Ethnic Stew

Ethnic Stew
Why Not Go?

No where else on earth will you find a culture as dynamic as the one visitors encounter in Jamaica. Its people are a mixture of the many ethnicities that have landed on the island's shores over the past several centuries. Weathering enslavement and oppression, the Jamaicans are survivors, and their past is full of fascinating stories just waiting to be told.

Cultural Heritage

Whether they are the descendants of the colonists or recent immigrants from the Middle East, people of all nationalities live and work together in Jamaica. Cultures have been mingling on Jamaica's shores for hundreds of years. And while this mixture inspires pride, it is also the source of Jamaicans' characteristically brassy banter that, to an outsider, might seem inappropriate at times. The Taíno, who inhabited the island long before European discovery, also left behind a cultural history.

Most Jamaicans are always willing to talk about subjects most find uncomfortable, peppering their speech with terms such as Browning, Redman, Coolie, Whitey, Blacka or Miss Chin. It is not uncommon to find people of all ethnic backgrounds on Jamaica, and the islanders are comfortable with their outward racial differences because they know this is part of what makes their culture unique.

But locals don't always take themselves so seriously. For proof, look at the famous sportsmen who made up the Jamaican bobsled team. Taking losses in stride, this team of rag tag athletes from a snowless island nation has continued to work hard. They were also the subject of the movie,"Cool Runnings," depicting the year the Jamaican team captured the hearts worldwide as the underdogs in the Olympic games.

Language is another way in which Jamaica demonstrates its melded culture. Although Jamaica's official language is English, many of its residents speak with their own linguistic style. There are even differences from village to village. The main ingredients of Jamaica's language stew are Spanish, African, English, including Irish, British and American idioms, and even Rastafarian. On Jamaica you might hear your shoes referred to with the Spanish word,"zapatos," and you might talk about where to"nyam," an African word meaning"eat." However, you may also hear terms you're more familiar with, like"cool" and"Irie." The language also has roots in slavery, as the slaves found ways to combine the language of their owners with their own African tongues.

Jamaican culture is also richly flavored by its cuisine. The aromatic spices of the Caribbean have allowed the island's kitchens to create one of the most unusual fusions of flavors in the world. Most popular on the menu is jerk, a marinade that can be added to almost anything, but usually meat. The spicy sauce includes many of the island's native ingredients. Seafood is also prevalent on the island, but most truly Jamaican dishes, which intimidate most visitors, include cow foot stew and goat's head soups.

Religion

Spirituality takes many forms in Jamaica, but all are reflected in the local culture. The Guinness Book of World Records determined Jamaica to have the most churches per square mile of any place on the planet. The island hosts many different Christian denominations, including Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, and Presbyterians. But the religious are not only Christians: Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Bahai's, and Rastafarians call Jamaica home.

Rastafari is the most prominent non-Christian religion on the island. It came into prominence as a grass-roots religion in the 1930s and was promoted as an alternative to white-oriented religions. Rastafarians worship the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, or Ras Tafari. Rastafarians also believe in reincarnation and that males should not cut or comb their hair or beards. The emphasis of the belief is on nurturing the inner spirit in each person, which has affected the language with its addition of"I" as a prefix for many words. Marijuana may also be used by Rastafarians as a sacrament and a meditational aid. It is an evolving religion and culture, and not every member believes in all of these things. Its popularity, however, has spread to many other countries in the region and around the world.

The Arts, Music, and Dance

Jamaicans also take pride in their artistic style. Influenced by the island's unique culture as well as European, American, and African art forms, islanders have mastered a style all their own. The nation has produced many famous artists including sculptor and painter Edna Manley, painter Albert Huie and the self-taught artist Kapo.

Of course, Jamaicans are also known for their willingness to dance. Dances found on Jamaica fuse the styles of Europeans and Africans into a unique form. Some of the local dances are the"jonkonnu," a dance practiced by slaves at Christmas time,"bruckins," from the period after emancipation, and the newer"ska." European dances like the maypole and quadrille are performed with"mento" music, while African dances like the"gerreh,""dinki-mini," and"ettu" were turned into commentaries on plantation living. New dances crop up constantly, but these older styles are the basis for new moves. Dance halls are the best places to find new styles, but the traditional dances of Jamaican culture are kept alive by organizations such as the National Dance Theater Company.

And of course, where would dancers be if it weren't for music, The most popular form of Jamaican music is reggae, which has a sound is so easy to enjoy that it has gained popularity throughout the world. Many reggae musicians have grown to international fame, most notably Bob Marley, who worked with and influenced many other local musicians before his death in 1981. The popularity of this genre has continued to this day. Dancehall, a variation of reggae, is also growing in popularity.

Reggae may be the most well-known style of music, but there are many more. Jamaican folk music has come from many sources over the years. The most notiable influence on many of the sounds found here is Africa, in celebrations of birth, death, and harvesting. However, the different types of music performed now fall into three groups: dance, religious, and work and entertainment.

Dance music is the most popular type throughout the islands and is performed with traditional dances to celebrate special events and holidays. On such occasions, the dancers and their costumes are as important as the musical accompaniment.

Religious music has been influenced by the various smaller religions popular on the island, most commonly Kumina, Pocomania, and Rastafari. These songs are generally accompanied by drumming and chanting. Songs can also include singing and other musical instruments. They are generally performed at all-night vigils and services.

Music has also historically been performed for work and entertainment. Work songs are an aspect of the tradition rooted in the culture of slavery, when songs were used to pass messages and gossip, though they also helped ease the work of the slaves. Songs of this type followed a traditional African call and response format. However, games are also sung, and children often gather in circles to sing and clap. Games are generally very physically demanding, so there are rarely instruments in these songs.

Other musical forms that are growing in popularity on the island include jazz, rocksteady, and ska. Classical music has a small audience among some of the islanders, and gospel is popular across the island. The Eastern Caribbean musical styles of Soca and Calypso are also being adopted by the islanders. From painting to dance to music, the Jamaican people have so much to offer the world. Once you leave, you'll never lose the lasting influence of Jamaica's multifaceted culture.