Caribbean
1
Jamaica 2.
Jamaica 2.
Culture:
Jamaican culture is the religion, norms, values and lifestyle that defines the people of Jamaica. The culture is mixed, with an ethnically diverse society, stemming from a history of inhabitants beginning with the original Taino people. The Taino people were enslaved by the Spanish, who were then overthrown by the British, who brought Africans to Jamaica to be enslaved and work on the plantations. Europeans as well as Black slaves 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. These contributions resulted in a diversity that affected the language, music, dance, religion and social norms and practices of the Jamaican people.
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.
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.
Mango and soursop ice cream are two popular desserts. Jamaican ice cream is traditionally made with coconut milk, and come in popular flavours like grapenut and rum and raisin.
The Jamaican cuisine is quite diverse and mention must be made of the Rastafarian influence. Rastafarians have a vegetarian approach to preparing food, cooking, and eating, and have introduced a host of unique vegetarian dishes to the Jamaican cuisine. They do not eat pork, and the strict ones do not eat meat, including poultry and fish. There are even some who believe in cooking with little or no salt and cooking in an 'Ital' way.
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 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, jungle music and grime are also influenced by Jamaican music.
Ethnic Racial Composition:
* 91.4% Black & Mulatto (Many have some East Indian & Chinese ancestry)
* 4.4% White
* 3.4% Asian (Chinese & East Indian)
* 0.8% Others
People:
Most Jamaicans descend from West Africans brought over by the British and Portuguese slave traders during the colonial era. However, they is also a sagnificant minority of European and Asian descendants. Many Chinese and East Indians came over to Jamaica during the 1800s to work in labor and as merchants.
African Jamaicans - African Jamaicans are Jamaicans who descend from West Africans that were brought over by first the Portuguese and the British as a result of slavery in the 16th and 19th centuries. Most Jamaican slaves came from Ghana and Nigeria, with smaller portions coming from Senegal all the way down to Angola. The most dominant African tribes in Jamaica were the Akan (Fante, Ashanti, Asante), and the Igbo (Ibibios, Ibo). African Jamaicans make up approximately 92% of the Jamaican population. Pure or predominant Black Jamaicans make up about 60 percent of the population, with about 35 percent being mixed African & European ancestry (Mulatto).
European Jamaicans - White or European Jamaicans are Jamaicans who's ancestry ties within the continent of Europe, mainly The British Isles. After the British took control of Jamaica from the Spanish, many Irish slaves came to Jamaica from Southern Ireland mainly. There were also many British migrants, as well as Scots, and more Irishmen. The Irish were the most predominant European group in Jamaica to the point where they shaped largely the Jamaican accent. White Jamaicans make up about 5 percent of the Jamaican population.
Asian Jamaicans - Asian Jamaicans are Jamaicans who descend from Chinese and Indian people who came to Jamaica after the abolition of slavery in 1838. During the mid 1800s thousands of Chinese and East Indians came to Jamaica to replace the work of the slaves with cheap labor as well as merchants. Asian Jamaicans make up around 3 percent of the Jamaican population but it is said that some 20 per cent of Jamaicans have some sort of Asian ancestry to some degree.
Smaller minorities are Jamaicans of Lebonese ancestry and Native Jamaican origin.
Languages:
English is the official language of Jamaica. However, they also speak a local dialect in informal situations and it is known as Jamaican Patois. Jamaican Patois has it's roots in Hiberno English spoken in Southern Ireland and British English, with influences from Gaelic, Scottish, Welsh, and West African languages. There is also many words that are of Indigenous origin.
Religion:
According to the most recent census (2001), religious affiliation in Jamaica consists of 64% Christian (62% Protestant and 2% Roman Catholic), 2% Jehovah's Witnesses, 3% unstated, and 10% other. The category other includes 29,026 Rastafarians, an estimated 5,000 Muslims, 3,000 Buddhists 1,453 Hindus, approximately 350 Jews. The census reported 21% who claimed no religious affiliation.
Sports:
Sport in Jamaica is a significant part of Jamaican culture. The most popular sports are mostly imported from Britain. The most popular sport is athletics; other popular sports include association football, cricket, basketball and netball (usually for women).
Out of all the top five sports, basketball is the island's fastest growing sport.
Other sports such as rugby league and rugby union are also considered growing sports.
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