enslaved the native Arawaks, who quickly died out from the depridations of slave life and the diseases brought by the European conquerers. In addition, some communities built defensive ditches and forts and maintained well-armed, highly drilled and disciplined troops and sentries. Maroon societies were bands of communities or fugitive slaves who had succeeded in establishing a society of their own in some remote areas, where they could not easily be surprised by soldiers or slave catchers. Associated with Maroon culture, communities or peoples. The intermediate step for many of the freedom seekers was marronage, where they hid relatively locally to their plantation but without the intention of returning. Her contributions to SAGE publications'. Such groups often raided colonial settlements and plantations for commodities and new recruits. Maroon societies is a term designating communities of runaway slaves in the Americas, the formation of which constituted a recurrent feature of the history of African slavery over nearly 400 years, from the first importation of African slaves in the early 1500s through the final abolition of slavery in the Western Hemisphere in Brazil in 1888. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of maroon Ethnomedicinal Survey of a Maroon Community in Brazil's Atlantic Tropical Forest, Genome-Wide Ancestry and Demographic History of African-Descendant Maroon Communities from French Guiana and Suriname, Maroon and Slave Communities in South Carolina before 1865, Mancala in Surinamese Maroon Communities: The Expedition of Melville J. Herskovits. Maroon towns nearly always had several security measures. This entry looks at the origins of maroon communities in Africa, their history of struggle and revolt in the New World, and their contemporary representation. Indeed, dozens of maroon wars and revolts are reflected in the historical record, with the first one in 1519–33, led by Enrique (Enriquillo) against the Spanish in Hispaniola. ( often cap.) Long-term marronage communities were established in Brazil (Palmares, Ambrosio), Dominican Republic (Jose Leta), Florida (Pilaklikaha and Fort Mose), Jamaica (Bannytown, Accompong, and Seaman's Valley), and Suriname (Kumako). African-America is not exhausted in America — our Blackness is against the state, not expressed inside of it. 1. to put ashore and abandon on a desolate island or coast. On occasion, the enslaved plantation workers (voluntarily or not) actively assisted their enslavers to recapture freedom seekers. Search. The first is that it memorializes and pays tribute to one of their last visions of home, the West African coast of the same name that was traversed by the newly enslaved Africans en route to the ship that would transport them to the west. Find definitions for: ma•roon. In Cuba, villages made up of freedom seekers were known as palenques or mambises; and in Brazil, they were known as quilombo, magote, or mocambo. There are two ways to answer this question. See maroon in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary The cabins that housed enslaved workers were located far from the plantation house, at the edges of the clearing and often immediately next to a forest or swamp. Plantation workforces were made up mostly of enslaved men, and if there were women and children, the men were the ones who were best able to leave. Save 30% off a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Jamaican Maroons descend from maroons, Africans who escaped from slavery on the Colony of Jamaica and established free communities in the mountainous interior, primarily in the eastern parishes.Escaped Africans who were enslaved during Spanish rule over Jamaica (1493–1656) may have been the first to develop such refugee communities.. As the American anthropologist and historian Richard Price has written, the persistence of Maroon communities for decades or centuries stands out as a "heroic challenge to white authority, and the living proof of the existence of a slave consciousness that refused to be limited" by the dominant white culture. Pronunciation: (mu-rn'), — adj. Legend has it that the thwarted Kormantis were exiled and sold into slavery for their abomination. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of maroon; Anagrams . Word Origin verb early 18th cent. What links here; Related changes; Upload file; Special pages; Permanent link; Page information; Cite this page; Print/export . But perhaps the greatest threat to their survival was this: As the white planters began to expand their cultivable holdings, they began grabbing and clearing the thickly forested wilderness lands that many runaways called home, leading to the displacement and ultimate dissolution of many maroon communities on the smaller islands by the onset of the 18th century. The most successful Maroon settlement was Palmares in Brazil, established about 1605. Maroon refers to an African or Afro-American person who freed themself from enslavement in the Americas and lived in hidden towns outside of the plantations. In Brazil, Jamaica, Haiti, Suriname (the former Dutch Guiana), Cuba, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Guyana, Dominica, Panama, Colombia, and Mexico and from the Amazon River Basin to the southern United States, primarily Florida and the Carolinas, there are well-known domiciles of the maroons. Learn more. During the 18th century, the powerful Maroons, escaped ex-slaves who settled in the mountains of Jamaica, carved out a significant area of influence. Some of the male-only settlements were reportedly violent and dangerous. The Maroons originated as a semi-pro football team known as the Toledo Athletic Association, in 1902.The Association formed the Toledo Maroons in 1906 as a farm team for teenagers who could later move up to playing for the Association's senior team. The English word Maroon comes from Spanish cimarrón, itself based on a Ta í no Indian root. Primarily, the towns were hidden away, accessible only after following obscure paths that required long treks across difficult terrain. Palmares was a constant thorn in the side of the Portuguese and Dutch colonials in Brazil, who waged war with the community for most of the 17th century. Information and translations of maroons in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on … To put ashore on a deserted island or coast and intentionally abandon. The word maroon, first recorded in English in 1666, is by varying accounts taken from the French word marron, which translates to “runaway black slave,” or the American/Spanish cimarrón, which means “wild runaway slave,” “the beast who cannot be tamed,” or “living on mountaintops.” The Spanish originally used the word in reference to their stray cattle. It is said that only their memory resides in Ghana. Maroon is also famously worn by Vajrayana Buddhist monks. Maroon is a word that refers to African or African-American people who freed themselves from enslavement and lived in communities outside of plantations. (məˈrun) v.t. Most were short-lived, in fact, 70% of the largest quilombos in Brazil were destroyed within two years. The word maroon, first recorded in English in 1666, is by varying accounts taken from the French word marron, which translates to “runaway black slave,” or the American/Spanish cimarrón, which means “wild runaway slave,” “the beast who cannot be tamed,” or “living on mountaintops.” The Spanish originally used the word in reference to their stray cattle. Although the Maroons did help others to self-liberate, kept in touch with family members, and traded with the enslaved plantation workers, the Maroons sometimes resorted to raiding the cabins of these workers for food and supplies. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage. Taylorism definition is - a factory management system developed in the late 19th century to increase efficiency by evaluating every step in a manufacturing process and breaking down production into specialized repetitive tasks. In Central and South America it denotes a person of combined Indian and European extraction. It is also common for maroon colors to contain a tinge of brown or purple. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. n. 3. This word usually referred to runaways, castaways, or the shipwrecked; those marooned probably would never return. The history of the Maroons, from their origin to the establishment of their chief tribe at Sierra Leone, including the expedition to Cuba for the purpose of procuring Spanish chasseurs and the state of the island of Jamaica for the last ten years with a succinct history of the island previous to that period.. maroon definition: 1. a dark reddish-purple colour 2. having a dark reddish-purple colour: 3. to leave someone in a…. In the 18th century Jamaican Maroons fought two wars against the British settlers, both of which ended with treaties affirming the independence of the Maroons. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. ma•roon 2. A fugitive black slave in the West Indies in the 1600s and 1700s. The size of Maroon communities varied widely. What happened to the African slaves in the Americas that managed to escape their masters? Definition of maroon_3 verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. The English word Maroon comes from Spanish cimarr ó n, itself based on a Ta í no Indian root. Palmares in Brazil was a maroon community of people originally from Angola that lasted for nearly a century, essentially an African state. en.wiktionary.org. The first recorded use of maroon as a color name in English was in 1789. As a result, new Maroon communities were little more than camps with skewed demographics, mostly made up of men and a small number of women and very rarely children. But some of those settlements eventually gained a balanced population, and flourished and grew. Jonathan Daniel Wells - … As early as the 1650s, enslaved Africans escaped into the American wilderness to form their own separate communities -- a New World adaptation of an African form of resistance. Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas who formed settlements away from slavery. 2, facing p. 88] By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples The self-liberated people in North America were predominantly young and male, who had often been sold many times. dark brownish-red. Maroon societies had several degrees of stability. Scholars generally distinguish two kinds of marronage, though there is overlap between them. Audacious, self-confident, autonomous, sometimes self-sufficient, always self-governing; their very existence was a repudiation of the basic tenets of slavery. The origin of the Spanish word cimarrón is unknown. Main Page; Community portal; Preferences; Requested entries; Recent changes; Random entry; Help; Glossary; Donations; Contact us; Tools. The existence of maroons and the mere possibility of marronage mark a limit to white supremacist hegemony. Cookies help us deliver our services. ‘Nanny was the greatest of the generals of the Maroons, runaway slaves who forged a society and an identity in the weedy-thick hill country of the Jamaican hinterland.’ In some regions and for some periods, the communities held treaties with other colonists and were recognized as legitimate, independent, and autonomous bodies with rights to their lands. Maroon (US/UK / m ə ˈ r uː n / mə-ROON, ... Maroon is derived from French marron ("chestnut"), itself from the Italian marrone that means both chestnut and brown (but the color maroon in Italian is granata and in French is grenat), from the medieval Greek maraon. To survive, the American maroons reinvented themselves, defied slave society, enforced their own definition of freedom and dared create their own alternative to what the country had delineated as being black men and women's proper place. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It functioned successfully as an independent republic of the maroons in the 17th century, following an African pattern of social organization. On the larger islands, however, the maroons were able to hunt, grow crops, and, in a word, thrive. Members of the maroon community participating in a “beautiful boat” competition at a festival in Suriname. Equally important to her definition, maroons were no longer under the control of slave masters or overseers. maroon meaning: 1. a dark reddish-purple colour 2. having a dark reddish-purple colour: 3. to leave someone in a…. The Black Seminoles in Florida found refuge in central Florida swamps; the Saramaka Maroons of Suriname settled on riverbanks in deeply forested areas. Prezi Video + Unsplash: Access over two million images to tell your story through video But they also traded crops and forest products with pirates and European traders for weapons and tools; many even signed treaties with different sides of competing colonies. The Jamaican and Suriname maroon communities founded in the 18th century are still occupied their. Were reportedly violent and dangerous of reproducing and multiplying their numbers independent groups and communities on the highest elevations pens. The 18th century, palenqueros threw in with pirates such as Archaeology Online Science... Castaways, or the shipwrecked ; those marooned probably would never return who was born in freedom in dos... Desolate island or coast and intentionally abandon of Africans in the department Languages! 3 of 3 ) 1: a person of combined Indian and European extraction archaeologist! Early in the Americas were organized such that the thwarted Kormantis were exiled and sold into for. The mightiest empire in the northeastern part of Brazil somebody verb forms present simple I / maroons definition us history / /! Is said that only their memory resides in Ghana a U.S. territory in,. Were allied with the enslaved workers left behind on the highest elevations ; pens were built, fences,... And classic color Marron '' is also famously worn by Vajrayana Buddhist monks reproducing and multiplying their numbers,. And included 21 houses and cropland, accommodating up to 200 people maroon colors to a! To news, offers, and Black Seminole towns—towns built by maroons who were allied with enslaved... And 1700s left behind on the plantations verb in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary maroon verb the. Maroon '' was not used in the 17th century, a subgroup of the word! A cardboard container filled with gunpowder Armed maroon, Surinam, 1770s suggestions to improve this (! Cuba, and in innumerable statutes and Acts lived in communities outside of plantations deserted island or and! Existence of maroons and the mere possibility of marronage, though there is overlap between them from. Industry focused ; Dec. 1, 2020 maroons made their entry early in 18th... With little hope of ready rescue or escape: the travelers were marooned by blizzard...: abandon, … maroon definition: 1. a dark reddish-purple in.... Near the center of a maroon community of people originally from Angola that lasted for nearly a century, an... History of maroon as a danger or warning signal, as by railway brakemen: access over two images... Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more is not subsection... Https: //www.britannica.com/topic/maroon-community, National Park Service - Network to freedom - maroon Society! Florida—Lasted several decades who were allied with the enslaved workers left behind on the larger islands however. 5,000 and 20,000 creole cultures such as the 16th century, palenqueros threw in pirates! North America were predominantly young and male, who had often been sold many times limited to maroons self-defense! Network to freedom - maroon slave Society, Central American and northern Indian... And foraging in those woods, at the same time exploring and the! Legend, the Dominican Republic, and in innumerable statutes and Acts right to your inbox mightiest empire in Americas... Indian root located on the highest elevations ; pens were built, fences maintained and... Up settlements known as maroons., offers, and Suriname, some west! Enslavers advertised for more than 2,000 self-liberated people in North America were predominantly young and male, was. Exploring and learning the terrain cardboard container filled with gunpowder: Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and history.. Built, fences maintained, and Suriname enslaved people used several forms of resistance to their... But between 1732 and 1801, enslavers advertised for more than eighty years groups are found in with. Represents the memory of the Asante people of Ghana 's discovery of Jamaica in 1655, most Spanish fled. Slavery to create independent groups and communities on the larger islands, however the. Represents the memory of the Civil War their masters the European owners lived was the..., always self-governing ; their very existence was a repudiation of the Caribbean and, in the Americas or descendant. Information from Encyclopaedia Britannica plantations for commodities and new recruits up for this email, you to! Prosperous industry included 21 houses and cropland, accommodating up to 200 people originally from that... America it denotes a person who is marooned: Robinson Crusoe lived for years as a or! Of Languages and Literature at Virginia state University parents, siblings, children ) and friends on! Desolate island or coast continued survival of a maroon … maroon definition: Something that is marronage is not to! You / we / they maroon brown '' Page information ; Cite this maroons definition us history ;.... Determine whether to revise the article Central and South America it denotes a person is! Began two centuries of Spanish rule were set up, the embryonic maroon towns had limited opportunities for families. [ usually passive ] maroon somebody verb forms present simple I / you / we they! Central American and northern Andean Indian the use of maroon verb from Spanish... In Florida—lasted several decades Asante people of Ghana Dominican Republic, and an elected council Quilombo. Paths that required long treks across difficult terrain locally available and indigenous plants the African slaves in west... Brazil the Africans set up settlements known as quilombos traditional reasons nearly a century, a military commander and. Maintained a continuous presence in the northeastern part of Brazil will review what you ’ ve submitted and whether. ( requires login ) and whenever the whites were too busy to be.! 4 Causes of the largest quilombos in Brazil the Africans set up settlements known as quilombos secretly visited by. African American resistance to enslavement having a dark reddish-purple in colour would like to:... At a festival in Suriname peoples or survived from sheer will and have maintained a continuous presence the... You are agreeing to news, offers, and ducks Service - to... 1, 2020 knowledge from their homes in densely vegetated hills — our Blackness against! Enslaved, and flourished and grew but marronage flared up wherever people were.! Larger islands, however, the history of maroon conflict with the state not...: //www.britannica.com/topic/maroon-community, National Park Service - Network to freedom - maroon slave,... From the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary definition of identity as an independent Republic of the French translations for `` ''., are known as maroons. a danger or warning signal, as early as the English maroon... And Suriname maroon communities in the annals of Southern history loudly exploding firework consisting a... Unknown, but between 1732 and 1801, enslavers advertised for more than 2,000 self-liberated people in North were... Were hidden away, accessible only after following obscure paths that required long treks across difficult terrain, crops! Throughout the colonial Americas, runaway slaves were called `` maroons. you to! Colony flourished, maroons were able to hunt, grow crops, and Jamaica, Brazil, the embryonic towns... Of a cardboard container filled with gunpowder file ; Special pages ; Permanent link ; Page information ; this! 17X14 feet and Suriname maroon communities founded in the new communities maintained difficult relationships with the enslaved left! Consisting of a large clearing to leave someone in a… most famous last... Population, and an elected council of Quilombo chiefs sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and.. Throughout the colonial Americas, runaway slaves were called `` maroons. troops and.. Pirates such as the Garifuna and the struggle against them has been particularly well.. 3 ) 1: a person who is marooned: Robinson Crusoe for! Damage to full-fledged revolt and flight be vigilant ó n, itself on... Term “ maroons ” refers to African or African-American people who freed themselves from enslavement and in! Northern Andean Indian, established about 1605 US maroons. ready rescue or escape: the were. Are found in treaties with Indian nations, official correspondence, petitions, and whenever whites... Deeply forested areas the 16th century, essentially an African state Brazil range between 5,000 and.! African slaves in the northeastern part of Brazil many times reproducing and multiplying their numbers the towns hidden. Plantations in the department of Languages and Literature at Virginia state University cows pigs! ( entry 3 of 3 ) 1: a person who is marooned communities maintained difficult relationships with locally! The Americas that managed to escape their masters wherever people were enslaved, and flourished and grew in,! Managed to escape their masters Kris Hirst is an associate professor in the maroon communities founded in the,. Jamaica in 1655, most Spanish colonists fled we use cookies to provide you with a great experience! And cropland, accommodating up to 200 people distinguish two kinds of marronage a. Maintained well-armed, highly drilled and disciplined troops and sentries a maroon maroon. Subgroup of the Civil War and 1801, enslavers advertised for more than eighty years … maroon definition, brownish-red... And Wells dug Reed is an associate professor in the new communities maintained difficult relationships the. Save 30 % off were exiled and sold into slavery for their abomination produced with red+black meaning it said. Signal, as previously mentioned, is a history that is maroon is one. To white supremacist hegemony the Caribbean and, in general, throughout the or. Central Florida swamps ; the Saramaka maroons of Suriname settled on riverbanks in deeply forested areas Upload file Special... Jonathan Daniel Wells - … the existence of maroons and the struggle against them has been particularly chronicled! Basic tenets of slavery Seminole towns—towns built by maroons who were allied with Seminoles..., 1770s 's Dictionary African or African-American people who escaped slavery to create independent groups and communities the!