Cudjoe (sometimes spelled Cudjo) or Captain Cudjoe which corresponds to the Akan (Ghana and Ivory Coast) name Kojo or Kwadwo was a Jamaican Maroon leader. His sister was Queen Nanny who was also a Jamaican Maroon leader. He was the leader of the Leeward Maroons of Trelawny Town. He is said to have had endless energy and was greatly motivated to staying a free man. He was very short. However, he was strong, courageous, and relentless. Cudjoe was also a very skilled tactical commander and a remarkable leader. He is considered the greatest of the Jamaican Maroon leaders. Cudjoe is believed to have been the son of Naquan, a chief of the Akan people from what is now present day Ghana. Naquan was taken captive and sold into slavery in Spanish Jamaica in the 1640s but initiated a revolt and led tribesmen into the mountainous interior of the island, establishing the first Maroon community in Jamaica. When the British attempted to recapture the Maroons (First Maroon War), Cudjoe defeated them on every occasion. Not only did he successfully defend his communities, but also, similar to what Harriet Tubman would do in the American south, he freed many slaves by raiding British plantations on the island. Sometimes his raids were non-confrontational, but most times they were vicious bloody encounters. Before he attacked a plantation, he would send spies among the slaves to gather information at market places and on plantations. Once the spies collected sufficient evidence of the slave-owner plans, they would send them to Cudjoe. Then he would determine the time and place of the attacks. Cudjoe and his men burned down mansions, destroyed cane fields and killed many whites along with faithful slaves who refused to help him, whom he despised. This latter matter of killing slaves loyal to their masters put a lot of pressure of slaves to cooperate with him, thus, resulting in many slave owners to begin to distrust their slaves. As a result, many whites gave up their plantations and moved back to England. British General Williamson was quoted as saying, “the British rule Jamaica by day and Captain Cudjoe by night.” In an attempt to capture Cudjoe and the Maroons, British leaders of the island built forts near Maroon communities. They imported indigenous American tracking specialist from Central America to hunt them down. They even formed a 1,000 man army fight Cudjoes weapon deficient men. However, all these attempts failed. Cudjoe would continue his campaign against the British for a decade. Finally, Governor Sir Edward Trelawney decided not to fight Cudjoe anymore. He, instead, opted to make peace. Governor Trelawney sent Colonel Guthrie with a large army to meet with Cudjoe guaranteeing them that he would neither attack them nor trick them. Cudjoe met with him. Both sides agreed to a peace treaty which gave Cudjoe and the Maroons a large track of land without having to pay any taxes. The Maroons were also given autonomy. In return, the Maroons would return any escaped slave and help in the capture of escaped slaves and of putting down of slave revolts. The latter part dealing with the slaves caused much dissatisfaction with Cudjoe. During the latter part of his life, Cudjoe at times would become disillusioned. He argued with his lieutenants and other Maroons groups. He died in Nanny Town five years after having signed the peace treaty. Every first Monday of January, Cudjoe Day is celebrated.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 22:17:42 +0000
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