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| INTRODUCTION |
 The Jamaican cultural expression
/ landscape is dynamic and therefore almost always changing. As
soon as one becomes accustomed to a particular trend, it
changes, hinting at the level of creativity and diversity of the
people, and their passionate desire to be constantly on the move
to embrace the next adventure.
The expressions of the people have been, and continue to be,
influenced by several peoples such as the Arawak Indians/Tainos,
English, Africans, Chinese, Indians and Jews. Today, cultural
trends in North America seem to be having a greater influence on
local culture.
The influences of these ethnic backgrounds have travelled
through time and specific tendencies of Jamaicans such as the
need for precision in carrying out duties and the closely knit
family structures, with its many customs and traditions, have
been retained from the Europeans, Africans and East Asians
respectively
From our
earliest ancestors, the nation has maintained its family and
oral traditions. The family has long been the foundation of
Jamaica's cultural expressions. It is within these units that
the people have learnt about the history of the island's rich
customs and tradition. The extended family unit has been
instrumental in this process and still continues to play a
significant role in the continuity and preservation of the
nation's culture.
Today, this type of unit exists mainly in rural communities, as
within urban centres, the nuclear and single parent family types
are what pervades.
The language "patois" is an important part of who we are, giving
the people a peculiar accent so much so that even in countries
outside the region, we are easily identified. The Jamaican sound
is so loved that even persons who do not sound like us are often
quite comfortable being called "Jamaican". While there may be
variations in the patois accent across the island, there are
words and phrases that have gone beyond the boundaries of our
little island.
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| NATIONAL SYMBOLS |
National Flower (Lignum Vitae)
Lignum Vitae (Guiacum officinale) is indigenous to Jamaica and
was found here by Christopher Columbus. It is thought that the
name "Wood of Life" was then adopted because of its medicinal
qualities.
The tree grows best in the dry woodlands along both the North
and South coasts of the island. In addition to shedding an
attractive blue flower, the plant itself is extremely
ornamental. The wood is widely used in the manufacture of
propeller shaft bearings for ships, as well as in the creation
of curios, sought after by visitors and nationals alike.
National Fruit (Ackee)
Ackee the Jamaican National Fruit . Ackee (Blighia sapida).
Whilst not indigenous to Jamaica, this fruit has remarkable
historic associations. It was originally imported from West
Africa, probably brought here in a slave ship, and now grows
luxuriously producing each year large quantities of edible
fruit.
The tree was unknown to science until plants were taken from
Jamaica to England in 1973 by none other than Captain William
Bligh of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame, hence the botanical name "Blighia
spadia" in honour of the notorious sea captain. One of the
earliest local propagators of the tree was Dr. Thomas Clarke who
introduced it to the eastern parishes in 1778.
Jamaica is the only place where the fruit is generally
recognized as an edible crop, although the plant has been
introduced into most of the other Caribbean islands.
National Tree (Blue Mahoe)
Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus). This has been regarded as one of
the primary economic timbers. It is currently much used for re-afforestation
and is a valuable source of cabinet timber. Of an attractive
blue-green colour with variegated yellowish intrusions, it is
capable of showing to advantage the variety of grain and colour
tones. The trade, local and foreign, consumes annually many
thousands of feet of this beautiful timber.
National Bird (Doctor Bird)
The "Doctor Bird" (Trochilus polytmus) lives only in Jamaica and
is one of the most outstanding of all the species of Humming
Birds. The feathers of the Doctor Bird are beautifully
iridescent, a characteristic peculiar to this family .
National Flag
 The
Jamaica National Flag came into use on August 6,1962, Jamaica's
Independence Day. It was designed by a bipartisan committee of
the Jamaica House of representatives.
The Flag has a diagonal cross or saltire with four triangles in
juxtaposition. The diagonal cross is in gold and one-sixth of
the length of the fly of the flag; the top and bottom triangles
are in green; and the hoist and fly triangles are in black. The
exact shade of green used in the flag is Emerald T8 17, British
Admiralty Bunting Pattern. The Flag follows the "Admiralty
Pattern" and the proportion is 2 x 1.
"Hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth"
is the symbolism of the Flag. Black stands for hardships
overcome and to be faced; Gold, for natural wealth and beauty of
sunlight; and Green stands for hope and agricultural resources.
The Coat of Arms
 The
Jamaican national motto is ‘Out of Many One People’, based on
the population’s multi-racial roots. The motto is represented on
the Coat of Arms, showing a male and female member of the Taino
tribe standing on either side of a shield which bears a red
cross with five golden pineapples. The crest shows a Jamaican
crocodile mounted on the Royal Helmet of the British Monarchy
and mantling. |
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| MUSIC |
It is not
enough for us to talk about things, we must sing and dance about
them. Music and dance give expression not only to the ancestral
heritage but also play a part in historical and social
practices. Through music and dance, the joys, sorrows, triumphs
and tragedies of the people are expressed creatively and
artistically. Over the years, these two have evolved and we have
charted the course in some aspects while influencing many other
forms of music elsewhere.
Mento is the earliest of Jamaica's original popular music
forms, having its genesis during the plantation period and
holding sway until the 1950s. It was born out of the fusion of
African and British influences. Its performance mode, rhythmic
impulse, and call and response type of singing are African in
origin. Its scale patterns, harmonic concepts, verse and chorus,
on the other hand, are British influenced
Mento was used to address areas of life considered to be taboo
in every day speech. Often done with a touch of humour, the
words of the accompanying songs addressed our social and
economic struggles. Years ago, a mento band could be found in
every village in Jamaica. This music form is regarded in some
circles as Jamaican calypso. Popular Mento recordings include
"Run Mongoose", "Rukumbine" and "Peel Head John Crow". Today
Mento i played mainly by bands in North Coast hotels.
 Reggae
is the latest Jamaican music form which has crossed the
boundaries from the sprawling slums of Trench Town, West
Kingston to high places like Buckingham Palace where Prince
Charles is said to indulge. Reggae gave the Third World its
first and only superstar in Jamaica’s Bob Marley whose Album,
‘Exodus’, was voted album of the century and single, ‘One Love’
song of the century. Bob Marley who died in May 1981 at the age
of 36 from cancer, was conferred with the island’s third highest
honour, the Order of Merit and is therefore titled the
Honourable
Robert Nestor Marley,
O.M.
Dancehall music is a
derivative of the more renown Reggae. I has faster beats and
stronger lyrics. It has give rise to many new acts in the
industry and is the base for many rivalries and feuds between
artists. |
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| RELIGION |
The Jamaican Constitution of 1962 (Chapter
III) guarantees freedom of religion. . Religion is a very
important aspect of Jamaican life.
There are traditional and non traditional churches in Jamaica.
The majority of Jamaicans, are Christian. Almost every Christian
denomination and sect is represented on the island, with over
100 denominations, the Church of God having the largest
membership. Other Christian denominations include Roman
Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Anglican and Congregational,
Ethiopian Orthodox and the Seventh-Day Adventist. There are also
Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Bahai and Rastafarian communities.
Christianity
Roman Catholicism was the first Christian denomination to be
established in Jamaica. It was introduced by the first Spanish
settlers who arrived in Jamaica in 1509. At the order of Peter
Matyr, the first stone church was built at Sevilla Nueva (now St
Ann's Bay). It was completed in 1526. The present Catholic
Church in St Ann's Bay is on the supposed site of this first
stone church.
An abbey was set up at the request of the Spanish King and
abbotts were appointed from time to time. The Spaniards then
began attempting to convert the Arawaks to Christianity but
their missionary efforts involved subjugating the Indians and
forcing them to carry out heavy manual tasks to which they were
not accustomed. The conversion effort eventually failed as the
Arawaks rapidly died from disease, abuse and overwork.
In 1655 a Protestant English force captured Jamaica and Roman
Catholicism was swept away along with the Spaniards. The Church
of England or Anglican Church became the Established Church and
remained so until 1870. Although there were priests in Jamaica
in the 1680s, it was not until 1792 that the Catholics were
again officially given the freedom to exercise their religion in
this country. Catholicism, however, did not take hold until the
nineteenth century when Catholic refugees fleeing the slave
revolt in Haiti, arrived in Jamaica.
The Church of England : King Charles II instructed the
establishment of the Church of England to "discourage vice and
debauchery". The church had a very difficult beginning as the
clergymen were faced with many problems. The two main problems
were: how to deal with excessive gambling, drinking and
immorality that plagued the colony; and the morality of slavery,
which had become quite popular.
Slavery in the West Indies was justified by the theory of racial
inferiority, but Christianity taught that all men were the
children of God and were equal before God. This doctrine created
conflict between the planters and the clergymen.
The Non-Conformists: The conflict
between the planters and the clergy didn't really become serious
until the Non-conformists arrived.
The Moravians were the first denomination that seriously
undertook the teaching of Christianity to the slaves. In 1754
two wealthy plantation owners living in England invited the
Moravians to send missionaries to their estates in Jamaica. The
Moravians are still active today especially in Manchester, St
Elizabeth and Westmoreland.
The Methodists arrived on the island next in 1789. Methodists
were then known as Wesleyans after the founder, John Wesley.
They were very enthusiastic and successful in their work among
the slaves.
In 1782 two American slaves, Moses Baker and George Lisle,
introduced the Baptist denomination. These two slaves started
what came to be known as the 'Native Baptist Movement' which
held certain superstitious and pagan beliefs. As a result, the
Baptist Missionary Society in England invited the Movement to
set a mission in Jamaica in order to help spread the Baptist
faith. The mission was established in 1814.
The Jamaican Baptists fought arduously for the abolition of
slavery under the leadership of men such as William Wilberforce,
William Knibb and Thomas Burchell.
Other denominations which came to Jamaica to spread their
beliefs among the slaves were the Scottish Missionary Society or
Presbyterians (1823) and the Congregationalists.
United Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman
This church originated in 1965 when the Presbyterian Church of
Jamaica merged with the Congregational Union of Jamaica.
Spiritualists:
In addition to the numerous Christian denomination, many sects
and cults of spiritualists, whose origin dates back to the days
of slavery, are quite popular in the island. They are a
combination of Christianity, West African polytheism and magic.
The African survivals eg Zion Revival, Pocomania and Kumina have
many similar practices and features, the main element being the
possession of the worshipper by the spirit or the supernatural
power. This causes the worshipper to shout, speak in "unknown
tongues", sing, prophesy, dance, stamp his feet, recover from
ill health or anything else which the spirit causes him to do.
The cultists, spiritualists and revivalists believe that each
person has a soul which returns to God for judgement and a
spirit or "duppy", which remains after death.
Rastafarianism
"Irie" and "Jah" are popular words, otherwise known as Dreadtalk,
a unique linguistic combination created by Rastafarians.
Rastafarianism is an indigenous African-based religion, which in
previous years was closely associated with only Jamaica.
However, in recent years it has been gaining supporters in other
countries.
The two basic doctrines of Rastafarianism are: the belief that
Haile selassie, late Emperor of Ethiopia is the black
reincarnated Christ; and the goal of redemption through
repatriation to Ethiopia, Africa, which is seen as the spiritual
home of all black people.
The movement was greatly inspired by the teachings of Marcus
Garvey. Garvey, organiser of the Universal Negro Improvement
Association (UNIA) had many dreams for the black race: first, he
wanted a worldwide confraternity of the Black race; second, he
wished to see the development of Africa from a backward,
colonial enclave to a self supporting giant of which all Blacks
could be proud; third, he wanted to see Africa as a developed
Negro nation, a place to which all Blacks could return. He
wanted to see the development of Black educational institutions
for the teaching of Black cultures and he wanted to work for the
upliftment of the Black race.
It is said that Garvey told his people to "look to Africa, when
a black king shall be crowned for the day of deliverance is
near". Shortly after Garvey's prophecy, the prince regent of
Ethiopia, Ras Tafari Makouner was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie
I in October 1930. Some 'Garveyites' began to question whether
or not this was the king of whom Garvey had spoken.
Ethiopianism
The origins of Rastafarianism is largely based on the
identification which blacks have made with Ethiopia by virtue of
biblical symbolism. This is summarized in Psalm 38, often
repeated by Rastafarians: "Princes shall come out of Egypt;
Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God". The
Ethiopian emperor's coronation in 1930 began a new phase of
Ethiopianism among black people. Consequently, it revived many
Ethiopianist ideas which had become dormant by the end of the
1920s. The Ethiopianist movement came to a head with the
emergence of the Rastafari movement in 1933-34.
While the appeal of Ethiopian consciousness developed, Leonard
Howell, a Jamaican who had lived in the United States for many
years, returned to the island. Howell was to ignite the radical
millenarian consciousness that was based on the doctrine of the
divine kingship of Ethiopia's Ras Tafari.
Howell has been described as "the first man who came to Jamaica
and introduced his Imperial Majest Emperor Haile Sellassie as
Rastafari the creator of heaven and earth".
Howell led the Movement to take on a radical revolutionary
stance and in 1933 he was arrested for publicl advocating six
principles:
Hatred for the white race
Complete superiority of the Black race
Revenge on whites for their wickedness
Negation, persecution and humiliation of the government and
legal bodies of Jamaica
Preparation to go back to Africa
Acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and
only ruler of Black people
Upon his release from prison, Howell organized the "Ethiopian
Salvation Society". He recruited a large following and by 1940
he was the leader of a cult commune deep in the hills of St
Catherine. The commune was called Pinnacle. Life here was
strictly patterned after the Maroon communities of Jamaica where
the inhabitants planted native cash crops for a living. Among
these was the famous ganja (marijuana) herb that has remained
the center of the Movement's ritual practice. This early phase
of Rastafarian wilderness life was cause for concern by many
neighbouring citizens, since the cultists were not only a
secluded group, but they demanded that taxes should not be paid
to the Jamaican government but to them in the name of Haile
Selassie.
The police were soon tipped about the Rastafarians' existence
and in July 1941 police raided the commune and arrested seventy
Rastas, charging them for acts of violence and for the
cultivation of a dangerous drug. The Pinnacle commune is an
important phase in the early development of the Rastafarians. It
established several facets of the Movement - It began the
communal pattern of living which has continued among a large
segment of Rastas. The use of ganja was also adopted as a ritual
practice in the hills.
The Pinnacle, however, was again raided and destroyed once and
for all in the 1950s, ending an important era in the Rastafarian
movement. After its demise Rastafarians 'regrouped' while at the
same time expressing deep hatred for the system and particularly
the police who they now referred to as 'Babylon'. Rastafarianism
gained numerous supporters - mainly the dispossessed - who
established several small camps in what became known as
Shanty-Town.
Rastafarians grew more popular all over the island so they
decided to assess their strength and unity, forming an organised
whole. This led to the calling of a "universal convention" in
March 1958. The Rastafarians called it 'Grounation'. Today it is
called 'Nyabingi'. This convention gave the Rastas both positive
and negative publicity in the eyes of the government and the
public.
Beliefs
There are six basic beliefs that can be identified as uniquely
Rastafarian. These are:
Haile Selassie is the living god
The Black person is the reincarnation of ancient Israel, who, at
the hand of the White person, has been in exile in Jamaica.
The White person is inferior to the Black person.
The Jamaican situation is a hopeless hell; Ethiopia is heaven.
The invincible Emperor of Ethiopia is now arranging for
expatriated persons of African origin to return to Ethiopia.
In the near future Blacks shall rule the world.
Symbolism
Among Rastafarians both private and public symbols exist.
Private symbols, however, are the most dominant.
Hair: One of the most popular signs
of a true Rastafarian is the way he wears his hair. Although
there are Rastafarians who do not wear long hair, the true
symbol of a cultist is his hairy appearance. It is believed that
this wild appearance came from the mountain experience of the
cult - a time when it was impossible to cut their hair. It is
also believed that it was an imitation of Ethiopian tribal
warriors. However, Rastafarians themselves claim that the symbol
is religious, quoting the Bible:
They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they
shave off the corner of their beard, not make any cuttings in
their flesh Leviticus 21:5 They refer to themselves as Nazarites
and use Samson as their example.
Food: Food symbolism is also quite
prominent among the Rastafarian population, all of which is
vegetarian, hardly using animal flesh. Their diet is extremely
rigid, placing emphasis on fish and vegetables. The fish that is
eaten is particularly of the small variety such as "sprat", not
more than twelve inches long. Food is cooked with no salt, no
processed shortening and few condiments.
Language: A new type of language
symbolism has emerged because of the Rastafarian movement.
Rastafarian speech has been labelled "soul language", "ghetto
language", and "Dread talk". There are three prominent features
of the Rastafarian language: it is ungrammatical; it is Jamaican
dialect used on the philosophical level; and it is devoid of
subject-object opposition and without verbs.
Although the Rastafarians have experienced a level of ostracism
and upheavals, the movement contributed to social development
and has had a tremendous impact on the Jamaican culture.
Today, all over the island Rastafarian paintings, sculptures and
ceramics can be bought. Rastafarian artists include Ras Dizzy,
Ras Daniel Heartman and Ras Canute. Ras T is also a popular
young painter-poet. Many Rastafarians are making great strides
and the movement has become an accepted institution. |
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| SPORTS |
Sports has helped
tremendously in putting Jamaica on the world map. Jamaica has
produced greats in Cricket, Boxing, Track and Field, Football
and Track and Field(Athletics). Lets talk about some of these
games.
Cricket (Jamaicans.com)
 British
rule is long gone from Jamaica, but reminders of it linger on.
Cricket is one such memento from the days of colonialism. Once
the most popular sport in Jamaica, it lingers throughout the
Caribbean as the people’s sport. For a time in years past, the
West Indies cricket team was the number one team in the world,
and led the world cricket scene. Today’s teams have declined in
the world rankings, but glory days aren’t far gone. And Jamaica
has produced many of the West Indies’ and the world’s best
players, so bragging rights still remain.
Cricket was long considered a sport for the elite. This
extremely British game was first played in Jamaica only by the
upper classes. The strict rules of the game are still enforced,
both technical and social. Teams are divided between “gentlemen”
and “players,” each with their own locker room. Until recently,
gentlemen were the only men who could captain a team. Players
were paid to play. Those unfamiliar with British social
structure may find the game’s adherence to antiquated social
organization a bit confusing, but the appearance of propriety
and manners is important to the playing of the game.
Unlike football, cricket was reserved for the elite, and had a
reputation as being a game that exemplified English reserve.
Over time, Jamaicans of all social backgrounds got involved in
the game, and today it thrives throughout the West Indies
regardless of socioeconomic background or status.
In Kingston, the 12,000-seat Sabina Park stadium is one of the
largest and most famous cricket stadiums in the Caribbean.
Matches are still played all over the island, and the sport
remains a favorite spectator sport. When a match is set to be
played, large audiences will be on hand to cheer their
favorites, and just as likely, boo their opponents.
The game is played with a ball and bat, but it’s nothing like
baseball. Only three men in the field have gloves, and the bat
is much smaller than a baseball bat. A test match is played over
the course of five days, and each round lasts roughly seven
hours. That’s quite an endeavor for both players and fans.
Famous cricket players fro the Caribbean include George Headley,
Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, Jeffrey Dujon, Alfred
Valentine, Jackie Hendricks, Collie Smith, Lawrence Rowe, Allan
Rae, Maurice Foster, Jimmy Adams and Robert Samuels. George
Headley, a star from the 1930s, is arguably Jamaica’s most
famous cricket star.
While cricket is popular in the region, interestingly enough
only one team represents the entire West Indies in international
competition. The team began playing in 1928, with the 1935 team
winning the first test series. The biggest change in the game
occurred when the team achieved a series victory in 1950 and
West Indies teams started playing all over the world. From the
1960s to the 80s, the team took the lead on the world cricket
scene. Alas, nothing lasts forever, and the team’s prominence
lessened over time. Still hugely popular, the game is still
taken quite seriously by its fans.
Football (Soccer) (thereggaeboyz.com)
 Available
records indicate that football (soccer) was introduced in
Jamaica towards the end of the 19th century and 1893 is listed
as the year Jamaica formed its first football club.
Jamaica's first international appearance was against their
Caribbean neighbours Haiti in 1925. Andre Chevalon, President of
the United Sporting Society invited Jamaica to the
French-speaking Caribbean island for a three-match series
between the two countries. Jamaica won all three games by 1-0,
2-1 and 3-0. The following year Jamaica hosted their Haitians
counterparts at Sabina Park and won by 6-0. The Haitians
remained frequent opponents and it was not until 1932 that their
run of defeats was broken with a 4-1 home win in Port-au-Prince.
Between 1925 and when Jamaica gained it's independence 1962,
Jamaica had regular games with Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Cuba.
Jamaica also played with clubs such as Racing and Violette from
Haiti, Corinthians of Britain, the Tigers from Argentina, and
even a series of matches with a Caribbean ALL Stars team in
1952. The Caribbean All Stars team included such notables as
Michael (The Ruin) Kruin from Suriname and also representing
Jamaica were Lindy Delapenha and Gillie Heron. The four games
were shared equally with Jamaica winning the second 2-1 and the
fourth 1-0 and the All Stars winning the first 5-1 and the third
1-O.
Those friendly international games were the start of Jamaica's
football quest with most of the home matches being played at
Sabina Park. Many clubs were established during this time
including Kensington, Melbourne, Kingston, Lucas and St.
George's Old Boys, thus providing the talent Jamaica needed at
the time.
In 1965 under the leadership of Brazilian coach Jorge Penna,
Jamaica first attempted to qualify for the World Cup. This was
for the 1966 World Cup finals in England. The preliminary group
included Cuba, the Netherlands Antilles, and Jamaica. Jamaica's
first game was against Cuba, which they won 2-0 at Jamaica's
National Stadium. In the qualifying match against the
Netherlands Antilles, Jamaica also had a 2-0 victory with both
goals coming. In the overseas games Jamaica was held to a
goalless draw with the Netherlands Antilles and suffered a 2-1
defeat to Cuba. Jamaica then advanced to the final group of 3,
which included Costa Rica and Mexico. The winner of this group
would represent the CONCACAF region. Jamaica lost at home to
Mexico 3-2. In the return leg in Mexico City, Jamaicans were
unprepared for the high altitude and they were defeated 8-0.
Jamaica lost 7-0 to Costa Rica in their first encounter and had
a 1-1 tie when they played at home.
In 1968, Coach George Hamilton took leadership as Jamaica
attempted to qualify for the 1970 World Cup Finals in Mexico.
Jamaica had only a couple remaining players from the previous
World Cup team and had to rebuild because most of the players
had retired or migrated to North America and England. Jamaica
lost all of their qualifying games in that year.
Jamaica's participation in the 1974 World Cup elimination saw
the suspension of 17 players on the team because of a lack of
discipline on a tour to Bermuda. Jamaica withdrew from the
elimination in order to restructure their team.
The 1978 Word Cup in Argentina saw Jamaica playing Cuba and
losing 3-1 at the National Stadium and then 2-0 in Havana Cuba.
Jamaica did not qualify.
In 1982 Jamaica did not make an attempt for the World Cup Final
set in Spain due to insufficient funds and a poorly prepared
team. Jamaica did not participate in the 1986 World Cup because
affiliation fees were still outstanding to the FIFA.
In preparation for the 1990 World Cup with coach Jeffery Maxwell
Jamaica won both preliminary games against Puerto Rico 1-0 in
Jamaica and 2-0 at Puerto Rico. The U.S. was the next opponents
and was held to a goalless draw. The return leg in the U.S. saw
Jamaica losing 5-1 brining an end to their qualifying attempt.
The United States hosted the World Cup 1994. In qualifying,
Jamaica beat Puerto Rico 2-1 and was then faced Bermuda, Canada,
and El Salvador from which two teams would advance to the final
round. Jamaica tied 1-1 with Canada and Bermuda and then lost
2-0 to El Salvador, 1-0 to Canada, 2-1 to El Salvador. Jamaica
then beat Bermuda 3-2 but did not qualify.
Under Brazilian Professor Rene Simoes and National Coach Carl
Brown, the Jamaican team has become a "Powerhouse" in the
Caribbean region and received "Best Mover" award by FIFA in
1996. Jamaica made history by becoming the first English
speaking country from the Caribbean to ever qualify for the 1998
world cup final in France. At the World Cup, Jamaica faced
Croatia, Argentina and Japan. They lost to Croatia and
Argentina, but were 2-1 winners over Japan.
Football is engrained in the Jamaican culture. Attending or
supporting the annual high school boys competitions, namely the
DaCosta Cup and the Manning Cup, is a ritual for most Jamaicans.
There are also well-established leagues in Jamaica whish is
overseen by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) who also
manages the national squads.
The most popular league is the National Premier League, which
includes club like Tivoli, Reno, Wadadah, Juventus, Boys Town,
and Constant Spring. These teams are where most of the members
of the National teams hone their skills.
Athletics (jamaicans.com)
 In
75 years, Jamaica has won 38 Commonwealth Golds, 12 World
Championship Golds and 13 Olympic gold medals in athletics
alone. Jamaica has a population of 2.6 million people the 137th
biggest country in the world by population. Their current Gross
domestic Product (GDP) nominally is $11.2 billion which ranks
108th in the world. Jamaica has the prestigious honor of having
the most success per capita of any country world in track and
field. This great honor started when Jamaica's first track Gold
Medallists Dr Authur Wint won the 400m in 1948 Olympics. He
along other greats Herb McKenley, Leslie Laing, and George
Rhoden put Jamaica on the map in one of the greatest relays when
the team won the 4 x 400 relay in the 1952 Olympics.
Jamaica's success at the Olympics and international competitions
continued through out years with athletes like Donald Quarrie
(gold 200m, silver 100m, in the 1976 Olympics), Bert Cameron
(silver, 400 relay, 1988), to Grace Jackson (silver, 200m,
1988), to Winthrop Graham (silver, 400m hurdles, 1992), Raymond
Stewart, Juliet Cuthbert (silver, 100, 200m, 1992), Deon
Hemmings (gold, 400 hurdles, 1996) and perhaps the most popular
athlete track Queen Merlene Ottey who has more International and
Olympics medal than any other Jamaicans.
Track and Field is ingrained in Jamaica as the majority of the
schools in Jamaica have a track program in their curriculum. The
annual National Boys and Girls Championship (Champs') which is
held at the National Stadium in Kingston is the premier event
for Track and Field in Jamaica where future track athletes
showcase there skills to the rest of the island and also to the
many overseas recruits who attend this event. The athletes who
dominate this event are eventually selected to represent Jamaica
in annual Penn Relays in Pennsylvania, USA. This is event had
been "dubbed" the Jamaican Relays because of the Jamaican
dominance in winning the most medals.
Our track and field athletes are acknowledged to be among the
best in the world and many of them have gone on to represent
other countries Donovan Bailey, Linford Christie, Juliet
Campbell, Merlene Frazier, Ben Johnson, and Maria Jose.
Jamaica is home to the worlds fastest man and the worlds fastest
woman. The title of worlds fastest man belongs to
Usain Bolt who
currently holds the world record for the 100 m(9.58) and 200
m(19.19) sprints.
Shelly-Ann Fraser holds the title of worlds fastest woman
after being the Olympic champion and World champion over 100
metres, clocking a time of 10.78[2] and 10.73 respectively. She
is the only female sprinter to hold both World and Olympic 100m
titles simultaneously.
The men's and women's relay team are also current
World Championship winners.
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| Hopefully you learnt a little bit more about
Jamaica. |
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