Private Day Trip to the Maroon Village Celebration from Negril

Negril, Jamaica

Tour the Accompong Town Maroon Village on January 6th for their annual Maroon celebration. Traditional Maroon food and dance will be available. See Maroons dressed in traditional maroon disguise.

Note: this tour operates only once a year during the annual celebration.

Your day will begin with pickup from your Negril hotel. As you venture on a journey up in the mountains to the Accompong Town Maroon Village you start to get a feel of what it was like back in the days when the Ashanti people occupied the village.

A guided tour begins across from the Community Center at the “Homage to a Hero” or Cudjoe’s Monument as it is referred to in Accompong Town. Your guide will explain about the Cudjoe and Accompong and how Accompong Town came into being after the Peace Treaty on March 1st, 1739.Tours can take various routes depending on the guide but most tours continue up the main street of Accompong Town Village.
The tour continues taking the right fork past some small stores and houses up a hill to the Accompong School sitting atop the tallest spot in Accompong Town. If classes are in session, you might like to peek inside. The large, flat area in front of the school is called “Parade Ground” where Cudjoe and Accompong used to train their warriors to prepare for battle. There is also a Seal Ground next to the Parade Ground. This is also the setting for the January 6th Celebration when this area is converted into a small stage and viewing area for cultural events, food and drinks.

The tour continues down the hill on the far side of the Parade Grounds for a walk to the Kindah “One Family” Tree. On the side of the trail near the Kindah Tree you will see plants and trees named for past honored residents of the town. Under the spreading limbs of this huge mango tree, the community and the warriors would assemble to plan attack strategies or just to discuss community matters.During the January 6th Celebration, the drummers, singers and dancers assemble there before marching up to the Parade Grounds and down through the town.

You will also find a cooking pit where ceremonial food is cooked to be shared with the residents. A black male pig, male yams and a rooster are the main food prepared. Fertility and good luck is wished on all who eat this food. Depending on the guide, a number of routes can be taken to return to the Community Center. It is suggested that you continue on around the circular town road and trail up to the old Moravian Church and town cemetery. Browsing and reading the headstones will show a surprising number of people who lived past 100 years and a large number of members of some of the major family names that make up this community.

Once the tour has ended your return to the Community Center to prepare to leave for the return trip to your Negril hotel.