If you are not a native to the island of Jamaica you have probably never heard of this term before but this name was given to the island by the the native Arawak Indians who were the original inhabitants of the island. They called the island “Xamayaca” which translates to land of wood and water in english The Arawaks gave the island the name because of the lush hills and mountains that spreads across its terrain and the several rivers that stretching across it. of Jamaica is famous for a lot of things across the world. Whether its our iconic reggae music with our late Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley as the poster boy for the genre or its our delightful dishes that have stimulated the taste buds of many or our dominance on the track with our fastest man in the world Usain bolt becoming a legend in all of sports. Whatever it is ne cannot deny that this tiny island with a population of little under 3 million has made an astounding impact around globe for its size as we Jamaicans like to say “we likkle but we tallawah” which means even though we are small we always make a impact wherever we go.
Jamaica has a proud history and wherever we go that pride is on full display .Our culture is loved and adored by many around the world and is one of the main reasons the island why do country keeps outdoing itself in the amount of visits each year and is the third most visited country in the Caribbean. People want to come the island to experience the “irie mon” happy go lucky culture Growing up on the island you don’t necessarily see the uniqueness of the island as I for one took it for granted which I did because you basically did what every child did any other country which was going to school, playing sports , outdoor games etc. However, once I migrated and came to US I realized how different it was compared to Jamaica. The first difference that smacked in the face was the climate as I landed in New York in the middle of winter
The Beauty
A sight to behold is when you are about to land on the island and you are seeing the island from up above ,that is probably the most natural way you will see Jamaica in its purest and most beautiful state. .It is just a captivating sight that I never get tired of .You feel as if the mountains are speaking to you and you see the clear blue shallow waters of the Caribbean sea that surrounds the island protruding on the shores of the island. Jamaica’s all year round warm climate was something I definitely missed after migrating to the US. The climate is one of the main reasons tourists flock to the island during the winter months. Another thing I took for granted was just the natural beauty of the island.
The white sandy beaches are always a sight to be seen and anytime you feel like you want to go for a quick swim one is nearby. Anytime you want to relax, our many rivers will give you a the state of tranquility you desire, especially the milk river. The overarching lush mountains and hills that stretches across the island just gives a feeling of awe. The landscape of the island just gives a mesmerizing feeling. Whether its driving through the the beautiful fern gully, hiking up the gargantuous blue mountains or taking a nice easy raft down the Martha brae river you can just feel the special aura that engulfs the island.
The Food
One thing I definitely missed once I migrated was our food. Jamaican food is one of a kind and is like no other. It is full of flavors spice and seasons. Many travelers come to the island to get a taste of our delightful food. Our probably most famous dish is our jerk chicken which is a version of grilled chicken marinated with authentic Jamaican herbs and spices, Jerk chicken which will always be on the menu of any restaurant in Jamaica but the most authentic version of the meal is when you get if from the pan men who you will see on the side of roads throughout the country .two Another meals that will always be on the menu in Jamaica is oxtail and curry goat served with the traditional “rice n peas” or plain white rice. These meals might not be the most budget friendly but they are definitely worth the price for their blissfulness in teste. The island also has a national dish which is ackee and saltfish. Ackee is a native fruit to the island which was brought to the island from west Africa during the colonial era and “saltfish” is dried codfish, some may call it baccalà. The meal is normally served with fried dumplings, our fried breadfruit or cooked ground provisions. While many love the dish some are not so fond of it. Personally, I love it and I devour it whenever I eat the dish. Those are some of the most popular ones but with many dishes that are enjoyed by newcomers on the island.Some of my favorites include escovitch fish ,bammy, steamed fish with okro, mackerel rundung, manish wata, plantain porridge and many others.I can wholeheartedly say the majority of our meals are delicious and you definitely wont be dissapointed.Popular restaurants and food spots can be found in most major towns and close to attractions. However, the gems are normally isolated the hills are in a rural small towns but that is if you are willing make the journey for your taste buds.
The Culture
The Jamaican culture is one of a kind. The “irie mon” culture has reached many corners of the world. Jamaica has a relaxed happy go lucky culture and it one of the reason people visit the island. They want to see how we live our day to day lives, how we party and have fun. Our cussword’s are very famous and have become a part of pop culture. During my time in the US I have always been asked if I have ever jumped off the top of a speaker box onto a female. I always tell them that its a minority that go to that extreme during parties or professional dancers that do it for a living. Our Rastafarians have also become iconic to the island with many around the world adopting their customs and way of life. The dreadlocks can be seen sporting anywhere in the world and no doubt that it helps that our poster boy Bob Marley was a Rastafarian. and he made thousands take in the religion. Many come to the island to see Rastafarians in the flesh and to see how they live their lives. Many are fascinated with the Rasta movement its practices. Moreover, the most unique thing about our culture is our native language Patois or “Pat-wah” ,also sometimes just called Jamaican creole. Our language is a dialect that was developed during the colonial era when slaves had to find a way to communicate without their masters knowing what they were saying when they were around.The laguage is a blend of african dialect that was brought from west african and english,that they had to learn as a result of colonization from the British.
The Muisc
Jamaican music is one of a kind and its influence reaches far and wide, As previously mentioned, Our poster boy Bob Marley is the one that really transcended the music and put it on a international level. Many more have come after him and followed in his footsteps. Reggae music is a music of good vibes and vibration and that is how it captures the hearts of people. It also is music of meditation and relaxation which just matches up with the culture and atmosphere within the island. The more hardcore version of the music is called dancehall. With the success of reggae, a new sub-genre was born,. Reggae is slow tempered and “chill” which gives a soothing and calm feeling while dancehall was now geared around dancing and songs that more had a play on words with rhyming ,melody and lots of dancing. This new sub-genre was more hardcore and it made patrons get in a frenzy and this is where the infamous “daggaring” was born where both parties gyrate their hips and grind on each other. Initially the new school wasn’t accepted in Jamaican society as many thought it was too raw and explicit but gradually it became accepted and has now become just as big as reggae across the world.
Jamaica is a truly special island and many around the world adore and are obsessed with this little island. The people along with the culture of the island is very unique. The island is very beautiful with some of the world’s most beautiful natural attractions. We truly stand up to our phrase of “we likkle but we tallawah”.The sun will never set on The Land of wood n Wata!
