Jamaica is a country located in the Caribbean Island which was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1494(Wilson, 2004, p.6). The country enjoys a diverse population of about 2.9 million people. This country is known by many a cultural hub of the culture of Rastafarianism, named after King Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, and the art of reggae music. However, the richness of the Jamaica moves from the mere notion of Rastafarianism and the art of reggae music. This paper intends to support the fact that the Jamaican culture is rich in diverse by exploring the heritage, history, food and other fundamental facets of the Jamaican culture.
The Jamaican population traces different backgrounds and histories. The country’s social topography is composed of people of African descent, Europeans, Chinese, Indians and other minority groups. The fact that people of African descent are the majority within the social framework of the Jamaican culture has created a culture that borrows heavily from the African way of life. British colonization of this Caribbean Island has also influenced the characteristics of the Jamaican culture. Most of the British way of life is widely accepted within the Jamaican culture. The Jamaican language of communication is derived from the English of the British who colonized the country. However, the kind of English language spoken in Jamaican has undergone a mode of language syncretism in that the English language employs some indigenous accents and words in to the Jamaican popular speech. Scholars argue that the English language has been considered as being an official mode of communication in Jamaica for over three hundred years. The most important facet of the Jamaican culture is the evidence of historical traits in their religious belief systems and in entertainment.
The influence of the African culture is evident in the Jamaican religion and art of the reggae music. Most of the substance within the music mostly focuses on the need for unity among the people due to the fact that their ancestors went through suffering as slaves from the African continent in the hands of British colonialists. The music also talks about the roots of the African people which remind current generation of the long way that the people of Jamaica have come before experiencing the peace that they enjoy in the country today. This culture of reggae songs can be traced back in the days of slavery. The songs were used during slavery as a mode of communication that was not understandable by the colonialists. The songs were also used to give the slaves hope that one the afflictions that befell them in the hands of the British would once come to an end (Richards, 2008, p.76). In the midst of the diversity of the Jamaican culture, one can draw a line between the tradition and modernity of the culture. For instance, reggae songs that were sang in the late 19th century focused on praise of nationalistic leaders who fought for the freedom of Jamaica. However the content of the reggae music today mostly looks at contemporary issues that are facing the society today like abortion and gay marriage.
Though the Jamaican culture has been highly influenced by the African majority in Jamaica, there are native tribes that occupied Jamaica before the arrival of African slaves. The native people in Jamaica were the Arwark’s. Some of the aspects of native culture that are evident within the broader Jamaican culture include proverbs, oral poems, and songs. This is an indicator than the native people of Jamaican are also considered as being a great contribution to the richness of the popular Jamaican culture
The Jamaican culture is also highly influenced by Jamaica’s economy. Marijuana production is an important facet in the Jamaica’s economy. Though Marijuana is illegal in many countries across the world, its consumption is not illegal in Jamaica. This has had adverse effects to the youth of Jamaica in that they are exposed to drug abuse at a tender age. However, Jamaican is also known for the production of vegetables and fruits. Fruit production in Jamaica is favored by the fact that Jamaica is located in the tropics. Therefore, tropical fruits are a great part of Jamaican culture. Other kinds of foods that are popular within the Jamaican culture include bananas and yams. Some of the best known soups that are associated with the Jamaican culture include Mannish water which is believed to have a medicinal value against male and female infertility (Mordecai, 2001, p.49).
Though the Jamaican culture enjoys stability, there has been a conflict between modernism and traditionalism. Elites within Jamaica have sometimes argued that some changes are essential in order to maintain the stability of the Jamaican culture and preserve the identity of the Jamaican people. One of the scholars who prescribed some changes within the Jamaican culture was Norman Manley. Manley played a key role in initiating a wider unity not only in Jamaica but in the entire Caribbean region. Manley proposed the formation of the Commonwealth of all Caribbean nations (Austin-Broos, 2007, p.65). This strategy was primarily to preserve some of the key facets within the Jamaican culture that were vulnerable to the changes in social dynamics. Some of the key areas that Manley succeeded to save include historical monuments and sites. In this way Manley was able maintain these facets of the Jamaican culture so that future generation can also enjoy these sites. The preservations of historical monuments and sites within Jamaica opened up Jamaica to technological research and scientific discovery. This is a clear indication that elites within Jamaica propose changes within the Jamaican culture with the aim of making sure that Jamaicans are not pre-occupied with short-time gains from economic activities like tourists who come to enjoy the beauty of their country and culture but to initiate a long term benefit of making sure that future generations get to see and enjoy the richness of the Jamaican culture that exists today.
In conclusion, the Jamaica culture does not revolve just around the ideas of Rastafarianism and reggae music but is wide and diverse. This diversity is caused by the fact that Jamaica is multicultural nation whose population has different histories and ethnicities. Some of the characteristics of the Jamaican culture include the fact that English is the official language owing to the fact that the British colonized the country. In addition, the fact that Africans make up the majority of the Jamaican population, the Jamaican culture heavily borrows from the African culture. Finally Jamaica has indigenous foods like Mannish Water which is believed to have a medicinal value. This is a clear indication that there is an attachment between Jamaican culture and Jamaican resources.
References
Austin-Broos, D., J. (2007). Jamaica genesis: religion and the politics of moral
orders. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Mordecai, M. (2001). Culture and Customs of Jamaica. Westport, Connecticut:
Greenwood Publishing Inc.
Richards, G. (2002). Jamaica in slavery and freedom: history, heritage and
Culture. Kingston, Jamaica: University of West Indies Press.
Wilson, A. (2004). Jamaica the Culture. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company.
