His Majesty, King Barûle

From the beginning of the 1700's the black enslaved men started a number of rebellions throughout the Virreinato of New Granada. There was big uprisings in the Caribbean coast, Panama, Antioquia, Cundinamarca and the Oriental Pampas. Barûle Regnum was scenario of one of the most important slave revolutions: in Murgana (Tado), in 1727 more than 200 men and women took arms against their oppressor. At the head of the Cimarron group was the legendary Barûle. There was a state of alarm among the landlords and Spaniard provincial and Crown authorities. He and the Mina brothers Antonio and Mateo succeeded in grouping more than 2000 enslaved from around the rivers Novita and San Juan. There is no information about his place or exact date of birth, but he appears in the 1759's slave census of the Chocó Province.

Among the enslaved rebels from Tado there was a group with a common characteristic: they had been brought from Jamaica and spoke fluent English. It is not known if they were native from than British Colony, but it is assumed they had stayed there enough time to learn the language.

These enslaved, called "the Jamaicans" due to their place from which they arrived, were considered a treat to the new "masters" because they had been under the British rule and had also received a Christian Protestant doctrine.

In the report to the Popayan Council, preserved in the Cauca Archives, the Governor of Chocó Julián de Trespalacios y Mier stated his concern about the possible bad influence of these slaves over the others. Other than Barule, Trespalacios mentions Bernabé Mina, José Nongo and Nicolás Nanga. Because of their origins Trespalacios related the Tado and surrounding towns rebellions, to the British interests in the mining region of Chocó and the Cimarron war at the end of the XVII century in Jamaica. The upraising was so big, that it forced the British to sign a treaty with the rebels. Many of them were re-sold and sent to the Chocó mines, where they planted the freedom seed.

Among the causes for salve insurrections was, the straining to hunger and inhuman punishment methods, raping of their women and family dismemberment as well as the increment of the slave labor of the Free State of Tado (1715).

It is believed that HM, King Barûle's African ascendance could be from the: chamba, mandinga, mina, or carabalí; due to the integration and communication that he had with the minas and his tendency to revolt, known of these groups.

By 1727 the slaves of a Ranch organized a committee represented by HM, Barûle and the Mina brothers and in an unexpected day of November, they initiated their War action into freedom. They killed their “master” and fourteen more Spaniards. After dominating the Territory, the Maroons from Tado proclaimed HM, Barûle as Sovereign and King, and the palisade structured an authoritarian government with a military organization.

On February 18 of 1728, the “War for Freedom” breaks out between Maroons and the Spanish Army for the domination of the area, but the deficient logistics and lock of communication among the Maroons, originated a great disadvantage from which the Spanish Army took advantage to win the confrontation.

On February 19 of 1728, HM, King Barûle is executed together with the Mina brothers, by the Spanish Lieutenant Trespalacios Mier, alter being betrayed.

The movement of HM, King Barûle represented his dream of freedom and dignity of the black community.

Today, one of his descendants – HM, Giunëur Bomani Barûle Môsi – is continuing along with the fight in favor of the black community and the 'Cultural Restoration' of all AfroColombians through his Reforming Movement Barûle Regnum.