Queen Nanny of the Maroons
Nanny is known as one of the earliest leaders of slave resistance in the Americas, and one of very few women leaders. She was an outstanding military leader, and she was particularly important during the First Maroon War against the British from 1720 - 1739.
Nanny was born in Ghana, Western Africa and was brought to Jamaica as a slave. Upon arrival in Jamaica, Nanny was sold to a plantation in Saint Thomas Parish, just outside of the Port Royal area. As a child, Nanny was influenced by other slave leaders called "Maroons" - defiant Jamaican slaves who fled their oppressive existence on plantations and formed their own communities in the rugged, hilly interior of the island. She and her brothers, Accompong, Cudjoe, Johnny and Quao ran away from their plantation and hid in the Blue Mountains area. Nanny and her brothers became folk heroes. While in hiding, they split up to organize more Maroon communities across Jamaica; Nanny founded a community in Portland Parish that was given the name Nanny Town. During the First Maroon War, Nanny Town had a strategic location as it overlooked Stony River via a 900 foot ridge, making a surprise attack by the British practically impossible. The Maroons at Nanny Town organized look-outs for such an attack as well as designated warriors who could be summoned by the sound of a horn.
Nanny's cleverness in planning guerilla warfare confused the British and their accounts of the fights reflect the surprise and fear which the Maroon traps caused among them. Besides inspiring her people to ward off the troops, Nanny was also a type of chieftainess or wise woman of the village, who passed down legends and encouraged the continuation of customs, music and songs, that had come with the people from Africa, and which instilled in them confidence and pride.
Nanny was also very adept at organizing plans to free slaves. For over 30 years, Nanny freed more than 800 slaves, and helped them to resettle in the Maroon community. The government of Jamaica declared Nanny a National Heroine in 1976. Her portrait graces the $500 Jamaican dollar bill, which is colloquially referred to as a "Nanny."
The Drink:
Old Jamaica Cocktail
1 oz Fresh lime juice
1.5 oz Rum
.75 oz simple syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Champagne
Drinkability - 3.5
Drunkability - 3
Taxic Diversity - 2.5
Accessibility -3
Priority for Conservation - 4
Hosted by CZ
Nanny is known as one of the earliest leaders of slave resistance in the Americas, and one of very few women leaders. She was an outstanding military leader, and she was particularly important during the First Maroon War against the British from 1720 - 1739.
Nanny was born in Ghana, Western Africa and was brought to Jamaica as a slave. Upon arrival in Jamaica, Nanny was sold to a plantation in Saint Thomas Parish, just outside of the Port Royal area. As a child, Nanny was influenced by other slave leaders called "Maroons" - defiant Jamaican slaves who fled their oppressive existence on plantations and formed their own communities in the rugged, hilly interior of the island. She and her brothers, Accompong, Cudjoe, Johnny and Quao ran away from their plantation and hid in the Blue Mountains area. Nanny and her brothers became folk heroes. While in hiding, they split up to organize more Maroon communities across Jamaica; Nanny founded a community in Portland Parish that was given the name Nanny Town. During the First Maroon War, Nanny Town had a strategic location as it overlooked Stony River via a 900 foot ridge, making a surprise attack by the British practically impossible. The Maroons at Nanny Town organized look-outs for such an attack as well as designated warriors who could be summoned by the sound of a horn.
Nanny's cleverness in planning guerilla warfare confused the British and their accounts of the fights reflect the surprise and fear which the Maroon traps caused among them. Besides inspiring her people to ward off the troops, Nanny was also a type of chieftainess or wise woman of the village, who passed down legends and encouraged the continuation of customs, music and songs, that had come with the people from Africa, and which instilled in them confidence and pride.
Nanny was also very adept at organizing plans to free slaves. For over 30 years, Nanny freed more than 800 slaves, and helped them to resettle in the Maroon community. The government of Jamaica declared Nanny a National Heroine in 1976. Her portrait graces the $500 Jamaican dollar bill, which is colloquially referred to as a "Nanny."
The Drink:
Old Jamaica Cocktail
1 oz Fresh lime juice
1.5 oz Rum
.75 oz simple syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Champagne
Drinkability - 3.5
Drunkability - 3
Taxic Diversity - 2.5
Accessibility -3
Priority for Conservation - 4
Hosted by CZ
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