Bayano
Encyclopedia
Bayano, also known as Ballano or Vaino, was an African enslaved by Spaniards who led the biggest of the slave revolts of 16th century Panama
. Captured from the Mandinka
tribe in West Africa
, it is alleged that he and his comrades were Muslim
. Different tales tell of their revolt in 1552 beginning either on the ship en route, or after landing in Panama's Darien
province along its modern-day border with Colombia
. Rebel slaves, known as cimarron
es, set up autonomous regions known as palenque
s, many of which successfully fended off Spanish
control for centuries using guerrilla
war and alliances with pirates, or indigenous nations who were in similar circumstances.
King Bayano's forces numbered between four and twelve hundred Cimarron
s, depending upon different sources, and set up a palenque known as Ronconcholon near modern-day Chepo River
, also known as Rio Bayano. They fought their guerrilla war for over five years while building their community. The account written by Dr. Abdul Khabeer Muhammad based on the belief that Bayano's followers were Mandinka, and as Mandinka had been influenced by Islam, argued that they created democratic councils and built mosques. However, the most important primary source, written in 1581 by Pedro de Aguado, devotes space to their religious life, and describes the activities of a "bishop" who guided the community in prayer, baptized them, and delivered sermons, in a manner that Aguado believed to be essentially Christian. Bayano gained truces with Panama's colonial
governor, Pedro de Ursua
, but Ursua subsequently captured the guerrilla leader and sent him to Peru and then to Spain, where he died. Bayano's revolt coincided with others, including those of Felipillo
and Luis de Mozambique.
Bayano's name has become immortal in the Panamanian consciousness through the naming of a major river, a valley, a dam, and several companies after him.
is a major river in eastern Panama. It was dammed in the 1970s, creating Lago Bayano
, which is a major source of hydroelectric power in Panama.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. Captured from the Mandinka
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
tribe in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, it is alleged that he and his comrades were Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. Different tales tell of their revolt in 1552 beginning either on the ship en route, or after landing in Panama's Darien
Darien
Darien is a masculine name; variants include Darian and Darion. Darien may refer to:-Panama:*Darién Gap, border area between Panama and Colombia*Darién National Park*Darién Province*Gulf of Darién*Santa María la Antigua del Darién, town founded in 1510...
province along its modern-day border with Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Rebel slaves, known as cimarron
Cimarron people (Panama)
The Cimarrons or Cimarrones in Panama, were enslaved Africans who had escaped from their Spanish masters and lived together as outlaws. In the 1570s, they allied with Sir Francis Drake of England to defeat the Spanish conquest and plunder their riches....
es, set up autonomous regions known as palenque
Palenque
Palenque was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century. The Palenque ruins date back to 100 BC to its fall around 800 AD...
s, many of which successfully fended off Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
control for centuries using guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
war and alliances with pirates, or indigenous nations who were in similar circumstances.
King Bayano's forces numbered between four and twelve hundred Cimarron
Cimarron people (Panama)
The Cimarrons or Cimarrones in Panama, were enslaved Africans who had escaped from their Spanish masters and lived together as outlaws. In the 1570s, they allied with Sir Francis Drake of England to defeat the Spanish conquest and plunder their riches....
s, depending upon different sources, and set up a palenque known as Ronconcholon near modern-day Chepo River
Chepo River
-References:* Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993.*CIA map, 1995....
, also known as Rio Bayano. They fought their guerrilla war for over five years while building their community. The account written by Dr. Abdul Khabeer Muhammad based on the belief that Bayano's followers were Mandinka, and as Mandinka had been influenced by Islam, argued that they created democratic councils and built mosques. However, the most important primary source, written in 1581 by Pedro de Aguado, devotes space to their religious life, and describes the activities of a "bishop" who guided the community in prayer, baptized them, and delivered sermons, in a manner that Aguado believed to be essentially Christian. Bayano gained truces with Panama's colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
governor, Pedro de Ursua
Pedro de Ursúa
Pedro de Ursúa was a Spanish Basque conquistador from Baztan in the 16th century. In Panama, Ursúa subdued a Cimarron revolt by tricking Cimarron leader Bayano into coming unprepared to negotiate a truce, but then captured him and sent him back to King Philip II of Spain...
, but Ursua subsequently captured the guerrilla leader and sent him to Peru and then to Spain, where he died. Bayano's revolt coincided with others, including those of Felipillo
Felipillo of Panama
Felipillo was the leader of a sixteenth century maroon band in Panama. Felipillo was a Spanish speaking slave who managed a boat for the pearl fisheries on the Pearl Islands on Panama's Pacific side. In 1549, he led a revolt in which slaves fled the islands as well as cattle ranches on the...
and Luis de Mozambique.
Bayano's name has become immortal in the Panamanian consciousness through the naming of a major river, a valley, a dam, and several companies after him.
Rio Bayano
The Bayano RiverBayano River
A river of Panama in the Panama Province. It was dammed in the 70s, creating Lago Bayano. This dam provides much of the electrical power for Panama City....
is a major river in eastern Panama. It was dammed in the 1970s, creating Lago Bayano
Lago Bayano
Lago Bayano is a lake in the eastern part of Panamá Province, Panama created when the Bayano River was dammed in 1976. It is named after Bayano, the leader of largest slave revolt of 16th century Panama. The Bayano Caves are on the south side of the lake....
, which is a major source of hydroelectric power in Panama.