OUT OF MANY, ONE PEOPLE.

 Jamaicans have always been a set of very culturally diverse people with different beliefs, ideas and socially acceptable habits being governed by social status, geographic location and good old family values. Despite this divide, there was an island wide understanding and expectations of certain things; like getting dressed up on Sunday evenings, cooking soup on Saturday and sorrel at Christmas time. For many years Jamaicans still managed to maintain a sort of wide spread Jamaican culture. However the past few years have brought with it a shift in the Jamaican culture which has resulted in not just further diversification of our culture but created a clear cut divide in what is considered socially acceptable.

Somewhere in Jamaica people are blissfully unaware that a cultural paradigm exists in which people pay money to run 5Ks in large groups, many of which are motivated by the possibility of 100 likes on instagram for their picture at the finish line.

But this is because they are country people right?? Fair enough. But what of the many socially acceptable cultures in Kingston alone where mere street signs control what people view as cultural norms? How is it that some kingstonians are content with bleaching their skin and teenage boys taking Viagra; all the while looking forward to the next big event that will be held in the gully. While this is not only frowned upon it is also ridiculed by their neighbours who are working feverishly to make ‘The Real Housewives of New Kingston’ the next big thing.

The major contributor to our clearly divided social culture is the increase in telecommunications in Jamaica. Prior to 1999 the Jamaican telecommunications sector was dominated by Cable and wireless until the market was opened in 2000.This saw the introduction of other companies such as Digicel that have successfully operated in the island for 10 years. When discussing the effects of this liberation on our country we tend to talk about the positive changes without linking these changes to societal issues. It has changed the way Jamaicans communicate, do business and access information. By 2011,163,314 of the more than 8000,000 households in the country had internet access. 

This number has significantly increased over the years and internet access in 2014 is a basic necessity for many Jamaicans. It goes without question that this has caused drastic changes to the Jamaican culture. As those of us who spend hours searching the net for celebrity and world news, adapting the language of social media and watching TV shows  have accepted a more Americanized set of norms and values, whereas the people left behind in this technological era cannot understand why your 8 year old child needs an ipad. This influx of new information has changed the way our music sounds,the way we socialize with each other, the way we prepare our food and even the way we look. 

 The culture of convenience portrayed by the internet and cable TV has led to pre-kneaded dumplins and pre cooked rice and peas for some while others still wake up early on a Sunday to grater their coconut for their rice and peas. Our females have adopted new make-up techniques which I must admit are as equally as impressive as they are scary, while at the same time liberating our, ‘natural sisters’.

We have become so dependent on our mobile phones and other social sites for communication that physical social gatherings are becoming rarer every day. And the social gatherings that have managed to survive this have turned into people standing around on their cell phones tweeting about how much fun they are having tweeting from their current location. This is vastly different from when people not only used to know their neighbours but they used to interact more on a social level.

The economy has also lent a hand in increasing the rate and quantity of cultural changes experienced by the Jamaican people. The current economical status of the country has not only led to a further divide in the classes but has also almost eliminated the middle class, as the cost of living is increasing daily but the salaries and job opportunities aren't showing the same growth. This has affected the purchasing power of the Jamaican people meaning that, for the middle class large family gatherings during the holidays have to be reduced to immediate family members.

 The slide in the US dollar has led to many discussions among my peers about the cancellation of their annual  parent funded summer vacations to the United States. The lack of government funding in the education system has shifted the country back to focusing on farming and trade schools  instead of graduating and going to university as was the goal of many parents in 2005. With the current finical situation many parents are unable to adequately fund a college education. This will affect the diversification of culture as the culture brought to Kingston by people from all over the island will decrease as will the culture these people take back to their own communities.

Jamaica has witnessed many cultural changes from slavery to independence to modern society and we have much more in store as we have not reached our maximum potential in the telecommunications sector and our economy is constantly changing. In this time of changing culture is will do us well to remember that despite your finical status, how you were socialized and the extent of your internet exposure it is always socially acceptable to pin the flag of Jamaica to the trunk of your car during Olympics.

THE COLOUR PURPLE

                      

It is not by coincidence that this entry is written at the start of black history month. It is sad that in the year 2014 there is still need to address the issue of racism. It is even more shocking that the racism being addressed exist within people of the same race.

I know I don’t understand it either, black people are being racist against yes you guessed it other black people.

Growing up I always thought being racist was something white people did to other people that weren’t white. It wasn’t until a 4^th form history class and an episode of Tyra Banks that I realized that black people are racist against other black people in that they think the ‘lighter’ shades of black somehow make them better than the darker shades.

                                 

We know the root of this is coming from the plantations where the “light skins” were  made house slaves or shop keepers which placed them higher on the social ladder. It appears that we haven’t realized that we are no longer on the plantations and we do not need to get our social validation from being the ones that looked most like the masters.

It is upsetting to think that after all these years and after all that our ancestors have put into fighting for not only our freedom but for equality we are the ones that will be working to regress , working to break down everything that was fought for , that we will be the ones supplying the ammunition for this racist war .  this has gotten so out of hand that people nonchalantly include #teamlightskin in their tweets. Its frustrating to watch people become so out of touch with common sense that they find no harm in doing to each other what was done to their own people for years.

                                 

The whole issue of #teamlightskin and #teamdarkskin  has become so common place that it is obvious that people don’t understand what they are actually doing. If black people are degrading other black people because they are ‘blacker’ than them then what do we expect from other races ? if we who were born black into a black family with black friends and inherited the black history find it in ourselves to degrade the colour are we really allowed to look at the white man in dismay when he does the exact same thing? Its interesting to see that the same people putting down the black colour and thinking that they are superior dont realise that to other races they are still simply a black person and will be treated as such. 

                           

We are all too quick to judge the people that bleach but we do not even realize that their reason might have nothing to do with approval from the white man , they just want to fit in with the #lightskins. I was talking to my friend’s 10 year old niece when she asked me “ my aunty bleach her face , why do they do that? Because them too black and its ugly? “ is this the message we want to send to our dark skinned beauties? That if we are too black we are ugly? If our hair is too nappy we aren’t cute? That only light skin girls can do certain things and its socially acceptable just because they aren’t that black?

                                

We might find these practices harmless and just for entertainment but what we don’t see is the damage that is being done when we make comments like “ only brown girls should wear that colour” and I am sure we have all heard the famous “ you are pretty for a black girl” as if it is the general understanding that black girls aren’t pretty and you are a rare occurrence.

                              

It is the year 2014 and my only advice to us as a race is to leave the colour of your skin alone. Stop making it define who you are and dictating what you deserve. If you are light skinned you go ahead and take your selfies  with your cute little straight noses and if you are dark skinned you go ahead and take you selfies with you cute little flat noses . And may both dark skinned and light skinned be able to use their umbrellas in the sun without backlash from society.

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH !!!!!

On a lighter note look out for  the A-Team’s A-Dream

WANDERLUST

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! (Better late than never) I hope all your resolutions are in full swing and the year is off to a good stat. 

Judging from the topic of this post u can already tell it will be about travel and u are probably expecting me to talk about an exotic island, the food in Italy or the culture in Africa, but like many Jamaicans you will be surprised to know of the exotic places, amazing food and rich culture available right here in our little island. 

 

Many Jamaicans can tell u about trips they have taken around the world but they haven’t been to many of the parishes in Jamaica. When the opportunity for a vacation arises they automatically think of going to the US or Europe, many to go shopping and some in an effort to experience different cultures not realizing that they can find all that right here in Jamaica.

International travel is good but we should not forget about our local get a ways. For a lot of Jamaicans they have never been further than their neighboring parish, they have never been to 90% of the local attractions and if presented with the idea of travel they would automatically think of an overseas location. It often takes a tourist to make us locals aware of some of the places in Jamaica.

Being Jamaican one might think that it doesn’t make sense to vacation in Jamaica as we all have the same sun, sand and sea, the same people and the same culture but contrary to popular beliefs this isn’t the case.  Within a single parish the variety of sights and sounds are so great imagine what you will discover if u take a trip to the other side of the island where the people there have accents you’ve never heard and practices you have never seen. It might not be as drastic as a trip through Australia but it is refreshing to see how much one small island has to offer. From a tropical rainy get away in a villa in Portland to a sun filled beach day in Westmoreland, Jamaica can meet all your vacation needs.

It is sad that it often takes international investors to create attractions which will be visited by international travelers in a world completely outside the scope of an average Jamaican. We are sitting on a rock filled with endless possibilities.  It only takes a little vision and some support to create places like Great Huts in Portland. We also tend to stick to the few popular places for example if u want to eat out in st Elizabeth you go to jakes or little ochi, we should instead try to broaden our vision and try new places and long for new experiences how else will u end up eating an entire meal with utensils made from coconut shells? 

 We put so much effort into brand Jamaica and being a tourist destination and we the people almost never experience any of it and we are content knowing only our little corner of the island . Sometimes it is good to take the road less traveled and discover what our island really has to offer. 

“Sometimes I wonder why birds chose to live in one place when they could fly anywhere …and then I ask myself the same question” .