Jamaica and Its People
T he island of Jamaica will be near the top of the list for
anyone planning an idyllic holiday getaway. With warm sunshine,
beautiful beaches, lush tropical scenery, and fine hotels, it is
guaranteed to provide a little rest and relaxation. However, with a
vibrant grassroots culture and the growing confidence of an independent
nation, it defies the advertising stereotype of the “deserted island. ”
Jamaica is not just a destination — it is an experience.
The third-largest island in the Caribbean, just south of
Cuba, Jamaica is 233 km (145 miles) in length and 83 km (52 miles)
across at its widest point. The island is aligned almost east-to-west
in the water so that sunrise wakes the eastern tip, proceeds to caress
the length of the island, and kisses the western tip “good night. ”
Geographically it is extremely diverse, with a central backbone of high
mountains and hills blanketed with tropical rain-forest. These are
surrounded by areas of limestone formations, scrub and grassland, coral
cliffs, and fine sand beaches. Fresh water from tropical storms feeds
120 rivers and some of the most celebrated waterfalls and cascades on
earth.
On land, there is a wealth of animal and bird life. Rare
species of butterflies and delicate hummingbirds take to the air, and
crocodiles and manatees still live in and around vast tracts of
mangrove swamp in the south. The island is surrounded by coral reefs
and reef walls, which provide shelter to hundreds of species of sea
creatures and recreation to divers and snorkelers.
Temperatures here vary only a few degrees from about 27°C
(80°F), although the heat is tempered by the nearly continuous trade
winds that blow across the Atlantic. In the mountains and hills of the
interior, the temperature drops with altitude and with the clouds that
wrap around the highest peaks.
Much of the land is extremely fertile and produces a range
of tropical fruit and vegetable crops, providing ample food for the
people and such lucrative cash crops as sugar and coffee. Four hundred
years ago these crops brought British colonists to rule the land and
African slaves to work it. The bitter taste of slavery is always in the
background.
Today’s Jamaican population is a mixture of African and
English, with Spanish, Indian, and a smattering of Portuguese Jews,
Germans, Welsh, and Scots. They have been melded together, giving rise
to a fascinating national “identity. ” Since independence in 1962, the
black majority has worked to create a country based on confidence from
within, working on a principle of pride in oneself and in one’s roots.
This is so important for the future of the country that the national
motto is “Out of many — one people. ”
It says much about the character of the Jamaican people that
they have slightly changed the story of Columbus and his trip to the
island in 1493. He is not held in the same high esteem here as he is in
other islands. As someone has said, Columbus only thought that he had
discovered Jamaica. In actuality, it was the population of Jamaica who
discovered him — Columbus was really lost, thinking that he had found
another route to Asia.
Vestiges of the British colonial legacy can still be found,
not least in the fact that English is Jamaica’s official language: the
popularity of cricket is another example. The thirteen regional
parishes and numerous towns were originally named after British
settlements. You can find Manchester, Sheffield, and Cambridge in
Jamaica, to name but three. However, these British influences have,
even from the earliest days of colonial rule, always been tempered and
molded to the Jamaican style. Jamaica has always had a second,
“unofficial” language developed from the early days of slavery. This
creole, a mixture of English, African, and Spanish words and phrases,
is still evolving and often indecipherable to the outsider. Next to
town names derived from England, you’ll also find names such as “Wait
Awhile” and “Fruitful Vale,” derived from the function and activity of
the everyday lives of ordinary Jamaicans. And as far as cricket is
concerned, Caribbean players have turned the tables on their colonial
mentors and now produce some of the best players in the world, easily
capable of soundly outplaying the Brits.
In recent years the influence of the United States has been
much stronger than that of Britain. Many Jamaicans head to the States
for further education, and the American economic influence on areas
such as business investment and planning is growing. It’s no surprise
that the US dollar is accepted as readily as the Jamaican dollar to pay
for goods.
But Jamaica is not simply turning blindly into a small
version of its bigger brother. It still revels in its own identity,
which is now internationally recognized through such influential
cultural products as the Rastafarian religion and reggae music. The
followers of Rastafarianism (with their characteristic mane of
“dreadlocks”) originated in Jamaica in the 1930s and are still
predominantly found here. Jamaican music — ska and, especially,
reggae — has since the 1970s been exported and enjoyed around the
world. The strong beat and earthy lyrics seem to symbolize and
celebrate the character of this young and lively country.
Jamaicans are sociable people, living their lives out in
the open and knowing everything about their neighbor’s business.
There’s nothing they like better than having a good chat about the
latest bit of gossip: who is doing what, where, and why. They are very
direct in their dealings with each other, as you might discover if you
come across a friendly conversation among a group of friends. The loud,
raucous Jamaican English dialect and the waving hands reflect the joy
with which social relations are conducted here. They are equally direct
in their dealings with visitors, too, so don’t expect a shy Jamaican
smile as you walk by. Instead, be prepared for a barrage of questions
about your life, offers to supply anything you need, a host of jokes at
your expense, and some serious flirting if you’re single. Jamaicans can
definitely be “in your face. ” But don’t feel intimidated, as their
attitude is not personal. Having some lines ready to throw back at them
induces guffaws of laughter and an appreciative slap on the back.
The recreational pleasures that ordinary islanders enjoy
have become synonymous with the name Jamaica: dancing to the heavily
rhythmic musical beat; taking a little marijuana (or “ganja,” as it’s
known here), which many Jamaicans view as a kind of medicinal herb; or
simply sitting back and chatting with friends on a bench or street
corner, where the situation is described as “Irie” — the equivalent of
“Everything’s just fine! ”
Jamaicans appear to worry little about the future;
sometimes it seems that they worry little even about what happens in
the next few minutes. The popular phrase “Soon come” indicates an
apparent lack of concern about time and an unhurried attitude to daily
tasks. Occasional hurricanes can spoil the idyllic climate and
contribute to this “laid back” attitude: Jamaicans are aware that
circumstances can suddenly alter dramatically and yet life will always
carry on. To have to wait a while for something is not the worst
problem in the world.
Since independence in 1962, tourism has been Jamaica’s
primary industry and the island has become renowned as one of the prime
destinations in the Caribbean. The best beaches have become home to the
finest hotels, which supply almost everything needed for the perfect
vacation. All-inclusive packages and large resort hotels offer
restaurants, sporting activities, entertainment, wide-screen sports
channels in the bars, shopping, and a guaranteed suntan. There is
frequently a temptation never to tear oneself away from the hotel. Yet
to do this is to miss the very essence of what the island is all about.
Step out of the hotel and your senses will be bombarded by a range of
sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures that let you know that you
could only be in Jamaica.
Such sights include the colorful “tams” (knitted hats worn
by Jamaican men to cover their mane of dreadlocks) and the red ackee
fruit that ripens at the beginning of the year. Sample the taste of
ackee cooked with saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish, and the smell of
hot jerk pork cooked in a pit barbecue. Hear the songs of Bob Marley
booming from a hundred cranked-up car stereos or the chorus of frogs
that begin to call as evening descends. Feel the texture of a hand
offered in greeting and try to fathom the “Jamaican handshake,” a
ritual whose rules seem to be more complex than those of the game of
cricket.
Of course Jamaica has its palm-lined beaches and almost
endless rum drinks, and you can enjoy a wonderful resort-based break.
But once you begin to look underneath this initial veneer of a
“do-nothing-in-the-tropics” holiday, it’s like peeling the layers of an
onion. There’s an abundance of nature, history, art, and modern culture
to be explored and enjoyed. Jamaica is an island with a strong
personality that doesn’t simply wait in the wings. It comes out to meet
you.
