The Maroons - Canada's first Freedom Fighters

The Arkawan were originally people from Venzuela who immigrated to Jamaica and absorbed the oringinal natives there. They lived in the mountains and ren now knowns as the Taino people. When Britain took over the island of Jamaica the Spanish deserted the island before the British could occupy so many of the slaves escaped to the mountains to freedom. The escaped slaves became known as the Maroons fromm the Spanish word cimarrone, meaning, untamed or wild. The slaves made regular visits back to the settlements to free more slaves. The British attempted to fight them but they used their instinctive "jungle stealth" by stripping down and covering themselves with leaves and branches and disappearing into their surroundings.

The British finally tricked them into surrendering and promised them land to farm in a new country if they would agree to leave Jamaica. So a large number of them were shipped off to Nova Scotia to the promised land. Once there they realized that the land could not be farmed they began to complain to the government. Some of them left and migrated to the island of Victoria and some were so disgruntled that they were shipped off again to Sierra Leone in West Africa, I suggest you surf the internet to find a more completer story of the Maroons. Here is a brief timeline of the events that led to the Maroons arriving in Canada. Click on the image to englargen it.

Black History Month 2011

Well we had another Great Hit and a marvelous time for Black History Month. An amazing event that was fun to watch and to be a part of. Even better news is that SOPA wants to see the performance again in July so watch out for it if you missed it this time. (pictures taken by Raven Lisa)

Black History Month 2011 The Mother Goddess Africa

February 18 - 8 pm

February 19 - 8pm

Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons

Tickets: Gaia Fair Trade, Strait Music-Sechelt, Gibsons Copy Shop, Roberts Creek Health Food Store

Featuring an event by Jean Pierre Makosso and the drama students of Chatelech and Elphinstone School The students will read and perform poetry written by them from a school project researching Black History. Also performing will be Embers Moore, Britanny Robinson-choreographic dance, and special guest Eagle Child.

Black History Month on the Sunshine Coast has become a Cultural Diverse affair, inclusive of all people who have a passion for expressing culture through music, dance, performance, etc. Jean Pierre Makosso and Embers Moore have been at the forefront in keeping the spirit of Black History Month alive and moving. We appreciate and welcome the support and participation of the community and we encourage anyone to step up in any way to be a part of our future endeavours in this area. Financial support, creative participation, venues, volunteers, you expressing your culture , surprise me........

Enjoy the video presentation that will take you on a journey through some of the notable People of Color who contributed to making the world a better place. There will be other presentations to come over the next month.