New
World Priestess
By Toni
Truesdale
The
Maroon societies of the Americas and Caribbean established their own codes of
political, spiritual and judicial systems. Often a mix of the many African
tribes and American Indigenous, these diverse populations created “free states”
within countries; and were comprised of native peoples, self-liberated
slaves, free blacks and even poor white or runaway indentured servants.
Village
Chiefs or captains where chosen in their unusually egalitarian governments.
They were often organized into matrilineal social systems. Spiritual practices included
divination, spirit possession, ancestor worship with intense dance rituals and deeply
beautiful music lead by the drum. The variations of this are endless as are
individual maroon populations.
The
first recorded settlement in the Americas was in 1562. But throughout the 1600’s
into the 18th century free societies existed in remote areas of
Columbia, French Guiana, Jamaica, Surinam, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Great
Dismal Swamp as well as the Florida Seminole Nation. Most famous of all are the
Quilombos of Brazil. Palmares of the rainforest evaded the brutal Portuguese for
generations. The hero warrior Zumbi is now celebrated nationally.
The
descendants survive today across the Americas and Caribbean often in still sovereign
societies recognized by their nation governments.
Remember
and celebrate their self-determined lives and historical heritage.
Zumbi
Say his name
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