After sharing my views on the use of the term Maroon and that my tribal community does not use the term because of what it means, (run away slave) Haile Gerima made his way to the front of the room to speak on the issue and after a brief back and forth with me spewed angrily, "Don't say you're a special nigger in the middle of Negros. That's brag language. You're not special, you're not special, you're not special. What I'm trying to tell you is all Black people made history out of their circumstances." 

In spite of what I know, including the books I’ve read, as well as my lived experience, I was told to crawl back into my cave, slandered, dismissed and insulted when I spoke about the history, meaning and impact of the word Maroon on my Pamaka culture. I was speaking as a so-called Maroon from Suriname.

Read the full story at: www.epluribusamerica.com

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