6.4 Resistance, rebellions, and maroon communities

African slavery in colonial Latin America sparked fierce resistance. Enslaved people fought back through violent uprisings, escaping to form autonomous communities, and preserving their cultures. These acts of defiance shaped the region's history and legacy of slavery.

Colonial authorities responded with brutal force, implementing strict controls and harsh punishments. However, some negotiated with maroon communities, granting limited autonomy. This complex struggle between enslaved Africans and colonial powers left lasting impacts on Latin American society.

Maroon Communities

Autonomous Settlements of Escaped Slaves

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• Quilombos were settlements of escaped slaves in Brazil that formed autonomous communities in remote areas (rainforests, mountains)
• Palenques were fortified communities of runaway slaves in Spanish colonies, particularly in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama
  • Palenques often allied with indigenous groups to resist colonial authorities
  • Some palenques, like San Basilio de Palenque in Colombia, have survived to the present day, preserving unique Afro-Latin American cultural traditions
• Freedom settlements were communities of self-emancipated slaves in remote areas throughout the Americas that sought to live independently from colonial society
  • These settlements ranged in size from small bands to large towns with complex social and economic organization
  • Freedom settlements were often located in areas difficult for colonial authorities to access (swamps, mountains, dense forests)

Cimarrones: Runaway Slaves Living in Autonomous Communities

• Cimarrones, also known as maroons, were escaped slaves who fled captivity to live in autonomous communities
  • The term cimarrones originally referred to domestic cattle that had escaped to the wild
• Cimarrones formed communities in remote, inaccessible areas to avoid recapture and maintain their freedom
  • These communities ranged from temporary camps to permanent settlements with complex social and political organization
• Cimarrones often raided nearby plantations for supplies and to free other slaves, leading to ongoing conflicts with colonial authorities
  • In some cases, cimarrones formed alliances with indigenous groups or European powers to resist the Spanish

Slave Resistance

Violent Uprisings Against Slavery

• Slave revolts were violent uprisings by enslaved Africans against their captors, often with the goal of overthrowing the institution of slavery
  • Major slave revolts in Latin America included the 1844 revolt in Cuba and the Malê Revolt of 1835 in Brazil
  • Fear of slave revolts led colonial authorities to implement strict controls on slave populations (restrictions on movement, prohibitions on gatherings)
• Runaway slaves, known as fugitives or maroons, escaped from captivity and often joined autonomous maroon communities
  • Running away was a common form of resistance to slavery, despite the severe punishments faced by those who were caught
  • Some runaway slaves engaged in guerrilla warfare against colonial authorities (Jamaican Maroons)

Non-Violent Forms of Slave Resistance

• Cultural resistance involved enslaved Africans preserving and adapting their traditional beliefs, practices, and identities in the face of oppression
  • Enslaved Africans maintained African languages, religious practices (Santería, Candomblé), music and dance traditions, and foodways
  • Cultural resistance helped enslaved Africans maintain a sense of community and resist the dehumanizing effects of slavery
• Syncretism was the blending of African cultural and religious traditions with those of European and indigenous peoples
  • African deities were often disguised as Catholic saints (Yoruba orisha Changó as Saint Barbara) to avoid persecution
  • Syncretic religions like Vodou in Haiti and Santería in Cuba emerged from the blending of African, European, and indigenous beliefs

Colonial Responses

Suppression and Negotiation with Resistant Slave Communities

• Colonial authorities responded to maroon communities and slave resistance with military force, seeking to suppress uprisings and recapture runaway slaves
  • The Spanish crown authorized the creation of slave-hunting militias to track down and destroy maroon communities
  • In some cases, colonial authorities negotiated peace treaties with maroon communities, granting them limited autonomy in exchange for an end to hostilities (Treaty of 1739 with Jamaican Maroons)
• Colonial governments implemented strict legal codes to control slave populations and prevent resistance
  • Slave codes restricted the movement, gathering, and cultural practices of enslaved Africans
  • Harsh punishments (whipping, mutilation, execution) were imposed on slaves who resisted or rebelled to deter others from following their example
• Some colonial authorities sought to undermine slave resistance by dividing slave populations along ethnic or cultural lines
  • Planters deliberately mixed slaves from different African regions to prevent communication and solidarity
  • Colonial authorities exploited ethnic and cultural differences among slaves to prevent unified resistance