By Emma Black

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Hon. Nabeela Farida Tunis, on January 31, 2026 , has paid a historic courtesy visit to the Flagstaff Maroon Community in Jamaica, reinforcing long-standing ancestral, cultural, and historical ties between Sierra Leone and the Maroon people of the Caribbean.

The visit forms part of Sierra Leone’s broader cultural diplomacy efforts led by the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the government institution responsible for protecting, promoting, and developing the country’s cultural heritage, arts, monuments, traditional values, and tourism assets. Through its Cultural Affairs mandate, the ministry works to preserve national identity, safeguard historical memory, and strengthen connections between Sierra Leone and its diaspora communities across the world.

Minister Tunis was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United States and High Commissioner-Designate to Jamaica, H.E. Amara Sowa; Honorary Consul of Sierra Leone to Jamaica, Prof. Rosalea Hamilton; Senior Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Fatmata Samura; and Research and Development Lead at the Monuments and Relics Commission, Francis Musa Momoh.

The Flagstaff Maroons are descendants of Africans who resisted enslavement and established independent communities in Jamaica. Many Maroon traditions, names, spiritual practices, and resistance histories trace their roots to West Africa, including present-day Sierra Leone. The visit underscored these shared origins and the enduring cultural links between both peoples.

During the engagement with the Chief and elders of the Flagstaff Maroon Community, Minister Tunis conveyed heartfelt condolences to families affected by Hurricane Melissa, expressing the Government and people of Sierra Leone’s solidarity with Jamaica during the recovery process.

Walking through the historic Kojo Town, a symbolic center of Maroon resistance and heritage, the Minister and community leaders reflected on shared histories of resilience, freedom, and cultural survival. Discussions focused on opportunities for cultural exchange, heritage education, research collaboration, and preservation of ancestral sites linked to the transatlantic African diaspora.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the visit reaffirms Sierra Leone’s commitment to strengthening diasporic relations, promoting mutual understanding, and positioning culture as a bridge for diplomacy, education, and sustainable tourism development.

The Ministry noted that such engagements are central to its mission of reconnecting Sierra Leone with communities of African descent worldwide, while preserving historical narratives that continue to shape identity, memory, and global African heritage.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 4th February 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)