: Chief Richard Currie, was born a son of the soil emerging from the remote Maroon district of Accompong Town Cockpit Country, located on the archipelago known as Jamaica. In following the footsteps of his late uncle, elder and chief historian, former Deputy Chief Melvin Currie, who for over 35 years served vociferously in the defense of indigenous Maroon rights and preservation of Cockpit County, our sacred lands, recognized and protected under the Treaty of 1738 of Peace and Friendship with the British Crown. Cockpit Country happens to be the most preserved untouched natural forest remaining on the island and spans over 116,000 hectares of mountainous terrain. Cockpit country supplies the island with over 40% of its freshwater supply via underground aquifers and streams. it is home to some of the most endemic species of flora and fauna in the western hemisphere. Chief Currie is a past student of Munro College who went on to attain his bachelor of science in Accounting & International Business. He later completed an MBA in Banking Finance from the Mona School of Business at the University of the West Indies. Having worked over 15 years in various corporate roles, working with institutions such as Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Dehring, Bunting & Golding, Diageo to name a few, the chief found his calling in 2017 and began his journey of enlightenment which took him across the world and back that helped him reconnect to his roots and the journey that ensued revealed a much higher calling than he had expected. Chief Richard Currie has emerged as the lead advocate for indigenous rights in Jamaica and is a stark defender of Cockpit Country against local and foreign mining interests. Chief Currie is 18 months into his leadership role, as head of state of the Trelawney Town Maroons, of the Sovereign State of Accompong, Cockpit Country and is the successor to captain Elijimo Kojo who signed the Treaty of Peace & Friendship in 1738, Kojo being the sibling of the great leader Nanny of the Maroons. @chiefrichardcurrie on Instagram