Maroons first settled in Freetown around 1800 where they built St John’s Maroon Church which still stands to this day.
In the latest episode of the Make Sierra Leone Famous Podcast “Slavery, Rebellion & Religion: Freetown’s Maroons from Jamaica to Sierra Leone,” host Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Aron Strong of St. John’s Maroon Church.
Here are 5 things we learned from the discussion on religion, identity and cultural preservation.
- The Maroons were descendants of Africans captured from Gold Coast (current day Ghana) and enslaved in Jamaica.
- The Maroons led several successful revolts against British slavers in Jamaica
- St John’s Maroon Church is the oldest place of worship in the City of Freetown.
- The Maroons were highly skilled craftspeople, who were specialized in masonry and metal work. They built the church from woods and stones that they brought in their vessels.
- “Goombay Music” was introduced to Sierra Leone by the Maroons.
For more about the Maroons, check out the Make Sierra Leone Famous podcast now available on Itunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.