The Right Excellent Nanny of the Maroons

by Kayla Francis | October 18, 2021

A look into our National Heroine

Jamaica’s National Heroine: The Right Excellent Nanny of the Maroons

The Right Excellent Nanny of the Maroons was a Freedom Fighter and Maroon Military Leader. She was born in 1686 in Ghana, Western Africa. It is widely accepted that she was a part of the Ashanti tribe. Upon capture and arrival in Jamaica, she was likely sold to a sugarcane plantation in St. Thomas.

Nanny was an outstanding military leader, whose influence over the Maroons was so strong that it was attributed to the powers of Obeah.

She was skilled in Guerilla Warfare to keep away the British troops who ventured into the mountains to attack. Outside of her military status, she was also a village ‘wise woman’ figure who encouraged African pride and culture.

On March 31, 1982, the Right Excellent Nanny of the Maroons was given the Order of the National Hero as per Government Notice 23 Jamaica Gazette.

Nanny is credited with playing a major role in the preservation of African Culture and securing liberty from the British through mastery of Guerilla Warfare. Upon failure to defeat the Maroons, the British signed a peace treaty with them on April 20, 1740. This Treaty granted 500 acres of land to the Maroons. That 500 acres is known as Moore Town, and it still exists today.

It is important as members of Generation Z and Jamaica at large that we educate ourselves on important historical figures who contributed significantly to making changes in the Jamaican society, continuing to learn from them as we raise awareness for, and highlight the modern-day struggles in Jamaican society, and push for change.