The
Maroons are a number of diverse peoples in the Caribbean,
South America, North America and Central America, the
descendents of escaped slaves. The Seminole music tradition
of the United States is an example, as are numerous
communities in Jamaica, Suriname and French Guiana.
The Surinamese, Guianan and French Guianan escaped slaves managed to hide in the dense jungles of the area, and formed communities like the Aluku, Saramaka and Ndjuka. Their traditional sung stories are called mato, and there is also a kind of popular Maroon music called aleke. Traditional dances include awasa, a women's social dance.
The Jamaican Maroons are known for instruments like the abeng, a kind of horn.