Ferron Williams - File

WESTERN BUREAU:

"Don't come here with any downtown market, your goods will be seized". That is the warning that Colonel Ferron Williams of Accompong Town Maroons in St Elizabeth is issuing to vendors who wish to sell non-cultural merchandises at their annual celebration on today.

"This is not a downtown market thing we have here. Each year, outsiders (vendors) come to the annual Accompong Town celebrations selling clothes, shoes and other items that are not related to Jamaica's cultural promotion and development," said Colonel Williams, the Maroon chief. "But this year we will not tolerate such activity. If you want to sell goods, it must be indigenous items related to our culture."

This year marks the 273rd Accompong Maroon celebration, and the event will showcase the rich heritage of Maroon life and customs in the rural St Elizabeth community.

Visitors from England, Canada, the United States and even Kenya attend the major calendar event each year.

A walk along the main road in Accompong Town last year, saw several vendors and peddlers parading clothes, shoes, synthetic hair and accessories, a situation that irked the Maroon chief.

"We want locals and international visitors to have a cultural experience when they come here. So we don't want persons to destroy what we are building," added Colonel Williams.

"I am warning you, do not come here with the downtown-market philosophy, it is unsightly and degrading our traditions. You will be doing it at your own risk!"

He explained that the Maroons will be working with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the St Elizabeth Parish Council's municipal wardens to ensure that the practice does not continue.

The annual Accompong Maroon celebrations are held to commemorate the birthday of former Maroon leader Cudjoe. Cudjoe fought the British for decades before signing a peace treaty in 1738.

The celebration begins with the blowing of the abeng, summoning all the Maroons to assemble like they did more than 250 years ago. The abeng is an old powder horn adapted from its use for carrying musket powder to an instrument used to communicate with Maroons over many miles in the Cockpit Mountains.

Maroon Cultural Folk Group entertained the audience at the 272nd annual Accompong Maroon celebration on January 6 last year. - File