The crucible of culture in Jamaica

Important arts, culture and creative events happening around the world, especially in Jamaica on August 6. Power to the creative minds!

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THE CRUCIBLE OF CULTURE by Karl Vernon

Dumping fluoride into rivers is a crime yet fluoride used in small doses is used in toothpaste. That is how I see the influence and the effects of Jamaica’s culture. Our athletes are representing us and bringing out culture to the world as seen from the Beijing and London Olympics. Our flag is flying high despite the negative aggression of some aspects of our culture. Duality is the name of the game and both faces have to be accounted for.
What is Jamaica’s culture? Is it the language, food, entertainment dance?
Culture: A noun which denotes society, lifestyle, customs, traditions heritage and values. I got it from the dictionary as I had no idea what the word means though I use it a lot! Me shame!

I have realized that many Jamaicans find it difficult to communicate in English! Back in the day, it was he norm and easier than now! Case in point… have you heard many radio and TV presenters struggle to explain themselves often resorting to slangs? Methinks it’s a shortcoming… a sad excuse for embracing culture. Fluency should be the order of the day and not some pitch patch pigeon chat.

Relativity’s the order of the day and whether negative or positive, it is still culture yes? Is it our culture to have faux hair, complexion, faux everything? Is it our culture to have radio stations blasting PG songs hiding behind flimsy excuses? Yes it is but some itchy things should not be scratched in the general public!

Before I am accused of being an elitist –with good cause- let’s go down memory lane and enjoy the sweet, sweet Jamaica of yesteryear!

When you die, what will your wake be like? Will there be ‘gangstas’ parked up outside on a motorbike? Will it be a traditional nine night or will be the sound of boom boxes causing even the dead to have a fright! The more things change, the more they remain the same is a saying which is ridiculous and lame! Traditional Nine nights are fading away like the sunset far and few between when a cougar gets wet!

The majority of Jamaica’s population is very young, though so not as ripe and sweet as a June plum! The young have absconded on bail and we constantly hear the wail: Where has our culture gone!?

Who remembers Anancy the cunning spider, though we do know of he batty rider? That trickster had us in stitches with its conniving multiple arms and legs, though it is often said that his exploits are upheld by society’s dregs. I miss hearing the many stories of his conquests and Brother Takuma whom he always bests!
If you want to know about Anancy, I’m sorry to say that his spidery legs and arms have been cut off and he is now a quadriplegic in the minds of Jamaicans especially the young. Our oral tradition is smoldering on dying embers. The fanning of culture fire at Independence time is just a make shift Potemkin village which will not address.

Big Boy- that scandalous kinky pubescent boy for whom sex was a toy. My favourite Big Boy story was the one when he gave a girl his mother’s duck for a …….and had to give back the girl her ….. for his duck! Madd!
Do kids play dolly house again or dolly house is a bit too tame. More like they probe and enter into areas unbound which eventually leads to a baby giving off an annoying sound.
Nine- night is solely reserved for the elderly who have passed and the trend now is basically to have a dance to remember the memory of a loved one especially if that person was a young adult.
The clean crisp tunic which was our uniform made it easier to conform. Where are the pretty pink and blue ribbons in the little girl’s hair and shirts tucked in pants with loving care?

Festival songs are not what they used to be. I would love to have some of the lyrics of old very gladly! Who remembers the game Stucky? If unnu no memba unnu lucky! A variation such as bend down Stucky was for the girls and the boys loved to have a twirl.
Is it that Jamaica’s culture was/is mainly nestled in the country and Town’s culture has gone aground? Things really change, now our culture is like a dog with mange!

In the summer breakfast was abandoned for mangoes and other fruits, now our young children are behaving like ‘fruits!’
I believe that children are still having fun, some even with the gun. TV’s on 24/7s and fast food’s their heaven. I have never in my life seen so many fat kids, if they step in mud; they leave a very long skid. Our choice of food is trans fat rude and may I say downright lewd!

When last have you seen cricket in the road and when last has a little boy sprinkled salt on a toad ( WICKED!)
Manners and respect has changed for the worse, is it for this reason we are now ‘cursed?’ I don’t get the feeling that it is he same Jamaica but a Jamaica going through ribald changes trying to find its footing. We now espouse a culture of violence and that seems to grow more and more.

Memories live with us and childhood dreams are manifested on the scene. One TV station , two radio station made us head to library to read books instead of pining about our looks.

The patois stays the same with a couple of new phrases and slangs in vogue being spoken by the well to do and those in vogue! The dances are now churned out faster than dancehall records and everyone is now a ‘winer ‘ boy and a winer girl!
All in all, Jamaica’s culture is powerful, our music, sports personalities, celebrities, academics do us proud. We have an in your face attention grabbing culture and albeit some white washing, our culture springs eternal clean and will make headway in this the 21st century.

Author Profile

karlvernon: I specialise in media and public relations. I am experienced in subediting, pagination, feature writing. I promote Jamaica's true gems - our people, skills, culture and more that makes us unique among the world's finest. I graduated from the University of the West Indies. Here are my thoughts. Enjoy, share! Link me here or or here