Marronnage

The marronnage was the name given to the escape of a slave out of the property of its Master in America, to the the Antilles or in the Mascareignes at the time colonial. The runaway itself was called Marron (or Nègre Chestnut ).

Etymology

One currently proposes two possible etymologies with this word:

of the Spanish word cimarrón : “alive on the summits”; (cima = summit).
or borrowed from the arawak, it would have been initially used to indicate the pets turned over at the wild state.

Places of escape

The Chestnuts generally took refuge in inaccessible places. With the Meeting, for example, they systematically fled in the Tops of the island, from which they were the first inhabitants.

The Maroon Negros who took refuge far in the forests (and mountains) knew to safeguard and transmit their African lifestyles and even partially their languages source.

The Communities of origin Chestnut

Sometimes, they managed to gather in true organized clandestine communities whose members were then called Nègres chestnuts . One can quote as example the companies founded by the Aluku S and the Djukas with the Suriname.

With the Meeting, they would be even true kingdoms which would have emerged from their regrouping: one says Cimendef which it was King. Certain historians estimate moreover that the Vote for all was employed for the first time by Chestnuts réunionnais.

It is noted in any case that many natural sites of the three circuses of the island always bear the Chestnut name. Thus, Anchaing left its name to a top of Salazie.

The communities which perduré find:

with the Brazil,
with the Guyana,
with the Surinam (the Djuka S, Aucans, Kwinti, Matawi, Paramaccans and Saramaccans),
in French Guiana, the maroon negros (ethnos groups Aluku or Profit S, Saramacas, Paramaca and Djuka) there are called génériquement busi-nengue (of English bush-Niger) and accounted for approximately 50% of the population at the beginning of the 21e century,
in Colombia,
with the Honduras,
marginally with the Jamaica,
with Meeting (Cilaos).

They generally live on the edges of the rivers which constitute the only lanes in deep forest.

In Jamaica

In Jamaica, in 1738, the Chestnuts hold head with British troops . They obtain a territory still now independent in counterpart of their collaboration with the government. Certain old men going down from the maroon Negros (Neg' Chestnuts) still speak about old African dialects the such Coromanti. The symbolic system of Neg' Marrons is very present in the Reggae because it conveys, it also, an image of rebellion.

In Guyana

Estimated at more than 70.000 in Guyana, although generally not recognizing the border enters Surinam and France. They are called also Busi Nenge (pronconcer buchi-nénngué), or Bush Negroes in Surinam. The Maroon Blacks are the descendants of revolted black slaves and/or flee of the plantations before the abolition of slavery, or released slaves. Their ancestors were captured in Western Africa (Ghana, Bénin, Ivory Coast especially) by the Négrier S to be sold like labor, primarily for the growers of sugar canes and coffee. Initially taken refuge in deep forest to avoid being begun again, they were then installed on banks of the large rivers, and especially on Maroni. They still consist of 6 ethnicities:

the Profit S (or Aluku S),
the Saramaca S,
the Paramaca S,
the Djuka S,
the Kwinti S,
the Matawai S.

They speak aujourdh' ui Sranan-tongo (or Taki-Taki), complex mixture of origins African, Dutch, English, of Spanish, Portuguese, French having incorporated Hebrew and Amerindian words.

They live mainly of hunting, fishes and of culture on clearing. Some start to have activities of contractor in gold washing (and either only of workman) and of sale of objects to the tourists. Their company is centered around the family and of Gran-Man, spiritual leader and monk, who can be a woman, holding the capacities of judge, wise, and conciliating. The abolition of the Esclavage put an end to their tracking, but gold washing generated an exploitation of underpaid and threatened men which makes think of a new form of slavery. The RMI (minimum wages of insertion) brings sometimes a considerable supplement, but like the Amerindians, they are represented rather little by the departmental and regional elected officials.

Culture in evolution

The culture chestnut still makes live part of the traditions of the African ancestors: vocabulary, paintings, dances, musics, Community life although having evolved/moved differently. Bright colors and forms geometrical symbolic systems and/or decorative characterize art Black-Chestnut called art Tembé. One finds them on the carved doors, dugouts, seats, the frescos and certain objects sold to the tourists (sculptures, seats folding stools… presenting original forms who differ from the traditional African sculptures). The access to the school, remains sometimes difficult, but is better carried out than for the Amerindian populations of the forest. It modifies the perception and the behaviors of the young people, like football, television, the car, the cellphone, the quadd who become objects of interest moving away the children from the culture of their parents…

Drive out and sanctions

The development of the marronnage has quickly constrained the Masters to engage of the hunters of slaves.

With the the Antilles, those which were caught up with were punished by mutilation: their Tendon of Achilles was divided so that they cannot run any more.

With the Meeting, they were sometimes killed at the time of hunting. The hunter then brought back for the Master a Oreille and a Main of the runaway as a proof of the success of its hunting, the whole body not being able to be transported by a man alone along escarpés paths. These catches were sometimes exhibées at the entry of the plantations to dissuade from possible new runaways.

According to a famous episode of the history of the Mauritius, an important group of slaves did not hesitate to precipitate in the vacuum top of a high rock (the Dull Brabant in the south of the island) when they were found driven back at the edge of a cliff by men whom they took for hunters. They were in fact only messengers charged to announce the to them Abolition of slavery.

References

Yves Manglou, Black but maroon , editions of the black Tropic bird, ISBN 291279704-7

One finds today this book published in the Orphie editions.

Extract: My first gesture of free man was to attach my amulet around the neck: the blood of my father interfered with the ground Bourbon. I had taken care to polish the cauri and, in my eyes, it shone like a diamond. I prosternai and swore high that never more this symbol would not be hidden, dussais I to die about it. I had walked all during the night since I had left the dwelling tops of Saint-Paul. The ground was soft with my feet, and if the forest were dense, it was easily let penetrate. The song of saphime guided me with precision. It was enough to raise the eyes and to open them into large to find the indices of my route, of sound itinéraire.

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