IT IS a nice irony of history that the warlike Maroons, whose campaign against the English army in Jamaica ended in a treaty granting them considerable autonomy, are now being honoured internatonally for their musical heritage. The Moore Town Maroons in Portland have been recognised as one of the world's 28 'Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage'. As such, they are to be the beneficiaries of a $55 million UNESCO grant which, among other community priorities, will help to preserve their musical tradition.Some of the funds will be used to build a museum in Moore Town, which will help to instruct young Maroons in their culture and serve as well as a tourist attraction, where visitors will be able to inspect Maroon artefacts and listen to unique Maroon songs.
Announcement of this significant grant was made by the Institute of Jamaica, which spearheaded the project and whose executive director, Mr. Vivian Crawford, is himself of Maroon heritage. At the announcement ceremony the instrument designating Moore Town's ranking as a Heritage site was presented to Colonel Wallace Sterling, who accepted it on behalf of the Moore Town Maroons.
It is clear that it was the initiative of the Institute of Jamaica and its director that culminated in the grant. A team led by musicologist Dr. Olive Lewin researched the musical traditions, language and rituals of the Maroons and recorded its findings on video tape, which was then sent to UNESCO's offices in Paris. There, a special panel of 18 UNESCO members, nominated by its director general, approved the project and bestowed the grant.
At the announcement ceremony it was pointed out that the grant is especially welcome, as it will help to overcome traditional Maroon secrecy about their ceremonies and the Koromanti language - practices that require special legal protection if they are to be preserved.
UNESCO is to be commended for the sensitivity to this unique project and we congratulate the Institute of Jamaica for conceiving it.
