In the Forests of Freedom: The Fighting Maroons of Dominica

Caribbean Studies Series

by Lennox Honychurch

In this detailed and brilliantly researched book the Dominican historian Lennox Honychurch tells the enthralling and untold story of how the Maroons - escaped slaves - of the Caribbean isalnd of Dominica challenged the colonial powers in a heroic struggle to create a free and self-sufficient society. "The brave people who held out in Dominica's mountain wilderness for generations against the military forces of two colonial empires have had their story well told at last. Their spirits can now be at rest," writes Adam Hochschild, author of Bury the Chains.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Becky Jno-baptiste · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am Dominican and this book made me understand a lot about my country. I understand now why it was colonized so late and why so many Europeans left during and after slavery. I also learned how many places got their names. But the best thing about this book is how it made me feel so proud! My country has a fighting spirit! I loved how the maroons and kalinago prevented the Europeans from establishing a strong hold. Thanks, Lennox. Thank you so much.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the Caribbean is a wonderful destination for tourists, too often its history and culture get overlooked. Thankfully, there are local authors such as Mr. Honychurch around to write such wonderful books of local history such as this. But not only does this book cover the local history of the island of Dominica and its Maroons, it ties into the textured history of colonialism in the West Indies from their settlement by white Europeans to the British emancipation and beyond.

Like those in Jamaica and Dominica, the maroons of Dominica were groups of runaway slaves who escaped their masters and made a life for themselves in the mountainous rainforests of the island. Mr. Honychurch deftly traces the origins of the maroons all the way back to the native Kalinagos of the island who fled enslavement by the first European colonists. As the colonists turned from native slaves to African slaves, African slaves would soon escape and link up with the Kalinago, combing the Kalinago’s local knowledge with their own experiences of life in Africa before enslavement, to create their own cultures. Sadly, Mr. Honychurch does not devote too much time to discussing the internal culture of the maroons, probably because of the dearth of historical and archaeological records of maroon society that he admits to in the beginning of the book.

As the narrative advances and Britain and France engage in a series of wars that would define the 18th and early 19th centuries, the maroons would become pawns of the colonial powers as they would be provided with arms and even soldiers to conduct extensive raids and even outright takeovers of the island at several points. The resulting Maroon Wars would lead to horrific reprisals on the part of the colonists and a cyclical nature to these conflicts would continue until British emancipation in 1834-1838 would convince the the last maroons to come down from the mountains and reintegrate back into colonial society. And yet, the legacy of the maroons can still be felt today.

This book combines both great historical detail and an excellent narrative that never flags in keeping the readers interest. This self-published first edition is not without its grammatical and spelling flaws, so perhaps one of the more recent editions of this book would be good purchase. Still, for anyone who is interested in Caribbean history as well as histories about black resistance to enslavement, I highly recommend this book.

[Lisa]

I got this to read on vacation in the Caribbean and now I want to make sure I visit Dominica! It is a bit quirky in its narrative or construction but is very readable and I appreciated the small drawings and pictures. I hadn’t heard of the large segments of runaway slaves (maroons) on Dominica before. Dominica was left alone for a long time so its indigenous people survived and were active into the 19th century (the book ends in the 1820s.) The French and the British competed for the island which allowed the indigenous people, and sometimes the runaway slaves, to play the two groups off of each other. The author is arguing that it was the character of having decades, and perhaps centuries, of runaway slaves supporting themselves that formed the modern character of Dominica.

[Kate Throp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Full of facts yet still an easy read. I know a little of colonialism coming from a British Colony myself but had little knowledge beyond the basics of the slave trade and none at all of Dominica. What we have done to each other over the centuries can sometimes beggar belief. Fascinating.

[Steven Dangleben]

It's an excellent historical compilation which the new generation must educate themselves on. I would advise every parent and school child at Primary, Secondary or tertiary level to get a hold of this outstanding historical collection and know your history. Thank you Dr. Honychurch for educating us on the history of our lovely island Dominica.

[Alexandru Lebedev · Rating 4 out of 5]

O carte tare bună despre cum a fost evoluția ins Caraibe sub influența britanică și franceză, mai ales în Dominica și cum asta influențează țara în zilele de azi. Deoarece are foarte multe date, se citește mai greu, dar are elemente tare curioase. O recomand cu plăcere, mai ales dacă ați fost sau plănuiți să vă duceți în Dominica

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In the Forests of Freedom" is a detailed and enlightening history of the fight by first the Kalinago and, later, Africans against the slave-owning plantocracy in Dominica. The book also outlines how its history impacted the island's development into the 21st Century. Well worth reading.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honychurch is the island historian on Dominica, and is rich in knowledge of its history and archaeology. His books always contribute to my knowledge of the island, and it is interesting to tie events in this book to areas we have visited.

[Michaela William · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enlightening account of the Dominican Maroons.

[Lindley Dupree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read-most helpful!