Environmental Problems in Jamaica

Government agencies charged with environmental responsibilities state that the major environmental problems in Jamaica involve water quality and waste disposal. Jamaica has 9.4 cu km of renewable water resources with 77% used for agriculture and 7% used for industrial purposes. About 85% of the people living in rural areas and 98% of the city dwellers have access to pure drinking water. Coastal waters have been polluted by sewage, oil spills, and industrial wastes. Another major source of water pollution has been the mining of bauxite, which has contaminated the ground water with red-mud waste.

Another environmental problem for Jamaica is land erosion and deforestation. Forest and woodland decreased 7% annually between 1990 and 1995. Jamaica's coral reefs have also been damaged. The nation's cities produce over 0.3 million tons of solid waste per year. Kingston has the waste disposal and vehicular pollution problems typical of a densely populated urban area.

In 2001, four of Jamaica's mammal species were endangered, as were seven bird species and eight reptile species. About 680 plant species are also threatened. Endangered species in Jamaica include the tundra peregrine falcon, homerus swallowtail butterfly, green sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, and American crocodile. The Caribbean monk seal, Osborn's key mouse, and the Jamaica giant galliwasp have become extinct.

Andrea Levy- Writing from the diaspora

In 1948 Andrea Levy's father sailed from Jamaica to England on the Empire Windrush ship and her mother joined him soon after. Andrea was born in London in 1956, growing up black in a very white England. This experience has given her an complex perspective on the country of her birth.

Andrea Levy did not begin writing until she was in her mid-thirties. At that time there was little written about the black British experience in Britian. She writes entertaining novels that reflect the experiences of black Britons, that look closely and perceptively at Britain and its changing population and at the intimacies that bind British history with that of the Caribbean.

Works:

In her first three novels she explored the problems faced by black British-born children of Jamaican emigrants: Every Light in the House Burnin' (1994), Never Far from Nowhere (1996), The Fruit of the Lemon (1999), In her fourth novel Small Island Levy examines the experiences of those of her father's generation who returned to Britain after being in the RAF during the Second World War and the changes immigration brought to everyone's lives. In her latest novel, The Long Song, Levy goes further back to the origins of that intimacy between Britain and the Caribbean. The book is set in early 19th century Jamaica during the last years of slavery and the period immediately after emmancipation.

Andrea Levy is a Londoner. She not only lives and works in the city she loves but has used London as the setting in many of her novels

Soy Criada: Poetry in Jamaica

There are numerous Jamaican writers, some living abroad while many still reside in Jamaica - the Caribbean writers.

At the western part of the Island of Jamaica in the district of Sandy Bay lives the Jamaican poet and inspirational writer Juliet Christie Murray who also goes by the pen name Soy Criada.

Born to Panamanian mother and a Jamaican father the blend has produce an author with an intriguing mind and an interesting personality, quite a powerful yet unassuming lady.

She is today a Jamaican teacher writer and poet. Author of two published book of poems. Journey to Enlightenment-Revealed and Journey to Enlightenment-seasons. She loves her country and has developed the website specular-jamaica.com where she introduces readers to Jamaica's people and culture.

Cuisine of Jamaica

Cuisine of Jamaica includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavors, spices and influences from the indigenous people on the island and also 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 salt fish (cod) (the national dish of Jamaica)


• fried plantain


• "jerk"


• steamed cabbage


• "rice and peas" (pigeon peas or kidney beans).

Jamaican Cuisine has been adapted by African, British, French, Spanish, Chinese and Indian influences. Jamaican patties and various pastries and breads are also popular as well as fruit beverages and Jamaican rum.

Notes: Jerk, a distinctly Jamaican style of barbecued meat and chicken, is now one of the most popular Jamaican foods worldwide (in the illustration)

Jamaica´s commerce and economy

Jamaica´s main natural resources: Bauxite, gypsum, limestone, marble, sand, silica.

Main agricultural products:sugar cane, bananas, coffee, citrus fruits, condiments and spices.

Industry: Types--tourism, bauxite and alumina, processed foods, sugar, rum, cement, metal, chemical products, ethanol.

Trade : Exports--$2.6 billion: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, chemicals, citrus fruits and products, rum, coffee.

Major markets: -U.S. 37%, U.K. 15.5%, and Canada. Imports (2008)--$8.5 billion: fuels, machinery, transportation and electrical equipment, food, fertilizer. Major suppliers (2000)--U.S. 40%, Trinidad and Tobago 15.7%, Venezuela 9%, Japan 3%, China 3%, U.K. 2%, Canada 2%.

In the News Today

12 March, 2010

JAMAICA COMMEMORATES SLAVERY ABOLITION

A special ceremony, 'the funeral of the ancestors', took place yesterday in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, as part of commemorations that have been held around the world to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade.

The BBC's Rachel Harvey was there and sent this report:
A solitary horn hewn from animal bones sounding start of ceremonies here. On the waterfront of Kingston's natural harbour, where centuries ago ships laden with slaves would have moored up, a large and colourful crowd is gathered.
This is a multi-faith event - Rastafarians, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, together to honour a common heritage. The Reverend Earnley Gordon of the Anglican Church in Kingston says it's important to acknowledge the past, however troubled that history may be.

REVEREND EARNLEY GORDON: Modern Jamaica is learning that we should forgive, we should reconcile, we should never return to any form of slavery.

And this is a combination of remembrance and celebration, honoring those slaves who perished on the passage from Africa, those who died of neglect or abuse on the sugar plantations, but also praising those who resisted captivity, those whose rebellions played such a crucial role in their own eventual freedom.

Later a scroll with the names of a thousand slaves will be buried under the shade of a tree at the water's edge - the spirits of the ancestors laid to rest.

Rachel Harvey, BBC News, Kingston, Jamaica

Bob Marley

Life

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in Jamaica to Norval Marley, a middle-aged white plantation overseer from England, and Cedella Booker, a black teenager from the north country. Cedella and Norval were to be married on June 9th, 1944. Approximately a week before the wedding, however, Norval informed Cedella that his chronic hernia had begun to trouble him and as a result he would be changing jobs and moving to Kingston. Norval never really knew his son because of the white upper class' disdain for interracial relationships. As a youth, Bob Marley was often the object of bitter ridicule by both white and black Jamaicans for his mixed heritage.

Musical career

Marley started his musical experimentation in ska and gravitated towards reggae as the music evolved, playing, teaching and singing for a long period in the 1970s and 1980s. Marley is perhaps best-known for work with his reggae group 'The Wailers', which included two other celebrated reggae musicians, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh. Livingstone and Tosh later left the group and went on to become successful solo artists.Much of Marley's early work was produced by Coxsone Dodd at Studio One. That relationship later deteriorated due to financial pressure, and in the early 1970s he produced what is believed by many to be his finest work.. This pair also split apart, this time over the assignment of recording rights. They did work together again in London, though, and remained friends until Marley's death.Marley's work was largely responsible for the mainstream cultural acceptance of reggae music outside of Jamaica. He signed to Island Records label in 1971, at the time a highly influential and innovative label. Island Records boasted a retinue of successful and diverse artists including Genesis, John Martyn and Nick Drake. Though many people believe that Blackwell interfered with what Marley wanted to do with his own music, truth is that the knowledge this producer brought to the scene was critical in Marley's wish to bring reggae to the world.

You are my Sweet Valentine...

Kingston, 14th February

Dear, I miss you more that ever.

In a day like this, I whish you could be here with me. We would go to the beach and sunbathe all day. I would invite you to the most special dinner : salt fish and fried platain, which I know you love. After dinner , we could go to dance at the rhythm of reagee music,...and above all, we could see together the sunrise, lying on the cold sand of the night, as the moon were kissing us good bye.

Love my sweet, happy St. Valentine´s Day!

What next? A look into the future.

“Some areas of Jamaica, particularly cities such as Kingston, experience high levels of crime and violence. Jamaica has had one of the highest murder rates in the world for many years. In 2005, Jamaica had 1,674 murders for a murder rate of 58 per 100,000 people; that year, Jamaica had the highest murder rate in the world. In November 2008, the Jamaican Parliament voted to retain the death penalty, which is performed by hanging”

And now…what next?The future of such a beautiful country as Jamaica is in danger. As things are developing, one can not more than imagine scenes of ruin and desolation. Imagine a country were people will not want to travel anymore because of the growing sense of insecurity. Beaches will remain deserted, cities ruined…Images of mass emigration will become familiar, people will try by all means to leave the country, selling their belongings, abandoning their lands and houses…only the most corrupted people will remain un the country, enjoying their kingdom of fear and desolation….What are we going to do to save our country?

Christmas in Jamaica

The Christmas season in Jamaica is the most festive time of year, filled with non-stop celebrations, special treats, entertainment, parties, festivals, and happy gatherings of friends and family. Although the island has never seen snow and its houses do not have chimneys, Santa Claus and his gifts are very much a part of Jamaicas tradition, as are Christmas carols – some can be found un reagee version.

During Jonkanoo (or John Canoe), a traditional Christmas celebration, revelers parade through the streets dressed in colorful masquerade costumes.The parade and festivities probably arrived with African slaves. The Grand Market is a community fair characterized by food, street dancing, crafts, and music. In the past, the weekend before Christmas and particularly on Christmas Eve, markets all over the island were set up with vendors selling small toys, firecrackers, balloons, and sweets of all kinds, including pinda (an African word for peanut) cakes, grater cakes, and peppermint sticks.

Traditionally on Christmas Eve some markets were decorated with streamers, large accordion-style bells, and balloons. People were decked out in fancy clothes, including bright hats purchased upon entering the Grand Market. Everyone came to town for Grand Market and the celebrations lasted throughout the day and night.

The Christmas season, which runs from mid-December to New Year´s Day, is usually the biggest family event of the year. Jamaicans celebrate by going to church, exchanging gifts with their families, and gathering for a large meal. Dinner on Christmas Day, the biggest feast for Jamaicans, includes chicken, oxtail, curry goat, roast ham, and rice and gungo peas. (Gungo peas, a Christmas specialty for Jamaica, usually ripen in December. Throughout the rest of the year cooks use red peas with the rice.) Jamaicans also prepare roast beef and/or pork as well. Another holiday specialty is Jamaican-style Christmas cake made of fruit soaked in rum.

The drink of choice for Jamaicans during the Christmas season is sorrel. Made from dried sorrel (a meadow plant), cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar, orange peel, and rum, the beverage is usually served over ice.

Out and About in Kingston

Jamaica is a favorite travel vacation destination in the Caribbean. The crystal clear waters and year round warm climate makes Jamaica an ideal travel vacation for tourists seeking to soak in the sun. Fishing, scuba diving, wind surfing, and horse back riding are favorite daytime activities in Jamaica. To this we have to add the rich Jamaican's unique cuisine coupled with enchanting reggae sounds.

Jamaica's cultural center is in its capital city of Kingston.

The epicentre of arts and cultural landscape, Kingston is the island’s political, economic and social capital.

Here are some of the most relevant places you should visit when visiting Kingston:

Portmore: is one of themost populated zones. The fast developing 'Sunshine Community' has within the past three decades, successfully provided home ownership opportunities for many Jamaicans.

Old Harbour: the British renamed “Puerto de Esquivella” (the former Spanish shipbuilding town), “Old Harbour” Over the years, the town has prospered because of its proximity to Old Harbour Bay, known for its wide fishing beach and bustling seaport.

Spanish Town: The rich history of Spanish Town dates back to 1534 when, under Spanish rule, it was made the capital of the island . In 1655, English forces attacked the Spanish capital. Meeting little defence, they easily sacked the city, destroying many of its buildings.

Bob Marley Museum : Museum dedicated to the memory of the late Reggae superstar, Robert "Bob" Marley

Click here to have a look at some other major places you can visit:

http://www.visitjamaica.com/where-to-visit/kingston.aspx

Myths and folklore tales: the Soucouyant

Superstitions might be quite similar in different countries, but in the Caribbean there are some element of folklore that seem to be common to the islands. The same folklore characters appear in many Caribbean countries, sometimes showing litte variations. Relevant characters as The Diablesse (a devil woman seducing men and leading them to death), Douennes (the souls of children who have died before they were baptized) or the Soucouyant.

The Soucouyant (Sukuya), also called Old Hag, is a supernatural being who has made a pact with the devil to be able to change herself into all kinds of different forms.

At night she sheds her human skin and changes into a ball of fire or any kind of animal and casts spells on people to turn them into animals. She has to slip back into that skin before dawn, when the cock crows; otherwise she will not be able to get back into it.

When people suspect that an old woman is a Soucouyant, they may trick her by going to her house at night and destroying the skin she left behind by putting salt on it so that it will shrink and she will not be able to get back into it and thus die.

If somebody walks around with a "hicky" soukie- a mark- on his neck, he may get remarks from his friends like :" Eh, Eh, Soucoyant suck yuh or wha ? "

Living in the Caribbean

Jamaica is and Island situated in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba, west of the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water", or the "Land of Springs".

It was first a Spanish possesion, in 1655 it became an English, and later a British colony, known as "Jamaica". With 2.8 million people, it is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Jamaica became independent from the United Kingdom in 1962. It remains a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. Kingston is the largest city in Jamaica and the country's capital. English is the official language Jamaicans speak an English-African Creole language known as Jamaican Patois, which has become known widely through the spread of Reggae music.

The country´s motto "Out of Many, One People”, highlights it multicultural character. Most of the people in Jamaica are descended from the African slaves from long ago. Ancestors of other Jamaicans may have been explorers and settlers. As the cities in Jamaica grew, more immigrants decided to move to Jamaica. Most immigrants come from China or India. Large scale migration from Jamaica to the UK occured primarily in the 1950's and 1960's (when the country was still under British rule), nowadays Jamaican communities exist in most large UK cities.

The way people in Jamaica get food is not by going to the local grocery store but by going to a traditional market in the middle of town. They carry the food supplies back home by balancing a basket on the top of their heads with the food inside. The people in Jamaica wear colorful robes draped over soft linen underneath. They wear this typical clothing along with hats to match their robes.