
For a long time, there has been some discussion on how to visit the "Core Zone" of this site properly. The maps on the UNESCO website certainly don't help and many who go to Jamaica on holiday don't go hiking through the Blue Mountains. This made getting information on how to get into the core zone a bit more difficult than anticipated. Luckily for me, Els wrote a nice review below that did most of the grunt work. With that in mind, I was able to focus in on Moore Town. However, multiple tour operators were not able to provide tours to the falls. So, with a little more searching, I was able to find Alex Moore-Minott (+1 876 495 7370) through the Granny Nanny Cultural Center, who was eager to take me to the falls and teach me about the culture of the Jamaican Maroons. The problem though, was getting there!
Through a driver in Jamaica we settled on leaving Kingston at 7 AM. Winding up and down through the mountains via narrow and twisty roads was somewhat slower than I thought. Eventually we reached the coast to drive to Port Antonio and then back into the mountains to reach a jungle valley that Moore Town is situated. Make sure to download any maps before hand as you will lose signal on the way there! The villagers rope off any outsider vehicles and I had to check into the cultural center and wait for my guide. In the cultural center there are signs explaining the importance of the different cultural aspects of the Maroons. In fact, the music heritage of the culture is designated intangible heritage by UNESCO! There is also a display of weaved baskets and Abengs that were used for communication. The UNESCO plaque is next to Bump Grave, the gravesite of Nanny of the Maroons. Nanny is a national heroine of Jamaica and her statue can be found in Emancipation Park in Kingston.
After around an hours walk up and downhill through neotropical rainforest, and a descend down steep concrete stairs with broken railings. The roar of the falls could be heard from a distance away and one can feel the spray during the descent. We reached the actual Nanny Falls itself- right in the core zone! The image in this review was obtained by a bit of wading through shallow water to the other side of the basin. The falls are also a healing site for the local community. Thus, they request that a guide be present. In addition, they are also a bit reluctant to allow visitors to some of the archeological town sites that are present in the mountains due to their sacredness (ex: Nanny Town, Woman Town) . Along the way Alex explained some of the cultural and medicinal uses of the flora and fauna in the land.
This site (at least the cultural side) was more about intangible aspects than what was "on-show." The Maroons were able to fend off the British and retain their own identities while having to adapt to the land. They still maintain a strong cultural identity that still continues to this day. Keep in mind, if needing to drive back to Kingston, there is a long drive back that isn't advisable to do after dark.
While You Are There:
- Port Antonio is a bit bigger than I expected based on Google Maps. It may be worth using that as a base and further exploring the east of the island if you have more time.
- I believe there is another plaque at Blue Mountain Peak, Google Images certainly show another plaque if you search "Jamaica UNESCO plaque." Alex agrees. He also told me there are signs in St. Andrew, St. Thomas, and Portland Parishes.
- For a more complete story there are other Maroon communities in the area: Charles Town, Scotts Hall. On the other side of the island is Accompong Town.
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