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was the last major engagement in the First Maroon
The Ancestor Quao Day celebrates the triumphant War. In our today space we can see that they knew
ending of the First Maroon War, as signified by the who they were, for what they stood and for what they
Peace Treaty signed in 1739. It celebrates the victori- would fall. In our today space we need to examine
ous participation of the Windward Maroons, led by an- who we are as their descendants, to see if we are re-
cestor Quao, male child of the Akan people...born on maining true to their vision or if we are grabbing de-
a Thursday…brilliant warrior… military strategist… In- feat from the hands of the ones to whom they gave it.
visible Hunter…spiritual and historical axis…testa- In our space of today we should look to see if and how
ment to the strong African cultural heritage of the our lives have departed from their teachings, ways
Charles Town Maroons. May his name live on and on and perspectives. Explore how we can use their ex-
for years and generations to come. periences, cultural norms and values to shape our own
present experience and design our own treaties with
SPANISH RIVER them and others. Today is the space in which we ven-
The visit to the Spanish River is a visit to the past to look erate and give honour to them our ancestors and the
squarely at the courage, resilience, persistence, persever- ancestors of this land. It is in the today space that we
ance, clarity of purpose, willingness to sacrifice life of our need to gather our ancestral wisdom teachings, pro-
or somebody else’s family members whom we now cess then with the new knowledge, capacities and
greet as ancestors. To see the intelligence, genius, fore- technologies available to us and proceed with a clear
sight with which they approached a war and their keen vision of the future.
understanding of the absolute need to overcome an
enemy to the sovereignty and sovereign rights of them The visit to the Spanish River is a visit to the future. A
and their descendants. They knew that some would not space, time and place not promised to us but for which
live to tell the tale, yet they fought. They knew that we dry fish even as we say ‘Nyame adom’. A future we vi-
others would come who would need the positive out- sion, visualise, ideate, imaging, envision in the present
comes from this war and so they fought. Steeped in their and continuing today space. So as to evolve it through
commitment to a greater good and the strength of com- our own will and purpose attended by clear knowledge
munity, they fought. They won. The battle at the Spanish of our identity, world view and hard work. A future to be
River is legendary and it is known that ‘Quao’s defeat of founded on our and our ancestors’ understanding of
British Lieutenant George Concannon and his well Onyankopon and the cosmos, and to be co- created by
armed, fortified and provisioned soldiers was a master- us as descendants ascending from the brilliance of our
piece from beginning to end. A brilliant exhibition of the ancestors, to the divine oneness for which they fought.
art of guerilla warfare, it completely destroyed the con- A future strategically crafted to ensure longevity of our
fidence of the colonizers as they were beaten and sent people, lands and culture and an existence in ceremony
home with their tails hanging behind them. and harmony.

This visit to the Spanish River is happening in the pres-
ent. Today we know that at this location our ancestors
sealed the victory of justice over injustice and that this

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