Exclusive Live and Direct Caveman Sound System at Cudjoe Salute, Maroon Town, Jamaica 2025

Exclusive Live and Direct Caveman Sound System at Cudjoe Salute, Maroon Town, Jamaica 2025

The Windward/Leeward Maroons are presenting "Cudjoe Salute," an event honoring Captain Cudjoe, a Maroon leader, held at the Maroon Town Community Center in St. James, Jamaica, on March 1st, 2025

Cudjoe (-1744)
Place of Birth: Ghana, Africa
Place of Death: Jamaica
Killed by: Uncertain
Family: Brother of other
Jamaican maroon
leaders:-Accompong,
Nanny, Johnny and Quao

Cudjoe was born in West Africa, Ghana, into the Ashanti tribe. He journey across the Middle Passage to Jamaica, along with his three brothers Accompong, Cudoe, Johnny and Quao and sister Nanny. Cudjoe ran away from the slave plantation and allied with the Spanish rebel group in the mountains, known as the Clarendon rebels. These rebels were under the leadership of Juan de Bois in the initial stages of Cujoe’s association.

After duration of time, Cudjoe was nominated as the new leader by the Clarendon rebels. His appointment was based on him being categorized as a ‘‘ bold, skillful and enterprising man.” The number of rebels under his command grew as both the Madagascar and the Cottonwood maroons sort to joined forces with him. By 1730, there was thousands of Leeward Marrons under Cudjoe’s control. This eventually made the official maroon language of the Leeward maroons the Cromomantee language. They also established an Ashanti style government which lead them to become a major political and military force within Jamaica. He was recognized as the Chief Commander of the Leeward of Maroons.

The British attacks on the Maroons were strenuous. Cudjoe rebuilt Nanny town and renamed it Maroon town. The Maroon who inhabited it joined forces with Cudjoe. However, the British continuous attacks on the maroons dimmed the morals of the windward maroons. Many maroons surrendered or were gained freedom under colonial law. This lead to Cudjoe negotiating with the British administration rather than Nanny warriors, who were less inclined to accommodate slave owners.

Similar to Nanny, Cudjoe used spies to gather information about the British colonial governance. These spies would blend in plantations and market places to gather information and report back to Cudjoe. This tactic made Cudjoe less inclined and skeptical to take runaway slaves from plantations. He in constructed his village at the bottom of Petty River Bottom. This angle of gradient allowed for a vantage point for intruders. For “without guns they could destroy such a force with rocks alone”

In 1739, a Peace Treaty was constructed between the Leeward Maroons and the British. Under this treaty he was required to return all run away enslaved back to their respective plantations. In the 1760 Revolution, Cudjoe was granted the title of Colonel by the British for helping quell the rebellion. Cudjoe died five years after the 1739 Peace Treaty.

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