Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / Feb. 20, 1982, edition 1 / Page 19
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. (cuitiimicu Irom Page 18).-. .-, . try. Maroons selected locations that were difficult to find and economically unfeasible for the Euro pean colonists to cultivate. Easily defended, these . ; communities were often inaccessible with false trails and natural barriers (swamps, sheer cliffs, etc.) creating hazards for any who were not completely v familiar with the terrain. Should the enemy succeed ' in finding the carefully hidden trail, it was booby trapped and approached single file only. Escape routes were equally well-hidden with secondary camps developed in caves or sink-holes to enable the Maroons to effectively withstand any siege of their main "vMag&'M lj:LyxS: U: i Extraordinary defense techniques were developed by the Maroons to overcome the colonists generally superior weaponry and manpower. The colonists' armies were composed bf thcirf own men plus mercenaries, Indians, slaves and (sometimes) free blacks. Many of the slaves were willing to fight for their promised freedom and often proved to be the better soldier. In some cases (particularly in Cuba) dogs, trained to hunt fugitives, were used to flush out the hidden Maroons. v KZ'?':? Guerrilla warfare was the tactic used, so sue-1 cessfully by the Maroons, while the colonists in sisted, in marching in proper formation and regimental clothing supported by the drum to give cadence to the march. Usually armea with sticks, clubs, rocks, bows and arrows, spears, knives and other rudimentary weapons, the Maroons would lie quietly in wait when the general alarm was given. Camouflaging themselves with leaves and twigs, they blended into the underbrush or tops of trees. Ambushing the foe, they would hit and run with devastating results on the morale, human life and ec6nomy of the country wutit nit miMaiiic -ivak 1'idv.c. Maroon settlements could be found throughout Latin America and the Caribbean (and even in the United States most particularly in Florida and South Carolina). They became fierce fighters whose ability to plan and fight ("fight and flight") made them a source of terror among the colonies. These settlements developed standards for ex istence that enabled them to survive in their hostile environment and overcome any intertribal or cultural differences that could become possible sources of conflict. Perhaps what served them best was their collective desire to resist re-enslavement at all costs and the realization that cooperation was the only key to their survival. Feaf of infiltration by spies caused any new en trant to suffer a period of isolation, house arrest or enslavement until loyalty was proved. Harsh sanc tions, including death, were enacted for any infrac tions of the rules developed by the councils, chiefs or kings, and absolutism ruled. The inability of the colonial government to effec tively eliminate all of the settlements (some like Palmares in Brazil were viable and extremely powerful for almost a century before being destroyed) forced them to deal with the Maroons in another manner. At times, the colonists sued for peace with various leaders. In exchange for the' Maroons' demand to be free and the acknowledge ment that the territory that they claimed was indeed theirs, further raids by the Maroons would be stop ped. Documentation from the archives of the coun tries of Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Ecuador, , ico and Surinam (Guiana) attest t.QJihise..nraclice. ....Tho tnrkul ikirfitrlno,rhmnntimc Ah.'cnnififKfhrmvfl' from direct descendants of Maroons living on the original land may be found in the latter country.) Other Maroon settlements have grown ! beyond neighborhoods (barrios) , or towns in their own right. : ";. . Purists might argue that to qualify as a Maroon, one must have fled from slavery and become a member of a settlement (or start one). Others, subscribe to the theory that any who adhered to the Maroon's philosophy and joined in their fight for freedom, be they slave or free, were so classified. Some of the more notable Maroon leaders whft employed the techniques noted (with some varia tions) and their country foltowed. Columbia In the early I7th century Domingo Bloho, who claimed to be a king of an African state, was the first Maroorj W be publicly acknowledged as such, ir. fact, the term was first used in a description of him. Called King Benkos in archival papers, his organizations skills and fearlessness drew others to him. The settlement he formed was named San Basilio. His persistent raids and invincibility forced i be Spanish to sue for peace. Cuba Antoniao Maceo (1848-18), who was illiterate until the age of twenty, led a band of insurgents who waged guerrilla warfare against the Spanish even . after the first insurrection (The Ten Years War) ended in defeat Tor the revolutionaries. Refus ing to surrender, he and his small band of Maroons ravaged the countryside and defeated a number of , Spain's best generals. Although killed before in dependence was won, Macco's strong spirit of in dependence caused the revolutionaries lb fight until all Cubans were free. ; ; Guadeloupe Louis Delgrevs (1772-1802) was a wcll-cddeated member of the upper class from Martinique. As a republican, he espoused the cause of the French Revolution and served with distinction under Napoleon. The fervor generated in France swept the colonics, and slaves rose up t Q demand, (heir freedom as well. . , - ; Alarmed. Napoleon sent forces to restore slavery, for he needed the islands in the West Indies to supp ly much-needed capital. Among jhe reinforcements was Delgrevs. Landing in . Guadeloupe, he discovered that oppression and, tyranny were worse than before ihc Revolution, and he joined forces with the slaves. Although the Maroons were finally defeated and he wounded, Delgrevs' last stand was to have his body mined with gunpowder blowing up the fort with the enemy forces inside. His sacrifice fanned the flame of rebellion in all of Ihc French colonics in the West Indies. ' ' ' ". :,. ' ;.J:,vv:;vvv.- Haiti .r ',' Perhaps the black revolution thai has so captured the imagination of many is the one that look place . on the island of Haiti. The three men perhaps most responsible for the country's independence were Toussaint L'Overturc, Jean Dcssalincs and Henri Christophc. All three had been born slaves, all ruled Toussaint ( 1743-1803). the supreme diplomat or the three, was the forerunner who secured the island from the forces of England and Spain for his coun try of allegiance: France. Stabilizing the economy and encouraging unity among all Haitians regardless of, color he t reestablished Haiti as the jewel In France's empire.'. Napoleon, now in power, fearing the popularity and power that Toussaint was 'acquiring, sent a force of 65,000 men in 1802. Taking to the moun tains, Toussaint and his men fought, bravely against Toussaint L'Ouvetlure Emperor of Haiti the tremendous odds. Lured into a trap by General Leclcrc's request for a mecring with the promise of Toussaint's safety, he was captured and exiled to France where he died in solitary confinement. " . Jean Jacques Dessalines (1758-1 806), a general under Toussaint, was a fierce warrior. Inspired to revenge the treachery the French had used to take Toussaint, Dessalines defeated the French from his mountain hideout in every encounter. Declaring himself emperor, he became despotic and tyrranical and was assassinated by one of his own officers., when reviewing troops. ; f Henri Cbristophe (1767-1 820) was also a member , of Toussaint's forces. Inspired to . rebel by his : leader's exile, he became Commander in Chief of the army when Dessalines became emperor. After the latter's death, Christophc was elected president by the - people.', Initially, - his approach was a . democratic one, but continuing incursions by the ' British and French caused him to assume a more monarchical role. In 181 1, he declared himself king.' Once mote, prosperity returned to Haiti. However;" hi!? totalitarian attitudes caused him to " lose favor with the people. Fearing their anger, he committed suicide in 1820. . . T . Jamaica Maroon activity began after the British defeated the Spanish in 1655. Difficulty in colonizing was in itially experienced by the British for they were beset by problems stemming from the inhospitable climate and internal governmental strife. During the first decades of British rule, slaves readily escaped and formed Maroon settlements in the in terior. The loosely knit and often despotic political ' climate was advantageous to the runaways. . During the late 17th century, two leaders Juan de Boias and Juan de Berros constantly harassed the British. Their success signalled the beginning of the Maroon War, which lasted for sdme 85 years. Possibly the most forceful of the Maroon leaders was one called Captain Cudjoe, a short, stocky, hump backed ex-slave who forced the British to sue for peace in 1740. . ' V Mexico . Insurrections in Mexico are recorded as early as 1519 and their increase is noted as a response to the Spaniard's frequent enactment of restrictive codes. Raiding Maroons begun '"- . o transport of goods- and a militia was formed c combat them. " : . - Yanga (c: 1 560) was the Maroon leader of a settle- men i near Veracruz that wreaked havoc on the sugar plantations in eastern Mexico.. So disruptive were he and his men that the Spanish Viceroy sued : for peace. Under the terms, the Maroons were to be free, allowed to establish the city of San Lorenz de x los Negros and Yanga was named governor of the ', town with his descendants to succeed him. This treaty is notable, for it is recorded in Mexican ar chives as the only revolt ending in freedom for the Maroons (or any slaves) that was sanctioned and governed by law. VinceBt Guerrero (1782-183 1 ); an iimenUe ex slave, fought against the Spanish and the Mexican aristocracy to free the poor and enslaved. He has been called the George Washington and Abraham Lincoln of Mexico.- First, he drove thc Spaniards out of Mexico, then he declared that all men were free and entitled to hold public office. During the three wars that he opposed the forces in power, Guerrero fought with guerrilla tactics from settlements in the mountains. Popular with the masses who elected him presi dent but despised by the aristocracy for eman cipating the slaves, he, too, was betrayed by a friends with $13,000 blood money. The revolution that followed his assassination firmly establihsed his democratic policies and honored his memory by naming a state and city .after him. The history of Latin America and the Caribbean is written in revolutionary language, even today. Unrest marks much of the territory, and uneasy truces between the classes constantly threaten the peace. f TFTYQ f1 S6O8J0OO $1,000 a yearor 35 yeafs. $116,000 $2,000 a year for 35 years. $2,432,000 $4,000a year for 35 years. 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The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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Feb. 20, 1982, edition 1
19
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