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Jamaica.
Jamaica.
Culture:
Jamaica's culture is of European, African, and the native Taino- Arawak origin.
Jamaican culture represents a combination of cultures that have inhabited the Greater Antilles island, Jamaica. The original Taino Settlers, followed by their Spanish conquerors (who were in turn were conquered by the British), all made major contributions. However, it is the blacks and slaves who became the dominant cultural force as they suffered and resisted the harsh conditions of forced labour. After the abolition of slavery, Chinese and Indian migrants were transported to the island as indentured workers, bringing with them ideas from the Far East.
Cuisine:
Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavours, spices and influences from the indigenous people on the island of Jamaica, and the Spanish, British, Africans, Indian and Chinese who have inhabited the island. It is also influenced by the crops introduced into the island from tropical Southeast Asia. Jamaican cuisine includes various dishes from the different cultures brought to the island with the arrival of people from elsewhere. Other dishes are novel or a fusion of techniques and traditions. In addition to ingredients that are native to Jamaica, many foods have been introduced and are now grown locally. A wide variety of seafood, tropical fruits and meats are available. They also eat boiled mashed plantains known as locally "crushed bananas".
Some Jamaican cuisine dishes are variations on the cuisines and cooking styles brought to the island from elsewhere. These are often modified to incorporate local produce. Others are novel and have developed locally. Popular Jamaican dishes include curry goat, fried dumplings, ackee and saltfish (cod) – the national dish of Jamaica – fried plantain, "jerk", steamed cabbage and "rice and peas" (pigeon peas or kidney beans). Jamaican cuisine has been adapted by African, Indian, British, French, Spanish, Chinese influences. Jamaican patties and various pastries and breads are also popular as well as fruit beverages and Jamaican rum.
Jamaican cuisine has spread with emigrations, especially during the 20th century, from the island to other nations as Jamaicans have sought economic opportunities in other areas.
Music:
The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, ska jazz, reggae fusion and related styles. Jamaica's music culture is a fusion of elements from the United States (rhythm and blues and soul), Africa, and neighboring Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago (calypso and soca).
Reggae is especially popular through the international fame of Bob Marley. Jamaican music's influence on music styles in other countries includes the practice of toasting, which was brought to New York City and evolved into rapping. British genres such as Lovers rock and jungle music are also influenced by Jamaican music.
Ethnic Racial Composition:
* 91.4% Black & Multiracial (mostly Mulatto, also many admixtures from Native American, East Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern ancestry)
* 4.4% White
* 3.4% Asian (East Indian & Chinese)
* 0.8% Others
Although 90% of Jamaicans are Blacks and Mulattoes, Jamaicans range from pure whites to pure blacks, their motto is "out of many one people" which refers to the large diversity that Jamaica has because it not only includes just Europeans and African mix but also a large portion of the population is of Asian origin, when many Chinese and East Indians came in the 1800s as servants, labor workers, and as well to sell their goods, and even just to migrate and find a better life for themselves. It is said that some that 25% of Jamaicans have Irish ancestry, and more than 40% of Jamaicans acknowledge that they have ancestry in China and India. According to Genome studies, some 60-80% of Jamaicans are mixed.
Languages:
The official language of Jamaica is English. However, they have their own dialect which is locally known as Jamaican Patois. Jamaican Patois or Jamaican English (whichever you want to call it) is primarily based on the English dialects of Southern Ireland, such as places like Cork (where their accent sounds strikingly similar to the Jamaican accent, so much to the point where they can often have difficulty telling them apart) with West African influences. Jamaican Patois is an Southern Irish English dialect with West African influences from the imported slaves. The writing and educational system of Jamaica is based entirely on British English.
History of the dialect
The first English speaking people to come into Jamaica were British English speakers, later on African slaves were brought in huge numbers to Jamaica, from this period they started to develop an English-African creole language or a pidgin so that slaves would be able to communicate while on the sugar cane fields, they were as well forced to speak English harshly, so many of the slaves were able to speak English (British English based accent with some African pronunciations). However, later came many Southern Irish farmers (many from Cork) who spoke Hiberno-English or Southern English dialects (that have some gaelic influenes) to Jamaica to work in labor and in farms, since many of these were poor, peasants and farmers. They would then later out number British people and intermarry with the local blacks and mulatto jamaican slaves. The slaves would then pickup the dialects of these Irish farmsmen. So they would speak an African flavored/influenced Southern Irish English and accent.
Religion:
Christianity is the largest religion practised in Jamaica and according to the 2001 census, the country's largest denominations are the Church of God (24% of the population), Seventh-day Adventist Church (11%), Pentecostal (10%), Baptist (7%), Anglican (4%), Roman Catholic (2%), United Church (2%), Methodist (2%), Moravian (1%) and Plymouth Brethren (1%)[71] The Christian faith gained acceptance as British Christian abolitionists and Baptist missionaries joined educated former slaves in the struggle against slavery.[72]
The Rastafari movement has 29,026 adherents, according to the 2011 census, with 25,325 Rastafarian males and 3,701 Rastafarian females.[71] Other religions in Jamaica include Jehovah's Witnesses (2% population), the Bahá'í faith, which counts perhaps 8,000 adherents[73] and 21 Local Spiritual Assemblies,[74] Buddhism, and Hinduism.[75] There is a small population of Jews, about 200, who describe themselves as Liberal-Conservative.[76] The first Jews in Jamaica trace their roots back to early 15th century Spain and Portugal.[77] Other small groups include Muslims, who claim 5,000 adherents,[71] as do the Mormons.
Sports:
Sport is an integral part of national life in Jamaica and the island's athletes tend to perform to a standard well above what might ordinarily be expected of such a small country.[81] While the most popular local sport is cricket, on the international stage Jamaicans have tended to do particularly well at track and field athletics.[81][82]
The country was one the venues of 2007 Cricket World Cup and West Indies cricket team is one of 10 ICC full member teams who participate in international Test Cricket.[83] The Jamaica national cricket team competes regionally, and also provides players for the West Indies. Sabina Park is the only test venue in the island, but the Greenfield Stadium is also used for cricket.[84][85] Chris Gayle is the most renowned batsman from Jamaica currently representing the West Indies cricket team.
Since independence Jamaica has consistently produced world class athletes in track and field.[81] In Jamaica involvement in athletics begins at a very young age and most high schools maintain rigorous athletics programs with their top athletes competing in national competitions (most notably the VMBS Girls and Boys Athletics Championships) and international meets (most notably the Penn Relays). In Jamaica it is not uncommon for young athletes to attain press coverage and national fame long before they arrive on the international athletics stage.
Over the past six decades Jamaica has produced dozens of world class sprinters including Olympic and World Champion Usain Bolt, world record holder in the 100m for men at 9.58s, and 200m for men at 19.19s. Other noteworthy Jamaican sprinters include Arthur Wint – the first Jamaican Olympic Gold Medalist, Donald Quarrie – Olympic Champion and former 200m world record holder, Roy Anthony Bridge, part of the International Olympic Committee, Merlene Ottey, Delloreen Ennis-London, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – the current World and Olympic 100m Champion, Kerron Stewart, Aleen Bailey, Juliet Cuthbert, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Sherone Simpson, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Yohan Blake, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden—Olympic Gold Medalist, Deon Hemmings – Olympic Gold Medalist as well as former 100m world record holder and 2x 100m Olympic finalist and Gold medal winner in the men's 2008 Olympic 4x100m Asafa Powell.
Jamaica has also produced several world class amateur and professional boxers including Trevor Berbick and Mike McCallum. First-generation Jamaican athletes have continued to make a significant impact on the sport internationally, especially in the United Kingdom where the list of top British boxers born in Jamaica or of Jamaican parents includes Lloyd Honeyghan, Chris Eubank, Audley Harrison, David Haye, Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno.
Association football and horse-racing are other popular sports in Jamaica. The national football team qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
The Jamaica national bobsled team was once a serious contender in the Winter Olympics, beating many well-established teams. Chess and basketball are widely played in Jamaica and are supported by the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF) and the Jamaica Basketball Federation (JBF), respectively. Netball is also very popular on the island, with the Jamaica national netball team called The Sunshine Girls consistently ranking in the top five in the world.[86]
The Jamaica national rugby league team is made up of players who play in Jamaica, and UK-players from professional and semi professional teams in the UK.[87] Their first international was a 37–22 loss to the United States national rugby league team in November 2009.[88] Rugby league in Jamaica is growing with universities and high schools taking up the sport.[89][90] The JRLA Championship is the main rugby league competition in the country.[91] The Hurricanes Rugby League are a professional rugby league team who are hoping to compete in either the USA Rugby League or the AMNRL by 2013 during that time they will be training young players aged 14–19 who will be part of the Hurricanes RL Academy in the hope of developing into full-time professional players.
According to ESPN, the highest paid Jamaican professional athlete in 2011 was Justin Masterson, starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.
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