Jamaica’s Wild Cockpit Country Welcomed Runaway Slaves

Emily Kiburz-Grimes recently served as a learning and development specialist for Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s CLUB in Lincoln, Nebraska. A professional educator certified as a teacher of English Language Learners (ELL), she worked in the position after more than 10 years in the Lincoln Public Schools. Emily Kiburz-Grimes enjoys travel and exploring different cultures and learning about their history, and has visited numerous destinations in North and South America as well as Europe.

Just a short flight from the southern US, Jamaica is an island nation about 90 miles south of Cuba. After Christopher Columbus visited the island in the late 15th century, it suffered a cruel period of European rule which decimated the native Arawak and Taino populations. Slaves were imported from Africa, and many managed to escape into the rain forest in the eastern part of the island, known as cockpit country.

What made cockpit country especially safe for escaping Maroons, as the people were named, continues to fascinate. The terrain resembles an overturned egg carton, with arrays of conical hills, some as high as 120 meters, surrounded by steep-walled hollows and depressions. Cockpit country was easily defended, as it provided excellent natural cover and concealment.

The Maroons established small settlements in cockpit country, where as many as 5,000 of their descendants still live in near autonomy. The area remains largely wilderness, however, and there are movements in Jamaican society to preserve the entire area as a World Heritage Site. More information about cockpit country and the island of Jamaica is available at cockpitcountry.com.

Three of the Best Places to Visit in Atlantic Canada

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Photo by Daniel Joseph Petty from Pexels

As a learning and development specialist at Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's CLUB in Lincoln, Nebraska, Emily Kiburz-Grimes draws upon a dozen years of relevant experience to develop online learning courses on compliance and instant issuance for use by as many as 20,000 employees. Outside of her professional endeavors, Emily Kiburz-Grimes enjoys traveling. Some of the countries she has visited include Ireland, England, Brazil, and Canada.

Canada is the second-largest country in the world at 9.984 million square kilometers. Consequently, it's impossible to see everything the country has to offer during a short trip. Below are three must-visit destinations in the provinces New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, collectively known as Atlantic Canada:

1. Green Gables - Located in Cavendish, PEI, Green Gables is a Victorian home that served as the setting of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables novel. It is now a museum dedicated to the history of area, and the freckled, red-haired girl depicted in the novel.

2. Gros Morne National Park - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gros Morne National Park is a nature lover's dream. It has nearly two dozen day trails that hug the coastline and boasts diverse free-roaming wildlife such as moose, caribou, beavers, and harbor seals. One of its most unique features is the Tablelands, where visitors can walk on the earth's mantle.

3. Cape Breton Highlands National Park - This park encompasses the world famous Cabot Trail, which offers incredible views of the dramatic coastline along the sea at the Skyline Trail. For a rest, stop at Ingonish Beach and stay in a Parks Canada oTENTik, which is a mix between a permanent tent and furnished cabin.