Trelawny Maroon, the Colour of Freedom: Re-conceptualizing Subjecthood in the Eighteenth-Century British Atlantic

Abstract

The Trelawny Maroons in Jamaica rebelled in 1795-96, and were temporarily removed to Halifax, Nova Scotia before being settled in Sierra Leone. This thesis starts by challenging current scholarly literature, which emphasizes rebellion against slavery as their motivation, by highlighting the Maroons’ role as slave captors, who benefited financially and socially by cooperating with, and not rebelling against, the British in Jamaica. An examination of how their kinship networks changed follows to underscore that, while they retained their cultural maroon identity, they increasingly adopted British social practices and customs to publicly confirm their loyalty and commitment as British subjects. Finally, by highlighting the close relationship that the Maroons had with the British, as well as the extent to which they were involved in colonial governance and took advantage of the British legal and political systems, themes of collaboration and acquiescence are emphasized as the keys to understanding the Maroons’ experiences.