Venture inland to find the real Jamaica: meet the ‘children of Nanny’, descended from runaway slaves; sip the sumptuous coffee of the famous Blue Mountains; or ride with a rasta through the karst hills of Cockpit Country.
Colonel Wallace Sterling has slipped into a soliloquy, eulogising Nanny — a warrior woman who knew every fold of these mountains, and how to remain camouflaged within them. She was a shape-shifter; a soldier whose weapon was the land. She’d slide behind a curtain of falls, withdraw into caves and disappear within the creeping, chokingly dense forests that nosedive down the John Crow Mountains and crash into the rushing Rio Grande. “That’s why we say we are Grande Nanny yoyo — we are all children of Grande Nanny.”
Vanishing into his house, the colonel leaves me outside, where the sun bakes a sweet sedation into the landscape. A kitten is lazily tracing infinity symbols between my legs when the colonel emerges with a Ghanaian kuficap, beat-up Nike trainers and a machete. It’s time to find Nanny. I follow him along an asphalt road that fades into a forested footpath, where the swelling greenery is so rampant epiphytes even sprout from overhead electrical wires.
“As a colonel, you’re the person that’s in charge,” he says with a one-tooth smile. For 21 years, the colonel has been the leader of semi-autonomous Moore Town — a community descended from the fearsome Windward Maroons, a group of West Africans who escaped slavery in the 17th century and fled to Jamaica’s mountainous interior. “Look around,” he urges. “All of this is surrounded by mountains, right? You can get ready protection for the community.”
This story is from the July / August 2017 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July / August 2017 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The craftspeople of Sarawak
From ancient pottery to embroidery fit for Miss World, meet the producers championing traditional artisanal creations in Malaysia's island region.
ALTERNATIVE WINTER EXPERIENCES
From ice skating and cross-country skiing to snowy train rides and cosy cabins stays, there are many memorable ways to make the most of the European winter
GOLDEN YEARS
Join the celebrations century of statehood as the island marks half a with fireworks and parades
A TASTE OF The Philippines
A TRIO OF BIG, BOLD FLAVOURS DOMINATES THIS ARCHIPELAGO NATION'S UNIQUE CUISINE
WHERE TO STAY Helsinki
FINLAND'S CAPITAL HAS AN OFFBEAT SIDE THAT SHINES THROUGH IN ITS CREATIVE HOTEL SCENE
A YEAR OF ADVENTURE
Make 2024 one to remember with these epic trips, putting fairytale castles, cultural exchange and slow travel front and centre
Bear Grylls
THE TV PRESENTER AND FORMER SAS OFFICER ON RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL, COMFORT ZONES AND EXPLORING THE WORLD ON HIS DOORSTEP
BOSTON
In the 19th century, Boston was nicknamed 'The Hub of the Solar System' such was its importance at the heart of the young American nation.
BALI
Known for its beaches, jungles and colourful temples, the Indonesian island of Bali is also home to a vibrant and hugely varied offering of local dishes, from grilled octopus with starfruit to rich Padang-style curry
MANCHESTER
A spirit of rebellious creativity infuses the northern city, with old factories turned into artists' studios and a unique sense of style on display throughout