Lomorra Dillon
Lead Singer, Drummer, and Youth Ambassador for the Grandy Nanny Cultural Group
Lomorra Dillon, Lead Singer, Drummer, and Youth Ambassador for the Grandy Nanny Cultural Group / Photography by Watchyah Filmz.
Lomorra Dillon, otherwise known as Hope the Maroon Princess, is a young Maroon with over 10 years’ experience as a Cultural Ambassador, which includes her current role as lead singer, drummer, and Youth Ambassador for the Grandy Nanny Cultural Group. Lomorra has toured the United States of America on a cultural exchange bringing international awareness to her culture. She is part of a social enterprise in her community, with a group of Maroon women, called Katawud Natural Products, which produces Maroon faith-based products and services. She is also campaigning for a permanent statue of Nanny of the Maroons in Port Antonio, Jamaica.
You are a descendent of Nanny of the Maroons, a fearless leader of the Maroon people. How has her life influenced your leadership today?
My elders always told me that no matter how hard things got, Nanny never ran away from her people, and never ran away from the war. That is why we call her our mother. I became lead singer of the Grandy Nanny Cultural Group at the age of nine and had to be fearless, singing our sacred songs in front of large crowds, sometimes hundreds of people. No matter what, I couldn’t abandon my group, because that is not something Nanny would have done.
Tell us about where you are from, the Rio Grande Valley, Portland, Jamaica, and the people there.
The Rio Grande Valley has the largest river in Jamaica, the Rio Grande, which runs through our territory, with beautiful waterfalls and springs. Our people living there have many unique skills, including hunting. Our hunters have extensive knowledge of our rainforest, medicinal plants, and a strong understanding of the spiritual side of their culture.
You recently campaigned to become Chieftainess for the Rio Grande Valley. What is your vision for your community?
The first thing that I would like to see is a proper system of governance in place, with regular democratic elections, that offers young people in the community something to aspire to. My other major vision is to see the Rio Grande Valley become an economic hub in which traditional cultural expression can generate income for young people, so that they stay in their communities and preserve their culture, and won’t have to migrate to look for work.
There is mining in your territory currently, which some argue is destroying the natural resources for profit. What can be done to support the people living there?
The most obvious way to support the people in the area and our natural environment would be to put a stop to mining. Right now, the most prevalent form of mining is the mining of sand and stone from the Rio Grande. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that destroying the largest river on our island will have negative effects, especially with climate change.
You run a small women-led social enterprise called Katawud Natural Products. Tell us about the brand and why you came together.
Our enterprise is a team effort. We did not start it simply for money, but to keep our culture alive. We sell soaps and products made from indigenous herbs. Our goal is to develop the brand to create a viable source of income for people throughout the Rio Grande Valley, especially young women. I want to show the world how powerful our traditions are, so our people can have a sense of pride, and I have faith that it will happen.
What is your hope for the people of Rio Grande Valley and wider Jamaica in the coming years?
That the people of the Rio Grande Valley and wider Jamaica learn to be proud of who they are, their history, and the sacrifice of their ancestors. And that they all learn how to work together to build a nation based on who we are as a people and our experiences.
Interview by: Sherry Collins
