REGGAE artiste Maroon Queen believes the Maroons have nothing to apologise for in their role in quelling two slave rebellions in Jamaica.

“The Maroons have nothing to apologise for, they did great and terrible things to achieve freedom for black people. The Maroons fought and won their freedom but they were also victims of the slave trade, and were tricked by British politics to return escaped slaves to make it appear they had betrayed their own black people,” Maroon Queen reasoned.

British colonial forces, with the support of the Maroons, brutally suppressed uprisings led by West African slave Chief Takyi of St Mary in 1760 and Baptist Deacon Paul Bogle of Stony Gut, St Thomas, in 1865.

Bogle and ally George William Gordon were hanged but later named National Heroes of Jamaica. April 8 this year was officially declared Chief Takyi Day to celebrate the freedom fighter credited with the first slave uprising in the Caribbean.

Queen of the Maroons Gaamang Gloria “Mama G” Simms, a well known campaigner for the rights of indigenous peoples, had issued an apology to Jamaicans on Good Friday through the Sunday Observer.

“We regret the hurt and sufferings caused from such actions. We take total responsibility on behalf of our ancestors,” Simms said. “We realise that we cannot undo the past, but we can remedy the situations through reconciliatory actions that will repair the damage and rebuild trust so that these behaviours will not be repeated.”

Entertainer Maroon Queen (given name Semonie Giles) is promoting her latest single Extortionist, released in May 2022 on the BQ Entertainment label.

Maroon Queen is best known for songs like You Say, and Black and Proud.