Jamaica
has a high degree of biological and cultural diversity. Roughly, 3000 species
of plants grow on the island, with 25 percent of them being found nowhere else
on Earth. The Maroons of Jamaica represent one of the most important cultural
groups. The history of the Maroons of Jamaica has African roots and begins in
the year 1690, when a small number of slaves that had been brought from the Komoranti
nation in Africa (the Akan region of West Africa or present day Ghana) fled from
the hardships of plantation life and migrated to the mountains. Here they found
freedom and a new autonomous way of life. Having established themselves in small
communities, these forest freemen and women became known simply as Maroons, a
title taken from the Spanish word cimaron, meaning wild or unruly.
Today,
two distinct Maroon groups persist in Jamaica, namely the Windward (eastern) and
Leeward Maroons (western). Although, they have survived more than three centuries
of colonization, today they continue to face new challenges - that of cultural
erosion and integration into Jamaican society. Despite rapid change, a result
of the exposure to non-Maroon society, Maroon communities have maintained many
aspects of their traditional practices especially the use of local and introduced
plants as medicines.
Although, there has been no comprehensive study
of Maroon ethnobotany, it is widely recognized that they possess a well developed
traditional knowledge of the uses of Jamaica’s flora. This study presents
some of this knowledge, and includes the common medicinal plants utilized by the
Windward Maroons of Portland. This publication represents only a small fraction
of the plants the Maroons use. It is hoped that this research can serve as an
initial baseline for further documentation and Maroon cultural preservation.
Preface
