Blue and John Crow Mountains

The Blue and John Crow Mountains, located in the northeast of Jamaica, are a very special place and the first Jamaican site to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it’s recognized for its amazing natural beauty and its important history. The area is home to rare plants and animals that can only be found there, thanks to its rugged mountains, different weather conditions, and unique geology.

The Windward Maroons live in these mountains, and they have a very interesting history. In the early 1700s, the Maroons became famous for defeating the British in battles. They were the first black people in the Western Hemisphere to do so. The Maroons were made up of Tainos (the original people of Jamaica) and Africans who had escaped slavery and found safety in the mountains.

The Blue and John Crow Mountains cover about a third of Jamaica’s eastern side, where the Maroons set up their own communities. These communities were led by strong leaders who helped protect the people. The Maroons fought in two big wars with the British: the First Maroon War in 1739 and the Second Maroon War in 1795. After the First War, the Maroons signed a peace treaty with the British, which gave them 600 hectares of land and freedom from British rules. This allowed them to live independently and keep their African and Taino cultures alive.

Today, the Maroon communities in Charles Town (in Portland) and Scotts Hall (in St. Mary) are considered part of the Blue and John Crow Mountains and are an important part of Jamaica’s heritage.