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?