National Heros

MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY
1887-1940.
Garvey was born in St. Ann became he has been marked down as a national hero because of his courageous and eloquent in his call for improvement for Blacks. He sought the unification of all Blacks through the establishment of the United Negro Improvement and spent many years in the United States pursuing his goal of Black Unification.


NORMAN WASHINGTON MANLEY
1893-1969.
Norman Washington Manley was the founder of the People’s National Party which later was tied to the Trade Union Congress and the N.W. U. Norman Manly worked along side Alexander Bustamante, their efforts resulted in the New Constitution of 1944 granting full Adult Suffrage. Manley was elected Chief Minister in the year 1955, the 400 year British Rule, invoking slavery, uprising and bloodshed was not at an end.


Sir Alexander Bustamante 1884-1977
Bustamante has been been described as a very outspoken individual who understood labor relations. He was a impressive speaker he used the media to criticize the political system. He became Jamaica's first chief minster until 1954 during the same year he was knighted by the queen.


SAMUEL SHARPE
1801-1832
Sam Sharpe, carried on the Resistance against slavery which was, the most outstanding Slave Rebellion in Jamaica’s history. He was an educated town slave, was a preacher and spokesman. He managed to followed the developments of the abolition movement by reading discarded local and foreign papers and he was was able to advise his followers. He started the 1831 Christmas Rebellion in St. James and which spread throughout the entire island. The Rebellion started on December 28 and lasted 8 days. Sam Sharpe was eventually captured and hung at the Parade in Montego Bay (now renamed Sam Sharpe Square). On August 28, 1833 slavery was abolished and the System of Apprenticeship instituted, this insured the the total freedom of slaves for the next 4-6 years. On August 1, 1938 the Apprenticeship System ended granting full freedom to the slaves.


Nanny of the Maroons

Nanny was the only female among Jamaica’s national heroes. She possessed that fierce fighting spirit generally associated with the courage of men. Nanny has been described as an Asante warrior who used militarist techniques to fight the English. She fought the English until her death in the year 1734.

GEORGE WILLIAM GORDON
1820-1865
He was a member of the House of Parliament. He used his authority to try the change and improve the living conditions of people in Jamaica. He owned his own land as a free coloured man. The Morant Bay Rebellion which was lead by Bogle and Gordon helped Jamaica’s development.



PAUL BOGLE
Died 1865

Paul Bogle, was a Baptist Deacon he did not believe in violence. He believed in the teachings of the bible. He lead and tought his followers through organisation and training.

War in Tivoli Gardens

As you may have heard Tivoli Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica is a war zone at the moment. All thanks to alleged gangster Christopher also known as 'Dudus' Coke. A total of 44 civilians have died fighting between security forces and while trying to track down this villain. 'Dudus' Coke is wanted in the US on cocaine trafficking and gun charges and authorities are searching for him. Dudus is thought of some hero in his community but now he has brought death and terror to the streets of Tivoli and the head of some criminal activity that has affected Europe and North America.


However, not all of Jamaica is affected by this rivalry there are other places that you could visit which are secure.

Negril

Negril is the place for you iof love scuba diving, sailing, fishing, and windsurfing are in for a treat its ideal because its 80 kilometers beyond Montego Bay. This destination has a bustling nightlife and many small shops where you can purchase anything to remind of your visit. Watch the sunset from West Point, the westernmost place in the whole of the island, then dance until sunrise in the many clubs along the beach.

Ochos Rios

Ocho Rios is spanish for "eight rivers" it is a beauitful village international-class resorts and hotels. Ochos Rios is known for its luxurious gardens, such as the Shaw Park Botanical Gardens. You can experience the sparkling beauty of Dunn's River Fall or dine in one of the local restaurants and sample their varied cuisine. You can visit Brimmer Hall if you want to experince Jamaica traditionally it is a place that has plantation where, crops are still cultivated and harvested according to age-old methods.

Montego Bay

Montego Bay is the second largest in Jamaica and is quite. While there, drop in at Rose Hall, a restored house belonging to an old sugar plantation. You can see the blue Caribbean from the city avenues with friends and family and then go to any beach you want.

Falmouth

Falmouth is near to Montego Bay and is about 40 km west, this resort town contains the Church of Saint Paul. It has famous locations that you may want to see such as the Greenwood Great House, which was once owned by poetess Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and her husband. For the energetic, the Martha Brae can be rafted from Rafters Village.

Kingston

Jamaica's capital, Kingston is a really cool palce to be. Visit the White Marl Museum, which is dedicated to the Arawak Indians who lived on Jamaica, go to Port Royal, which features exhibits pirates and buccaneers. Taste the cuisine of the local restaurants and buy presents and souvenir from the Crafts Market for loved ones. Try your luck and gamble on horse races in Cuyamas Park.

Treasure Reef

Swim with marine life at this aquatic park located near the Dunn's River Falls. Interact with sharks and dolphins at Dolphin Cove. Or, if you don't like to get wet, explore the lush greenery of the Jungle Trail Walk.

Green Grotto Caves

Go exploring this cavern east of Discovery Bay. A sanctuary for people since prehistoric times, these caves have seen occupants such as the Taino Indians, refugee Spaniards hiding from the English, smugglers, and rumrunners. Green Grotto is a kilometer and a half long and contains an underground lake, Grotto Lake.

Water Sports

Jamaica offers many outdoor activites, but among the most popular are water sports, which are available at myriad locations. Fresh and saltwater fishing is permitted without a license Parasailing, scuba diving, surfing, rafting, and the like are also offered at many locations such as Negril, you can explore these wonderful opportuites.

Beaches

Jamaica is known for its exotic beaches. From the busy sand of MoBay and Ocho Rios to the private tranquility of the beaches of Port Antonio, Jamaica offers beachgoers of all mfun and exictement forthe wholoe family to enjoy.

Recipes

Oxtail Soup with Dumplings

Ingredients

1 tbs ground herb seasoning
2 lb lean oxtail, jointed
1 tbs vegetables oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped celery
2 pimento seeds chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
1/2 lb pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 hot pepper
2 lb (sweet potato and potatoes ) cut into 2 inch pieces
dumplings

Method

1. Rub the herb seasoning into the oxtail and marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Add oil into a large soup pot and sear oxtail until both sides are brown, then add the onion, chives, pimento pepper and thyme. Then cover it with just about 8 cups water and boil until oxtail is tender, 1 hour.

3. Skim of the fat and any froth from the surface. You can add more water if necessary and bring the soup back to boil.

4. Add the pumpkin and hot pepper and cook for another 15 minutes until tender. Add sweet potatoes and potatoes, stir and cook for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, divide the dumplings dough into 4 pieces. Roll each dumplings in any way you desire, preferably into circles.

6. Add to boiling soup and cook for about 5 minutes or until dumplings come to the top of the pot. Season soup with salt and back pepper to taste. Remember to take out pepper before serving.

Dumplings

Ingredients

1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp butter
2 cups flour

Method

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

2. Rub butter and add enough water to make a firm dough. knead dough for a few minutes. then cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Caribbean Fish Et Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb firm fleshed fish, cut into cubes
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs minced chives
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
(Chadon Beni)
1/2 lb spaghetti boiled and drained
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 lime

Method

1. Rub the fish with the garlic, chives, salt and freshly ground black pepper and marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onion and pepper. Fry until fragrant and just tender and add the fish and gently mix up. Cook for 10 minutes turning occasionally until fish is tender. Add the cilantro, taste and add a bit, more seasoning.

3. Remove from pan, toss with cooked pasta and sprinkle with parsley.

4. Squeeze lime over and serve.

Hot 'n' Spicy Wings

Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbs Vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 onions, minced
1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs white vinegar
3 tbs Worcestershire


Ingredients

Wings

16 chicken wings, split into wing and small drumstick
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs minced chives
1 tbs fresh lime juice

Method

1.Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic, onion, peppers and celery and saute. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick and bubbly.

2. Remove the wing tip from the wings.

3. Marinate the wings and small drumsticks in the garlic, chives and lime juice, with some salt and freshly ground back pepper. Let it stand for 30 minutes.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F .

5. Place the wings in an baking tray (oven proof) baking tray or dish and bake for about 20 minutes, turning once until lightly browned.

6. Remove from the oven, baste with the sauce, then return to the oven for about 5 minutes more.

Desserts

Rich West Indian Dundee Cake

Ingredients

1 lb butter
1/2 lb granulated sugar
1/2 lb brown sugar
8 eggs
zest of 3 limes
2 tbs vanilla extract
1 1/4 lb all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 0z ground almonds
1/2 cup rum (optional)
1 lb currants
1 lb golden raisins
1/2 lb candied citron peel
1/4 lb red band green candied cherries, chopped
3 oz chopped nuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and line 2 cake pans, 9 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep

2. Cream the butter and sugar until until mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat the mixture each time an egg is added. Add lime zest, vanilla and almond extracts.

4. Sieve the flour and baking powder and mix in the ground almonds.

5. Fold the batter, you could add rum at this point if you prefer.

6. Add the currants, golden raisins, peel, cherries and chopped nuts in some flour. Add to the batter and gently fold in.

7. Put mixture evenly into to 2 pans, then bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the cake leaves the side of the pan.

8. Let the cakes cool before removing it from the tin.

Historical Sites

Spanish Town Square - St Catherine

Here on 1st August 1838 the legislation was read- the Proclamation to the end of slavery.

Accompong- St. Elizabeth

Here on February 24, 1738, the British surrendered to the maroons and signed a Peace Treaty.

Liberty Hall- 76 King Street Kingston

This was the former headquarters of the Rt. Excellent Marcus Garvey's United Negro improvement Association.

The Mico University College -Kingston

This was found in 1836 at Hanover street and institution that has been the bases for teaching in Jamaica and is now occupied by Kingston Technical High School.

Port Royal

This city was destroyed in an earthquake in 1692. Visit St. Peter's Church it has the tomb of St. Lewis Goldy who was swallowed up by the earthquake and survived.

The Institute of Jamaica- East Street, Kingston

The Institute of Jamaica was discovered by Governor Sir Antony Musgrave in 1879 it is a place that expresses the heritage of Jamaica through artifacts and historical information.

Seville St. Ann (Priory to St. Ann's Bay)

St. Ann used to be the capital of Jamaica it is the place where three nationalities met the Tainos, The Spaniards and the Europeans. The first Christian Church in Jamaica St. Peter the Martyr was started but never completed.

Trench Town Kingston

This is where Bob Marley grew up.

Iron Bridge Spanish Town

This was the first bridge in the Americas it was erected in 1801 from cart iron prefabricated materials. This was the very bridge that Paul Bogle walked on in 1865 to talk to the Governor in Spanish Town.

Headquarters Home Duke Street Kingston

This is where Jamaica's Legislature met from 1872 to 1960, unfortunately this where Paul Bogle was tired and carried to Morant Bay where he was hanged and buried in what is known as now as the Martryrs of 1865 Cemetery.

A Map of Jamaica

Real Jamaicans

Name: Andra
Age: 35
occupation: Mother


Interviewer: Verona


V: What was it like living in Jamaica?


A: I grew up in a very friendly atmosphere everyone was together and we shared a lot with each other.


V: What was your childhood like?


A: I got on well with my brothers and sisters I played a lot of ring games and folks song I hardly ever stayed inside the house I was always outside.


V: Do you think Jamaica has changed? What has changed?


A: It has become more violent.


V: When you got to Jamaica what do you do to enjoy yourself?


A: I do a little site seeing, I go to the beach, rafting in Portland, go to restaurants and socialising with friends and family.


V: Where did you grow up?


A: Kingston Jamaica.


V: What was home life like?


A: Good up bringing, we had a lot.


V: When you came to Britain what challenges did you face?


A: Hard to get a Job, hard to fit into a new society, but I adjusted.


V: Was it hard to fit into a new environment?


A: Yes it was hard to fit in people were not friendly, everything was different it was an environment I wasn't used to.


V: How did you overcome your challenges?


A: I become more educated I went to college and mixed with people went to work did more for my community.


V: Do you know of any locations where people can visit when they go on holiday?


A: Yes, The Bob Marley Museums, Duns River, Rose Hall.


V: What your favourite Jamaica dish?


A: Run Down, Jerk Chicken, Pork Peas & Oxtail.



Name: Orlando Dyer
Age: 65
Occupation: Engineer
Interviewer: Verona

V: What was it like living in Jamaica?


O: Lovely, especially the Climate.


V: What was your childhood like?


O: Lovely I enjoyed playing with my brothers and sisters. I did a lot of building with my father, I remember Jamaica being peaceful I grew up in a friendly community


V: Do you think Jamaica has changed?


O : Yes the population has grown. We have better roads people can more around more quickly.

V: When you go to Jamaica what do you do to enjoy yourself?


O: We visit friends and family and go to the beach for a swim.


V: Where did you grow up?


O: I grew up in Clarendon and spent my time with my brothers and sisters.


V: What was home life like?


O: Home life was lovely the environment was good, I enjoyed my mum's cooking and the the way she looked after us.


V: When you came to Britain what changes did you face?


O: When I came to Britain I found it difficult to adjust to cold weather and it was also hard to find a place to live and employment.


V: Was it hard to fit into a new environment?


O: It was not that hard to adjust.


V: How did you over come your challenges?


O: I had to re-educate myself and get a job, I became an engineer.


V: Do you know of any locations that people can visit when they go on holiday to Jamaica?


O : People could go to Rose Hall in Montego Bay and The Bob Marley Musuem in Kingston.


V: What's your favorite Jamaican dish?


O: My favourite dish would have to be Jerk Chicken and Rice and Peas, I' m hungry just thinking about it!

Jamaica The Land of Wood and Water (A brief History of Jamaica)

Jamaica is a beautiful Island which is located in the Caribbean Sea, its neighboring islands are Cuba, Haiti and Dominica Republic. The first to inhabit the Jamaica were the Taínoes an Arawakan-speaking tribe they named the island Xaymaca which means the "Land of Wood and Water", or the "Land of Springs".

Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494 Jamaica was inhabited by Arawaks, these were people who lived in small communities who practiced fishing, hunting and planting. When the Spanish came these communities suffered immensely and they slowly left the Island. The Spanish brought about new diseases which destroyed these indigenous people and migration made the island over populated. Between 1494-1655 the Spanish used Jamaica as place for supporting the conquest of the Americas, especially Mexico who were known for producing gold and silver. The Spanish resided in a place in a Town called Santiago de la Vega which is now known as Spanish Town, the area was used to sort Spanish ships and economic activity consisted of domestic consumption.

The British expedition led by Admirals Penn and Venables took over in the Jamaica in the 1655 by this time the Spanish had been vanquished, they did very little to defend themselves from the British and the social, economic and political life of the Spanish became unimportant. The slave economy occurred between 1655-1838 The British tried to experiment with European labour but they were not successful and turned to importing Africans and used them as slaves on sugar plantations. During this time Jamaica was valuable to the British because they were apart of the Triangular Trade System were plantation owners deliver goods to Liverpool and Bristol which served Jamaica's trade among England (manufactured goods), and the Caribbean (sugar), it emerged as international economy.

The American war of independence disrupted the trade between that took place between North American Colonies about 15,000 thousand slaves died in Jamaica of the starvation. Plantations seemed to be the way of economic life and supported the slave system with it now destroyed, slaves ran away to live in the mountains as Maroons. Nanny was the leader of the Maroons and lead her troop top fight against the British. When the war calmed down Jamaica when back to exporting sugar and and plantations. At this point Jamaica had a political system it had elected a governor and his executive council an assembly of representatives based on the franchise of property ownership. The governor represented the crown and the assembly of planters controlled the slaves, the alliance broke down due to the fact that plantations were taxed.

In 1831, Rev.Sam Sharpe (now a Jamaican National Hero) lead the famous Christmas Rebellion of slaves. By the 18th century sugar became less important to the economy because its production cost was going up and beet sugar became more attractive. In 1838, the slaves were emancipated plantation owners had no choice but to pay wages to its workers. The development of the Peasantry took place between 1838-1938 at this time many ex-slaves had settled down as small farmers cultivating their own crops. Others settled down on marginal lands in plains near the plantations or on land that was organized and sponsored by Christian Groups such as the Baptists.

At this time people were fighting over the land and this brought about the Morant Bay Rebellion lead by the National Heroes George William Gordan and Paul Bogle. During this period the export of sugar declined and logwood coffee and bananas took over. The National Movement Decolonization occurred between 1938-1962, during this time Marcus Mosiah Garvey another Jamaican National Hero lead a national movement for independence in Jamaica he encouraged political ideas which caused rebellion in 1938. Political parties emerged The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Bustamante Industrial Trades Union (BITU) founded by Alexander Bustamante and the National Workers Union (NWU) founed by Norman Manley. These parties helped to ensure self-government in 1944 and to also securing polical indepenence from England.

Political independence was granted in 1962 Jamaica had a government system that was similar to the Westminster style constitution, it had a governor which represented the British Crown

and a bicameral Parliament. There is also a house of representatives which had elected representatives and a Senate appointed by the Prime Minster and the leader of opposition Jamaica was on its way to a successful parliament. A prime minster leads the government but he has to consult with with the governor general and the leader of opposition before any decisions are made, the JLP formed the first two government in Jamaica.

Between the 1972 and 1980 Jamaica had its second decade of independence and the PNP held office they contributed to a shift of economic polices e.g. the imposition of the Bauxite Levy in 1974 it was put in place to help to increase Jamaica's share of the income in that industry. The PNP protected the weakest sections of the population and they helped the poor through food, housing, education and health. The party helped with international affairs, they allowed Jamaica to open up to non-capitalist countries and promoted the solidarity, of Third World international negotiation. The international was not very profitable to Jamaica because it made the aluminium market and bauxite industry, the inflation in food prices and the decline of capital inflows. This caused problems with unemployment inflation, and government by the end of the this decade the government sought help from the IMF, the World Bank and USAID.

Within the third decade of political independence was from 1980-1989 this time the JLP held political office they were committed to the same free market development policies as the IMF and the world trade bank and USAID. Jamaica benefited from this, the economy the currency was became less valuable and many public enterprises had to adjust. The eighties saw the development of Free Zone manufacturing garments they export garments to the USA it brought about the recovery of tourism from North America. It helped to improve the international economy especially the USA e.g. the Caricom trade. Now Jamaica is contributing to the world at large showing its potential in cultural activities, such as music and sports and has developed significantly.