Accompong
18°14′N 77°45′W / 18.233°N 77.750°W
Accompong | |
|---|---|
Accompong, Jamaica, early 20th century | |
| Nickname: Acheampong | |
| Motto(s): For the Born and the Unborn | |
| Coordinates: 18°14′N 77°45′W / 18.233°N 77.750°W | |
| Country | Jamaica |
| Parish | St. Elizabeth Parish |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.04 km2 (1.56 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 788 |
| Website | stateofaccompong |
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Accompong (from the Asante name Acheampong) is a historical Maroon village located in the hills of St. Elizabeth Parish on the island of Jamaica. It is located in Cockpit Country, where Jamaican Maroons and Indigenous Taíno established a fortified stronghold in the hilly terrain in the 17th century. They defended it and maintained independence from the Spanish and then later the British, after the colony changed hands.
Accompong is reportedly named after the son of Miguel Reid, the first African Maroon leader in western Jamaica originally from Ghana and allegedly the first leader of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town). This would make Accompong brother to Kojo or Cudjoe, and possibly Cuffee, Quaco and Nanny of the Maroons. Accompong Town was reportedly built by Kojo who assigned his Brother Accompong to watch over it.
Accompong is run by a chief who is elected by voting. The current chief is Chief Richard Currie.