Musicians

Like musical practitioners in many other African and Afro-American sacred traditions, Jamaican Maroon drummers and singers are not just “musicians” in the usual Western sense.
The success of the important spiritual work in which they participate depends on their knowledge and skill.
Take, for instance, the lead drummer in the Kromanti tradition of Moore Town, called okrema in the Kromanti language (from Asante Twi, o-kyeremá ‘drummer’). He must be competent in a wide range of different genres, and must know how to respond to the needs of individual dancers and the ancestral spirits that possess them, some of whom are identified with particular African “nations” and require matching drumming styles. He must know when and how to use the abaso stick, and must wield it with the proper subtlety and authority. And he must know the sacred drum language, so that he can use it both to call the living to ceremonies and to send messages to the spirits of ancestors. Likewise, much depends on the skill and knowledge of the lead female singer, called the governess, who controls a large repertoire of sacred songs and plays an important role in maintaining their proper sequence in performance.

The Kromanti dancers themselves, both male and female, are central to these ceremonies. By serving as mediums for the spirits of the Maroon ancestors, they not only act as spiritually potent healers, but they also become conduits for much of the esoteric cultural and historical knowledge that has been passed down by Maroons across the generations.

After they themselves have joined the ancestors, the most respected dancers and drummers continue to be revered by surviving family members and their descendants, with whom they maintain contact through the vehicle of Kromanti music and dance. Among the highly-skilled Moore Town drummers, singers, and dancers who have passed on in recent times but are fondly remembered today are Elizabeth Brown (Auntie Liz), Ezekiel Lindsay, Ruth Lindsay, Sydney McDonald, George Osbourne, Henry Shepherd, and William Watson.

Each of the other Maroon communities has a similar relationship with its great musicians and dancers. These musical and spiritual practitioners have played a fundamental role in the survival of the distinctive Maroon cultural heritage up to the present.