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History, People & Culture
Welcome to Jamaica, an island that the Arawak Indians called \"Xymaca\"- the land of wood and water. Columbus first visited the island on his second voyage in 1494; on another voyage in 1503 he was stranded on the north coast due to a shipwreck. His own log details the beauty of the island and the help of the friendly Arawak people. His affection for the Arawak did not stop him from claiming the island for Spain. The only thing the colonists seemed to accomplish was the extermination of the Arawaks and the introduction of African slaves brought in to replace them.
Arrival of the English
After nearly 150 years as a Spanish backwater the island was changed forever with the arrival of an invading English army in 1655. The English ousted the Spanish and began their own colonization. Jamaica became a permanent possession of England after a bloody Spanish counter-invasion failed miserably in 1670.
The Jamaican Flag
Features a gold cross on a black-and-green background. Some Jamaican friends explained to me that the gold cross represented the sunshine that blesses the island, the green from the rainfall that makes the island lush and verdant and the black for the people and for the African slaves forced over to the island that after centuries won their freedom. The flag is recognized throughout the world and Jamaican sports teams proudly incorporate the flag into their uniforms.
Out of Many, One People\"
This is the motto that unites the many different people of Jamaica, the majority of whom are of African and African-European descent. There are also small minorities of Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, German and English, along with emigrants from other Caribbean islands.
In general Jamaicans are friendly, outgoing and very proud of their nation. They enjoy humor, swapping stories (or liming as they call it), can be opinionated and are very talented. Jamaican artwork is highly sought after and the Reggae music that originated on the island is world renown. Though English is the official language it is fascinating to listen to \"Jamaican Talk\", or the local dialect spoken in a musical lilt- a mixture of English and African words (and some slang thrown in as well!). Jamaicans keep a positive and care-free attitude toward life, answering many questions or inquiries with a \"No Problem Mon\" or an \"Irie\" - believing that its all going to work out and everything is OK!
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