Cultural fusion,matching the puzzle By: Kemar Daswell
The below is the introduction of a three part blog series to focus on the ever changing landscape of Jamaican culture.
The land of samba, sushi ,
tolerance and electronic dance music - EDM, the place to getaway from daily troubles and walk the
pristine beaches or go snorkeling into the deep blue sea. No, I am not making reference to Europe or
Asia, I am making mention of the Caribbean’s gem the island of speed and
rhythms, the problem free island of Jamaica.
It is hard not to notice the many changes the island has gone through
both with infrastructure and governance but with the culture and norms. Jamaica
has joined the list of countries being exposed to what some describe as
cultural identity crisis, as to be Jamaican no longer has a single definition
but rather with influences from outside cultures we face a fusion of many norms
and beliefs.
In years pass, it would be the norm
for families to attend Sunday morning mass together and after sit at the table
as a family for dinner, however, with the influence of North American and
European cultures mainly we see where the questioning of God and his existence
are often made we see where the television becomes a far better comfort than a
family member and dinners have moved from a family activity to just being a
gender specific role. Gone are the days when heterosexual and homosexual men
and women could not walk the same street, be on the same bus or attend the same
party with shows like Scandal and many other North American cable TV shows. The Jamaican audience is learning acceptance and tolerance, they are learning the
value of appreciating choices, while not fully there with actors such as’
Shebbada’ and the late ‘Chu Chu’ openly portraying cross dressing roles and
homosexual undertones with general public acceptance, in 2014 we can indeed say
Jamaica is changing.
The media landscape is not to be
blamed or should it, for not preserving the strong Jamaican culture, are we
loosing our future generations, are we slowly becoming a subculture than a
strong and evolving culture? God bless our lasting legacy in reggae music and
strong Christian disciples there are a few cultural norms from the 1960’s that
remain today.
Cultural Blender By: Simone Golding
Jamaica’s multicultural society is a thriving, vibrantly diverse ethnic
community, which is vivid in the islands motto “Out of many, One People".
The
small multicultural society comprises of citizens of varied creeds, races and
religious beliefs; and though the nation of Jamaica is primarily from African
descent, the Chinese, Indian and other ethnic minorities are fully incorporated
in the fabric of the islands society.
The motto speaks volumes of the island's cultural identity, and the celebration of diversity is richly embedded in the island’s culture.
The
motto indicates that as a people, we are tolerant and accepting of people’s
races, ethnicities and different social backgrounds. These different multi-
cultural influences are melded into society, and gradually varied socio-cultural
influences are filtered into the Jamaican populace, serving to alter long
standing heritage and culture.
The
massive global impact that Jamaican culture has on the world is evident, and
whilst some are indicative of appreciation such as the strong dancehall scene
in Japan, others are appropriated such as faux dreadlock wigs/ Rasta Halloween
costumes.
Jamaica however, is also susceptible of committing cultural appropriation. This is seen in the emergence of Halloween parties being minutely promoted in Jamaica years ago, to some now indoctrinating Halloween as a traditional event.
Traditionally celebrated in North America and Western Europe,
Halloween is symbolically associated with the celebration of death, occultism
and the supernatural. It falls on the eve of All Saints Day, which is
celebrated by the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. The Celts originated
the celebration on October 31st, a day ordained to the roaming spirits of those
who died in the preceding year. The Celts sought to ward off these spirits with
offerings of food and drink. Aspects of this tradition include sacrificial bonfires, and performed human and
animal sacrifice, which were done to appease their gods.
Halloween was later fantasized, and the holiday made acceptable in
the United States of America, and gradually superstitions about the day were
diluted. It became generally regarded as a children's holiday. However, in
postmodern society, Halloween celebrations have become increasingly popular
among adults with several parades and festivities taking place. This popularity
is due to the concept of dressing up in costumes for Halloween. It is this aspect
of festivity that has caught on in Jamaica, initially in resort areas, with
several clubs and hotels staging Halloween parties.
The Jamaican society arguably
gravitate to foreign influence, so the concept of a Halloween celebration
naturally appeal to youths, especially entertainment connoisseurs who visualize
the potential economic gains of marketing a Halloween event themed around the
newly adopted tradition. The concept has grown from a primary hotel and
nightclub tourist attraction based in Negril, to the latest successful staging
of Skyy Vodka's "Dark Skyy Halloween Party", held at J.Wray and
Nephew Corporate Office, Dominica Drive, New Kingston on Friday night October
31, 2014.
Jamaica is no stranger to the occult , as the Africa cultural practice of Voodoo and Obeah, though openly acknowledged, still has negative connotations associated with the beliefs, traditions and practices. The idea of dressing up in masquerade is not foreign to Jamaica, and earlier versions of this type of revelry is seen in the tradition of Jonkonnu.
Jonkonnu
(called John Canoe by the British) refers to masquerade bands that perform in
towns and villages at Christmas time. The Jonkonnu costumes originated in
the days of slavery, and at that time the bands were large and elaborate.
Characters
in the Johnkonnu Masquerade incite fear to onlookers, especially young
children. Masquerade costumes included King and Queen, Cow Head, Horse Head,
Devil, Pitchy Patchy, Red Indians and ‘Belly Woman’. Occasionally a mock
policeman (masquerader) is incorporated. This practice dates back to when
parades, including Jonkonnu, were outlawed. The policeman, whilst trying to
enforce the law, was often overtaken by the drum rhythm, and joined in the
merriment.
The
Jonkonnu band was accompanied by musicians who would play tunes of well-known
traditional songs on the fife accompanied by bass and rattling drums, shakers
and graters.
Jonkonnu
became associated with Christmas as it is believed that this was the only major
holiday of the slaves. However, Jonkonnu also appeared at Easter, called “pickney
Christmas” by the slaves. The popularity of the Johnkonnu tradition
increased when slave masters began to encourage the festivities in their
estate. During this period, European and English elements were mixed with
African tradition and influenced Jonkonnu dance steps.
To
date, with the advent of other popular dances and traditions, Jonkonnu has
gradually lost its popularity and the Jonkonnu of today is a shadow of the
original.
Jamaica
has always been deemed a moral country and religious expression is largely conventional. The local collective distaste for
dancehall artist Tommy Lee Sparta’s music which glorifies the occult and
contains satanic lyrics, is testimony to the level of cynicism regarding
occultism. The local community as well as dancehall veterans have openly expressed
their contempt for his single dubbed “Daddy Devil” as the artist is considered
to be inciting the consistent glorification of satanism and demonism, which
affects dancehall and the wider populace.
It
is apparent however, that whilst the cultural tradition of Jonkunno
masquerades, which is a part of Jamaica’s heritage, has lost momentum, the
adoption of celebrating the foreign tradition of Halloween is emerging. And
though artistes Tommy Lee Sparta Jones and Alkaline have been openly criticised
for their defiantly secular lyrics, the celebration of Halloween, which is
stemmed from occult origins, is endorsed by some citizens and corporations in
the Jamaica society.
Introspectively,
it is understandable that globalisation plays a key role in the eradication of
culture and heritage. Multicultural influences will consistently shape the
traditions and culture of Jamaica, however, the fundamental issue arises when the country gravitates to
foreign traditions, sometimes without knowing the historical or cultural background.
Sources:
Anderson K. (2014) Skyy's the Limit: Halloween Edition. The Gleaner. Retrieved from mobile.jamaica-gleaner.
Omealy-Nelson B, Understanding the Jamaican Cultural Environment. Retrieved from education.fiu.edu
The Haves and the Have Nots By: Michelle Bailey
Growing up in the Jamaican society I was of the notion that it is not what you have that gets you places, but merely your assets or the strength of your family name. It seemed to me that everyone belonged to a certain group of people in relation to how we relate to each other. I observed that there is some level of resentment and misguided cultural patterns on the part of some Jamaicans.
Based on my observations the extent to which individuals are valued and appreciated is determined heavily by their socio-economic statuses. Socio-economic statuses have a very strong correlation to appearance, dress, language, hair-style and complexion. Another conclusion I was able to arrive at based on observation, is that there were various cultural patterns that were adopted in the Kingston and Saint. Andrew areas. It was quite clear that those who were rich came from “uptown” (the more affluent) while the poor came from “downtown” rural or poverty stricken areas.
The difference between
the two is quite clear even to the foreigners. Living in the inner-city
communities; is reflective of
a life being dictated and controlled by gang leaders, whereas the "uptown" are viewed by the poor as living the “fairy-tale” lifestyle. The uptown people just
do not believe in fraternising
with the downtown people for a myriad of reasons.
It has always seemed to me that the rich are always getting richer and richer while the poor continue to become poorer until it worsens out of control. The big question now is, do the wealthy posture in that kind of way because we let them? Or is it that the intellectual capacities of the wealthy has helped them to harness their resources wisely?
It is so unfortunate that the Jamaicans residing downtown or even in rural communities are blinded by their appearances and location, so much that they are incapable of making use of their resources. People from inner-city communities are often belittled and branded as the underdogs simply because they do not fit the “status quo”. Residents from uptown communities are often seen as appropriate and are readily appreciated and accepted because they appear “clean” and as a result are afforded better opportunities than those from inner-city communities.
Over the years traditional schools were mostly
populated by uptown children while the non-traditional schools were vastly
populated by inner-city or downtown children. Thus resulting in the uptown
students securing “nicer” jobs than those of the inner-city communities. Not
implying that non-traditional schools are not performing but when you apply for
a job you are quicker to be accepted
if
you are a graduate from a traditional school as opposed
to a graduate from a non-traditional high school.
In the downtown
communities the lifestyle can be quickly identified by the obvious; board
houses, roads riddled with potholes, zinc roofs and fences. People from the
same downtown communities are not particularly proud of these places they call
home. Often times it's as a result of others highlighting the downtown communities in
movies or films when residents of downtown can readily own their location saying, “Yea a downtown mi
come from.” As a matter of fact most of these films gravitate more to the
inner-city environs as evidenced by the slew of Jamaican films released in the last two decades. It’s also quite interesting that when a
resident of the downtown or inner-city area wants to insight fear in a person they are arguing with, the statement “a downtown mi
come from eno” or any other popular inner-city community may be interchanged, as these communities are
known to be volatile ones.
In comparison
to the uptown communities
the residents thereof
are
afraid to say where they reside due to the fear of getting robbed or killed because
people may think they are loaded with money. One thing is for
sure,
the government needs to pay much attention to these parts of the country
because Jamaica land we love is as weak as our weakest/poorest.
Although patios is the vernacular of the Jamaican culture, it’s the downtown people who readily own it as opposed to the uptown people who gravitate more to the Queen's English. However, given the occasion we can find members of the downtown communities trying to emulate and speak the proper English. This is a means to “fit in” or be accepted as well. The uptown seemingly appreciate the vernacular at certain cultural events, but outside of that it is deemed inappropriate.
To me it seems as though it was always a rat race between the two. Except one being in the competition as the other seem to have won the race before it has even started. It seems that "down towners" are forever being placed in a position of disadvantage, to struggle to prove themselves worthy. But this is because the uptown people cause them to feel that way? Even the names for some food items & dishes in the inner city communities reflect a sense of wanting to have what the uptown folks do. For instance they call mackerel ‘ghetto stake,” or a tin of "flashout" as oppose to saying a tin of “dutty gal”. While it is believed the uptown people don’t even consume such culinary mainstays for the downtown man, but instead will gravitate to the steak or the oxtail etc.
Cornmeal and chicken back is another meal consumed readily by inner city households & it is a commonly held belief, that such a meal would normally be reserved for the dogs of the wealthy, which inner city folks would normally embrace this as a “well to do” meal. As Jamaicans we tend to consider ourselves more fortunate than others because of the food we eat, our appearances and how well we fit in. This is evident in how we sometimes treat others who we consider to be of a lesser social standing than us who are privileged.
When will Jamaica wake
up? When will the Government realise
that the ghetto, inner-city,
or downtown as we call it exists
in Jamaica? We cannot move forward if we cannot afford everyone a fair chance
to live and to educate themselves. I am tired, we are tired, the citizens of
Jamaica are tired. The change begins with our leaders. If the Government makes people the priority, then perhaps we may see huge progress in this area. It's reality, we see it,
we live it, we curse it silently, but who are
those
willing to stand up against it?
Black Anatomy for Profit? By: Trishauna Hemmings
The tendency of the mainstream to pillage and profit
from the culture of the lower class or minority groups is nothing new. Though
this trend is predominantly found in the fashion and music industries, culture
appropriation is easily identified in several other aspects of mainstream
society. From the depiction of “black face” by Caucasian Halloween enthusiasts
to the adaptation of Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival by the Jamaican elites; culture
appropriation can be identified in our society as well as the societies of our
first world North American and European neighbours. The trend has become more
prevalent and more easily identified as a consequence of globalisation and
modern technological advances. Access to the various cultures of the world is
now possible at the mere click of a button.
I say this to
emphasise that culture appropriation or culture appreciation as some would
argue is nothing new. This phenomenon is likely to exist for a long time, so
long as human beings continue to admire, plunder and share the ideas of other
races and cultures. More recently, there has been a push by mainstream America
to capitalise not just from the music, art or fashion of minority groups but also
the actual image of the members of said group. And by image, I speak specifically
of the pronounced, sometimes exaggerated physical features of the predominantly
black urban community.
Hatred, admiration, discomfort, acceptance or appreciation,
are all terms used to describe the black human form. Additionally, broad hips,
thick lips, black skin and protruding posteriors are features commonly
associated with the black race. Even more specifically is the voluptuousness of
the black female and the virility and strength of the black male. These
attributes are of aesthetic importance in black culture and considering the
influence of urban groups on popular culture, it is not surprising that large corporations
would want to capitalise on these aesthetics for profit. We need not look far
for examples as local giants J. Wray and Nephew, producers of Magnum Tonic Wine,
relies heavily on the stereotype of the virile, over sexualised Jamaican man to
sell its products - a generalisation rooted in the ghettos of the Jamaican
landscape. The company purports that the black man’s virility is further enhanced
by the consumption of this product, a tactic used by the spirit distributers to
further capitalise on the culture of a specific group.
One may ask, how does culture appropriation apply to the human anatomy, doesn’t this term specifically speak to the culture of a people, race or group? Well its quiet simple - the aesthetics, physique and physical attributes of a race are more often than not directly associated with the culture of said people. For instance the Somalians are known for their tall and slender physique while Swedish people are often blond with an oval face and blue eyes. While this general description does not speak for nor fully describe the variations in physical make-up across the two groups, it is usually the description reflected in the media, film or our very own imaginings. Similarly, black women are known for their voluptuousness while their male counterparts are known for their virility and strength, a stereo type that is widely used in mainstream media and culture. This fascination with the black form can be traced as far back as the 19th century - chronicled in the life of Saartjie Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman who was exhibited as a freak show attraction around Europe as a result of her striking difference to the European women, of her time, particularly her very pronounced posterior.
The fascination continues in the twenty first century with singer
Miley Cyrus’ recent twerking fiasco, new videos of artists such as Nicki Minaj,
Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Izaelia belting odes to having a slightly larger
derriere; celebrating the oversized “booty” has become more popular than ever.
Mainstream society, it would appear, is once again endorsing, publicly highlighting
another aspect of the black anatomy for profit and financial gain. Similar to
the marketing of products to enhance fuller lips in Caucasian women, or the promotion of products to enhance the male
libido and organ, akin to that of the black male, so too is the push and
popularity of products to enhance the female posterior. This is a trend that is
proving to be quite profitable according to online business magazine CTVNews.com.
In a November 2014 article titled “ 'Big
booty' business cashing in on pop culture fascination” the website states that “companies
such as Booty Pop, which hawks $22 foam padded panties on its website, are up
forty seven per cent in the last six months from the same period a year earlier.”
Similarly, “Feel Foxy, another maker of padded panties, says 2014 has been its
best year since launching nearly a decade ago.” Some may argue that this is another example of
the mainstream exploiting and cashing in on the human anatomy of a minority
group.
The nay-sayers may argue that this is just one groups
appreciation of another group’s culture. However one cannot opt to appreciate
without acknowledgement of the origin of the item, art, intellectual property
or image being used from said group. Neither can one purport to appreciate
without empowering those from which the item is taken to also be able to profit
from it. Quite frankly, it may be considered an injustice and a blatant act of
hypocrisy when the Kim Kardashians of the world are accepted into mainstream
Hollywood for “assets” held by every other black woman but the latter is
relegated to the roles of video vixens and porn stars. While there are others
who will argue that it is as a result of these non-black ambassadors’
acceptance and highlighting of these assets that help to bring attention to and
ultimately acceptance of these unique features. One may quip, why must we
always require the validation of others, to ultimately accept ourselves? The
answer to that question may be well suited for another post.
www.jwrayandnephew.com
www.ctvnews.com
www.sahistory.org
From Africa to the world. By: OluwaFunke Bayeshea
Research shows that some of the cultural traits worldwide today originated from Africa . Many people are unaware about this however, this post will mainly highlight the influence of Africa's culture on Jamaica.
Jamaica is popularly known worldwide for its language (patios), distinctive dance-moves, and reggae music but most of Jamaica’s culture is derived from Africa.
LANGUAGE
English is Jamaica’s official language, however; Africa plays a role in the way we speak. English evolved as the practical plantation language, but slave pidgin developed over generations to include a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish and West African Languages. Research shows that the Jamaican language is sometimes called Patois. The language reflects the struggles of slavery and ancestry from Africa as well as the European colonization and influence throughout history on the island of Jamaica. Although Patios is not the official language, it has come to represent the people, the culture, history and struggles of the lives of many Jamaicans. Despite the worldwide use of English, Patois continues to remain a crucial element in preserving traditions and past in Jamaica. Patios is loved by many across the world however, some Jamaicans deem the language very inappropriate for public speaking or office setting. They believe the language should be used openly during cultural celebrations or during an informal conversation. Some foreigners even incorporate patios into their commercials and movie production.
Jamaican dance moves can be traced back to Africa. Some of these dance moves include: Kumina and Jonkonnu/John Canoe. Kumina (also spelt Cumina) is a religious group, which originated in Congo, West Africa, and was brought to Jamaica by the free Africans, who came here between the 1840s and 1860s. Kumina is now mostly found in St Thomas and St Mary. This dance is performed for events such as: marriages, deaths or social success. Jonkonnu is a band of masqueraders which usually perform in towns and villages at Christmas time. The word Jonkonnu is derived from an African slave trader named ‘John Canoe’ in the 17th century. When the slaves did not have much freedom, they entertained themselves by hiding in the bushes and dressing up in hand made costumes. They would also dance and make music in the process. Although these dances are embraced and practiced by some, others regard them as evil, frightening and inappropriate hence, they are not fully appreciated.
It is believed that the Kumina can be used for evil purpose; for example, to make someone physically ill, because the ritual focuses on the ancestral spirits who share desire for revenge and justice while the Johnkunnu is frightening because the masquerades dress in costumes and inappropriate because unlike some parts in Africa where “obeah” (witchcraft) is practiced, most Jamaicans believe in God or other religious practice. Ironically, a recent article on the Jamaican Matey Groupie website about an email sent in by a Jamaican medical practitioner: Dr Sonia Davidson expresses her views on obeah and how health officials could incorporate it into their Ebola sensitisation exercise. She argued that, with no conventional medical cure for Ebola, it is not inconceivable that someone affected with the disease could seek help from indigenous traditional healer ( obeah man or woman). Dr Davidson also expressed that, about 70 per cent of the world’s population look to the traditional groups for their care, but the percentage of Jamaicans who visit these persons is not considered to be very high in Jamaica.
Jamaican music has a mixture of African and European roots for instance: Reggae music comes directly from Africa. African elements such as the call and response patterns are still incorporated in reggae music. According to research, The call and response pattern is used by most reggae artists today when they repeat phrases and interact with a larger group singing in harmony. Reggae music is frequently based on a repeating melodic and rhythmic pattern which remains steady throughout the song. Another feature of the music that is uniquely African is the heavy role of percussion in the music. There are usually many drummers in Reggae performances playing different and overlapping rhythms. These are African attributes that can be traced directly to African music. No doubt that Jamaica is very good and known worldwide for Reggae music as a result of legend Bob Marley however, it is important for people to know and appreciate the origin of reggae music and its strong connection to Africa because most people are not aware of that connection.
In
my opinion, culture appropriation may continue to exist hence it is acceptable,
as long as the history and symbols or origin of one’s cultural trait is not
disrespected. Other people’s culture should be acknowledged, appreciated,
understood and recognized.
https://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/marcus.html
http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/09/cultural-exchange-and-cultural-appropriation/
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20031019/ent/ent3.html
http://www.jis.gov.jm/ja50/v2/all/jamaica%E2%80%99s-heritage-in-dance-and-music-contd/