Originally Posted by Maralunatic
Apparently some of my pictures went on vacation also!
Hope you don't mind Maralunatic. Got 3 messages with questions about your pictures so I thought I would just give what I think or know each picture is about.
This is a picture of one of the "Seal Grounds" scattered around the town. A Seal Ground was a sacred place where meetings were held because they were thought to have certain "powers" to make the meeting outcome to be fair and just. Often these grounds are where members of an extended family would gather (i.e. Rowe etc.) to iron out family differences.
This is a picture of Mark Wright (your Tour Guide) called "Kutu" (coo too) at the Old Town Burial Grounds. While the First Maroon War was going on, the now town of Accompong didn't exist. In fact, it was often occupied by British Soldiers after the 3-day march up from their barracks in Balaclava. The early Maroons lived scattered in the bush and buried their dead at this spot called "Old Town". On January 6th of each year, the Maroons make a pilgrimage to this spot to scatter rum over their ancestors and sing sacred songs from Africa. When done, they return up to the Kindah "One Family" Tree to begin the celebration where all are invited to feast on unsalted black pig, roosters and horse yams.
Accompong Town View. Accompong was founded by (Kojo)Cudjoe's brother Accompong at the end of the wars in 1739 as a front line of defense should the British not live up to the Treaty.
A look towards "Quick Step" a Maroon Village in the Land of Look Behind.
A look from the road with the Don Figueroa Mountains in the distance and the Black River Valley at it's base.
A better view of the valley where Appleton and Balaclava are located in the distance. It is from there that Cudjoe and his warriors would watch the advancing army and prepare his troops for ambush battle. The solders took to riding two to a horse (one facing forward and the other to the rear). This is where the term "Land of Look Behind" derived. "Me No Send You No Come" was the warning issued to potential visitors.
I hope that helps a little and my apologies Maralunatic.
