By RON FANFAIR
The federal government recognized the Trelawny Maroons at a ceremony at the Citadel Fortress National Site in Halifax on August 1.
Deported from Jamaica to Nova Scotia in 1796 in the aftermath of the Second Maroon War, they stayed for four years before migrating to Sierra Leone in August 1800.
Two years ago, the Jamaican Maroons in Nova Scotia were officially designated as an event of national historical significance under Parks Canada’s National program of Historical Commemoration.
Dr. Afua Cooper made the application for the recognition.
“The Maroon exemplifies Black resistance to slavery and colonialism and a commitment to racial and social justice,” she said. “As one with roots in the Trelawny Maroon community, I am thrilled at this designation.”
Russell Grosse, the executive director of the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia (BCCNS), said the Maroons demonstrated sheer will and determination through adversity to make significant contributions to Nova Scotia.
“Today, their resilient legacy lives on in the African Nova Scotian community and through the remarkable stone work that is part of the heritage of Citadel Hall and Government House in this province,” he added.
Also on August 1, an exhibit – A History Exposed: The Enslavement of Black People – opened at the Pier 21 Museum.
The Guest Curator, Cooper created it in partnership with the BCCNS.
“Canada’s connection to slavery is not just the Underground Railroad,” she said. “Slavery played a significant role in the early settlement of Canada and its legacy can be seen and felt today. At the exhibit, one can discover the experiences of enslaved Black people in Canada through individual biographies and archival records, learn how slavery came to be in Canada and find out who were Canada’s enslavers.”
