8.05.2012

Jamaicans Unite [50th Anniversary]

Wow can't believe it been 50 yrs. When I was little my mom had me listen to Reggae, Dance hall and Soca. My Dad died when I was 3 years old so never really fully develop my Dad's native tongue patwa but I always appreciate and love his and my land, Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs." Jamaican just like US is melting pot of people from around world.

A Little back story; Jamaica slowly gained increasing independence from the United Kingdom and in 1958, it became a province in the Federation of the West Indies, a federation among the British West Indies. Jamaica attained full independence by leaving the federation in 1962. One day I hope to visit but until that day I'm 100% Jamaican.



"Out of Many, One People"


National symbols
National Bird — Red-billed Streamertail (aka Doctor Bird) (a Hummingbird, Trochilus polytmus)
National Flower – Lignum vitae (Guiacum officinale)
National Tree — Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus talipariti elatum)
National Fruit — Ackee (Blighia sapida)


International Influential Jamaicans

Some rappers, such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Heavy D, are of Jamaican descent. Internationally known reggae musician Bob Marley was also Jamaican.

Many other known artists were born in Jamaica including Millie Small, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Big Youth, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Desmond Dekker, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Shaggy, Grace Jones, Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, Buju Banton, Sean Paul, I Wayne, Bounty Killer and many others. Band artist groups that came from Jamaica include Black Uhuru, Third World Band, Inner Circle, Chalice Reggae Band, Culture, Fab Five and Morgan Heritage. The genre jungle emerged from London's Jamaican diaspora. The birth of hip-hop in New York City, New York also owed much to the city's Jamaican community.Journalist and author H. G. de Lisser (1878–1944) used his native country as the setting for his many novels. Born at Falmouth, de Lisser worked as a reporter for the Jamaica Times at a young age and in 1920 began publishing the magazine Planters' Punch.

Fun Fact:
Ian Fleming, who lived in Jamaica, repeatedly used the island as a setting in the James Bond novels,only James Bond film adaptation to have been set in Jamaica is Doctor No.

~Happy Anniversary Jamaica



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