Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

[Tropicana]

Of all the African people who were brought to Jamaica, why has the Twi-Asante (Ashanti) culture left the most dominant cultural imprint on Jamaica?

This imprint is directly in the sentence structure of patois and indirectly evident in Ashanti Anansi stories and words of Twi origin in our culture (fenkay-fenkay, kass-kass, nyam, fe, onoo).

Someone asked me this the other day and I couldn't tell him.

Is it because most of the Africans brought to Jamaica were Ashanti?

Is it perhaps because the Maroons were of Ashanti origin and they preserved our roots?

Were the Africans who migrated to St. Thomas post-emancipation Ashanti?

[Tropicana]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

Hmmm. I guess not.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> THE AFRICANS
In the aftermath of the exodus of ex-slaves from the plantation, African immigrant estate-labourers were imported to fill
the vacancies left by the ex-slaves. This immigration scheme was operated at the same time that the thrust for
Europeans was being pursued. The Jamaican Government&rsquo;s request to the Colonial Secretary in London to
recruit Africans was not received favourably because it was feared that this could be viewed as another form of
enslavement. Nevertheless, between 1841 and 1867 10,000 Africans were recruited mainly from St. Helena, Sierra
Leone and adjoining coastal areas.
Immigrants from Sierra Leone
Small farmers in Sierra Leone found little market for their produce and jobs were scarce. Due to the lack of adequate
opportunities to improve their position in Sierra Leone, many of the Maroon and settler population were inclined to
relocate their families to the West Indies. There, according to rumour, labour by free African immigrants was in such
demand that wages were many times higher than in Sierra Leone.
Delegates were also employed by Commissioner Barclay to provide eyewitness reports by satisfied Africans who had
been to Jamaica. To make certain that the delegates would be enthusiastic about Jamaica, each one was given a new
suit and promised pay for spreading the good word about Jamaica. In addition, a few large yams and coconuts were sent
along to prove the advantages of agriculture in Jamaica as contrasted with Sierra Leone.
The initial undertaking was far more successful than anticipated. The first applicants were mainly from Freetown and
surrounding villages, as well as Kroomen. There were 267 emigrants comprised of 64 Maroons, 16 Kroomen and 179
liberated Africans.
Success of Programme
With demand for labour in Jamaica far greater than supply, there was no difficulty in finding employers for the African
immigrants. Initial reports from employers&rsquo; island-wide were favourable: no offences requiring court action, good
workers, cheerful, happy and industrious. The immigrants were engaged at a rate of one shilling per day, plus free
lodging, rations, and medical attendance. At the end of one year, the indenture was terminable upon three
months&rsquo; notice given by either party to the agreement.
Expansion of Programme
Immigration increased somewhat during 1842, and the report of September 30, 1842 indicated that of the liberated
Africans imported for plantation labour, 18 were from the United States; 10 from Upper Canada; 582 from Sierra Leone;
404 from St. Helena and the others from the Bahamas.</div></div>


I wonder how many those from Sierra Leone were the Maroons who had been unsuccessfully settled in Nova Scotia or their descendants.

[Tropicana]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

I am posting this strictly for the dates. Look at the ridiculous wording about who was harrassing who.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Jamaican Maroons
On June 26, 1796, three ships, the Dover, Mary, and Anne sailed into Halifax Harbor, loaded with 543 new, Black Jamaican immigrants. These immigrants were known as the Maroons. <span style="font-weight: bold">The Maroons, were black rebels, that since the early 1600’s, tortured and harassed new British colonists.</span>



The fighting between the two races went on for years until the Jamaican Government finally beat the Maroons at the late date of 1796.

The Government decided that the best way to deal with the rebels was to export them to Canada. After much debate it was decided that the Maroons would be exported to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After arriving in Nova Scotia, the Duke of Kent, the Commander in Chief of the North American division of the British Army, was immensely impressed with the spirit and pride that the Maroons exhibited. He immediately employed all of them to work on the Halifax Citadel.

The Maroons also impressed Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Wentworth, who believed that they would make good settlers. It was not long before he received order from the Duke of Portland allowing them to settle in Nova Scotia.

During their stay in Halifax the Maroons received financial support from Jamaica allowing them to purchase 5,000 acres of land on which they could settle. (The community in which they settled is now commonly known as Preston.) Britain also provided them with an annual 250 pounds, that allowed for Religion and school teaching. It was not long before the community was thriving.

Sir John Wentworth was impressed with the Maroons. They were not only helpful in building the Citadel but they were also skilled fighters. They were organized into small military units after they arrived. They were given forty coats with brass buttons and vest for the order of their use. He believed that they could be very useful if there ever was an attack. (During this time their was fear of a possible French invasion)

However, the Maroons, were not happy in Nova Scotia. The climate was much colder than what they were used to and they were not interested in becoming farmers. Also, being cooped up during the winter, the Maroons began to develop short tempers and they began to get &quot;rowdy&quot;. After, a few years the work on the Citadel was completed and the Jamaican funds were beginning to run out. The Maroons began to become a &quot;drag on the social purse.&quot; Sir John Wentworth finally had to admit that the Maroons were not as ideal as thought. The Maroons were dissatisfied with Nova Scotia and it was obvious that it was not working out.

Between Wentworth and the Maroons, it was decided that they should resettle in Sierra Leone, an African British colony. The only problem was, the Sierra Leone Company was at already at odds with prior Nova Scotian settlers, who were presently rebelling and they wanted settlers of Christian faith. However, through persuasion and negotiations, the Sierra Leone company finally accepted the Maroons.

The majority of the Maroons wee shipped to Sierra Leone in 1799 and they arrived in Freetown Harbor, Sierra Leone on October 1,1800. It was there that they were commissioned to put a stop to a Black Loyalist revolt in the colony. Although, many of the Maroons left Nova Scotia, a few remained. A census from 1917, showed that a few people in Tracadie and Preston, were of Maroon descent.
</div></div>

http://www.guysboroughacademy.ednet.ns.ca/ANS/History/jamacan_marons.htm

Anyway, based on the dates these could have been Maroons or their descendants. In that case, the dominiant cultural imprint would still have been Ashanti.

BTW, is that really how the Maroons dressed. The depiction of thi style of dress seems to be quite consistent in drawings and they usually show the women as going topless.

[Blackstar*]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.<span style="font-weight: bold">guysboroughacademy.ednet.ns.ca</span>/ANS/History/jamacan_marons.htm </div></div>
Talk about stuffing children's heads with nonsense.

[Tropicana]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

Yes. I was




when I read it. Reminds me of the Sunday School teacher who told the children &quot;Morrocans just love to steal&quot;. I was

[Magician]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

The books say lots of the patwa words come from Twi, but when mi test them out on Twi speakers they gi me de 'seh wah' look.

[Wahalla]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

the reasons is that the Asante were consumate slave traders who sold not only their neighbours the TWi but their children as well.. to the slave facoties on the coaat..their weath was based on selling others both to the North and to the West.. Also they were anti abolotion of the slave trade...

They petioned the british to let them resume the trade.. The Asantehene even went as far as to form an aligance with the dutch to &quot;sell&quot; 1000 slvea to become soldiers in the Dutch East Indes.. This I beleived gave the British the excuse to have the Ashanti wars using Jamaican maroons as troops. So Jamaican Asante guh wuk as mercenaries fi deh british... I like it dem predated Wahalla .. But is lie Wahalla ah tell...

[Tropicana]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

Magix..must be your accent.

[Tropicana]

Re: Why has Twi-Asante left a dominant cultural imprint on Ja.?

Wahalla, in that case, our ancestors should have disliked them instead of copying their folk tales and words.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This I beleived gave the British the excuse to have the Ashanti wars using Jamaican maroons as troops. </div></div>

For how long did the Maroons maintain their knowledge of Twi?