I had a big time Melt down when I saw......  

We have to always remember that it is not all the citizens in a country that are evil - mostly just some of their dictator like rulers. The citizens usually lived in fear. I was very emotional, and so was he when he asked me to day good bye in dialect and then he wrote in down phonetically. I will always treasure this experience. Here's to freedom, says Cynthie as she raises her glass. The Maroons live today all over the world and are proud of th fact that they are maroons. They have their own laws and elect a Colonel to be in charge. I inrend to visit their community at thir next celebration.

My in-laws and their friends actually lived through Nazi Germany, so I hear stories. Nope, it's not the ordinary citizens in general though some of them did do horrible things under the umbrella of "following orders"...

forgot to add that many people in the world think that the concentration camps did not exist. As a teenager my dentist's wife had survived a concentration camp and had the numbers still tattooed on her wrist. She refused to have it removed as she said that wherever she wanted people would ask her about it and then she would tell them about what had happened. Oh Lord, I am so behind in my work that I will have toi take it home to finish! Bye bye

Yeah that and that the moon walk was faked. What some people will believe.

But the moon walked was faked - wasn't it?

um yeah and George Washington's wooden teeth had a clandestine relationship with the cherry tree...

Oh my goodness! Did the relationship die or did it branch out? Was it rooted in true love? I lhope it grew on fertile soil! were there any offsprigs?

Listen I am going to lose my job. I have so much to take home tonight. Paybill and make out cheque etc. But you are so funny! I have to stop now.

omg keep it up and you are going to end up with the pun queen crown!

Oh... I have a question... could you explain what a "maroon" is?

Thanks Kat. Yes, you are American just as my kids are Jamaican - a complete melting pot. and there is nothing wrong about that at all. But your ancestors must have come from somewhere and you could start a research in your spare time . don't throw that book at me Kat. I'm only joking! I know that you don't have spare time but maybe your eldest son could get started on your side - beginning with your mother;s name and her parents name. It s very interesting to read about the skeletons and what they did etc. He may find it interesting to do. Blessings

Maroons were Africans who were brought by the British to Jamaica as slaves but they refused to be slaves and run into the hills and forests to hide. They established camps and really were the first guerilla fighters as they camouflaged their bodied with leaves etc and killed the British Soldiers who were hunting them down. The British were easy to spot as they still wore red coats at that time!They have many heroes and established camps in different areas of the Island. Eventually a treaty was reached with the British who said that they would send them back to Africa but instead they sent them to Canada. They managed to survive the dreadful winter weather in cabins and coal firs and refused to be slaves. They worked in the coal mines and helped build the forts to keep out Napoleon Bonaparte of France.
They started trading with Jamaica and sent as our salted cod fish. To this day, cod fish is till salted and sent to Jamaica and it is part of our National dish served with ackees (another Jamaican fruit)Many of them have qualified as doctors and professors all over the world but they return and visit and help their fellow Maroons. If they own businesses then they pay taxes but they have their own laws and leader too. Basically they still do a lot of farming and animal husbandry and keep to many of their old ways. They are a proud people still.

My mom doesn't know much about her own family, I think they were small, like no cousins or any of that, and I've never heard her talk about her own grandparents. My father is a complete mystery, so you see I haven't really been inspired to go digging up information, my own mother doesn't even know!!

Thanks for the history lesson on the maroons. Quite interesting! Like I said, I love learning bits about history, and that's something I'd never heard before. You learn something new everyday.

You are welcome Kat.

Yes, it is good to know where your ancestor's came from but you are 100% AMERICAN.

I hope u meant that as a compliment, lol. I know u did just teasing w/you.

No I really meant it as a compliment. Americans are wondeful people - they are also resiliant and strong and will survive anything

I was just teasing w/u . Cynthi. thanks for the compliment. Hope your weekend is a great one.hugs.

I know exactly how you feel. When we went to Church at the Cathedral then sometimes my father would come and then he would lead us to the war memorial and point out the names of his father and eldest brother who died in the war. He always had tears in his eyes. So many gave their lives for freedom of us all today. They really did die for freedom. Many thanks for sharing

And thank you for sharing your wonderful story though it also jerked my heart a bit! So very sad!

Can you imagine how they suffered that first winter without adequate clothing or housing? It really must have been a nightmare. What many people do not understand is that many of the slaves who came were architects, master builders and doctors etc.A high portion were highly intelligent and educated people. I have seen a hospital on the Island that was built by slaves and the walls are
'true' to the last centimetre. There were many professionals and they came with a wealth of knowledge.The history is amazing.

Let that be a humbling lesson to anyone who thinks they're better than others due to their intelligence!! In that era it made no difference.

Hi jillhill! My parents and I went to Hawaii in 1972 and we rode a boat out to Pearl Harbor. We saw the Arizona Memorial but we didn't get out and walk on it. At the time, I just felt like it would be like stepping on somebody's grave. I have the movie, "Pearl Harbor", and at the end, it shows where they are having a meeting of some veterans and they're giving out awards. I can't remember what it was eactly but it was something like that.

My uncle, daddy's brother, was in the navy and he was stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese bombed it. He was off that day but he had to go to work after it happened.

I found out several years later who gave the most money to the Arizona Memorial. Do you know who it was? It really shocked me when I heard it. Elvis Presley! Kathy.

Yes, Kat, most people do not realise how well educated many of the slaves were. They were classified as dumb and ignorant because they did not speak the language and the culture was strange to them. Of course they were then forbidden to speak their own language and this is a well known tactic to divide a people.

Cyrus, thanks for sharing this with us.
So many of us have histories that need to be told. I appreciated the responses despite them being so few.

It was AmbiePam, a very emotional moment and also enlightening.

Oh, that is so funny! Kidnapping St. Patrick! I know that I have one ancestor that was a highwayman and some were coastguards - probably in the smuggling business with France. It really was wonderful to find out all this information. I did not describe it well. Blessings

Yes, Jones is a very Welsh name and the Welsh people were dark haired too. I think that they originally came from somewhere on the coast of France - I have forgotten so much history that I will have to look it up. I also have done some, but not a lot, of research on my husband's name. They were Portuguese Jews who left Portugal during the Spanish Inquisition and came to Jamaica.

We should both make an effort to start for our children's sake. It is good for children to know their background and if our children are not interested then there are always the grandchildren as they may want the information. We develop in them a sense of pride of their heritage. Many thanks

Whoever it was who did a genealogy on mother's side of the family years ago said that there was definitely some Cherokee Indian in us. When I was a child, people told me I didn't look too much like an Indian to them and that would upset me because I was always so proud of it. Now, they tell me I do look Indian. I've been told that your facial features change the older you get so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. I like to wear a lot of Indian stuff and I guess that makes me look more Indian, too.

I don't have any children, myself, but I would still like to do a genealogy to learn more about my ancestors someday, anyway.

I've been told that on my mother's side, it goes back to Thomas Jefferson! Kathy.

Thank you for the best response.Kathy.

This is an interesting post. I honestly feel that the youth had no choice but had to join and fight whether they backed the Nazi system or not. If not then they kept their thoughts to themselves as they too would have lost their lives for treason. There was no freedom in Germany at that time and people were forced to do things they did not want to do because they wanted to live.

I lost many relatives including a GF that I never knew and at least 4 uncles in that war - but of course they were fighting on the other side as I am from the U.K. originally!

My father, after the war, brought over German youth for vacations to stay with us. My mother was furious but he said that the youth from both countries had to be friends to rebuild both nations. The past was the past and we had to go forward. He was so right.

hi Cher and Cynthiann, my Granddad was also missing in WW II and I never had a chance to meet him. Got to wait till I am in heaven myself if I ever get there to see him........

That is so wonderful. It is important hat we do not forget out origins. It was such an emotional experience for me. I will never forget it.

The Scots were very brace people and they endured so much in their history. Scotlkand was always a noted plce for learning and the Scots that emigrated usually did very well. Yes, i6 ws so emotional. People struggling to survive in a new land and then died before they could begin their lives again.

It is sad though to hear of it... and I am sure those that did not die were very weakened after the journey. I've read books that featured boat rides. One of them was about the titanic. The book was By Danielle Steel but I've read several so I can't remember which one it was!

I know so little about Ireland and Scotland.

Don't even know my fiance's heritage.