Hear the word Jamaica and immediately think of reggae and Rastafarians? Well, it’s safe to say many people have grown the same reflex. So are these clichés or cultural traits for Jamaicans, let’s dive into Jamaica’s history to find out.  There are two great periods in Jamaica’s history; before and after independence. We shall consider each period separately.  Jamaica is an island located in the Caribbean. Originally occupied by the Arawak tribes, the land was named “Xaymaca” meaning “Land of wood and water”. These people were enslaved by the Spanish who also brought in hundreds of slaves from West Africa. The situation on the island degraded due to conflicts and diseases to the extent that almost all the native population had disappeared by the year 1600.

In 1655, the island was invaded by the English who defeated the Spanish colonist. The instability caused by the conflict gave African slaves the opportunity to escape and find refuge on the inner lands where they formed independent communities known as the Maroons. The British proceeded to bring a large number of enslaved Africans to Jamaica, who created more than a dozen major uprisings during the 18th century including Tacky’s revolt in 1760.

Following the decolonization movement which overtook the world after world war II, local politicians and the British government began a long transition for Jamaica to become an independent State. Norman Manley was elected Chief Minister in 1955 and helped with this process by enacting several constitutional amendments. Under Manley, Jamaica entered the West Indies Federation but left in 1962 after a referendum. The West Indies Federation collapsed later that year following the departure of Trinidad and Tobago.  Following the elections in 1962, Alexander Bustamante became Prime Minister in April. On 19 July 1962, the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed the Jamaica Independence Act, granting independence as of 6 August with The Queen as Head of State. On that day, the Union Jack was ceremonially lowered and replaced by the Jamaican flag throughout the country and the first Jamaica Independence Festival was held.

The Jamaican flag was designed by a bipartisan committee of the Jamaica House of Representatives it is made of a diagonal cross with four triangles placed side by side. “The sun shineth, the land is green, and the people are strong and creative” is the symbolism of the colors of the flag. Black depicts the strength and creativity of the people; Gold, the natural wealth and beauty of sunlight; and green, hope and agricultural resources.

Jamaicans are very proud of their cultural and religious heritage. This pride is obvious by the name of the national anthem “Jamaica, Land We Love” for example. The lyrics of the hymn were selected from a competition that took place between September 1961 and 31 March 1962.  The words of the National Anthem were then chosen by Jamaica’s House of Parliament and they kept using it as National Anthem when Jamaica was granted independence on 6 August 1962. It is a prayer to God for Him to bless and guard the country and for Him to grant divine wisdom to the leaders and rulers of the land.

Several people have carried the colors of Jamaica high and made it known to the world; they contributed effulgence of Jamaica in the world, thus showing how proud Jamaicans are of their country and the great things they can achieve as a people, strong of diversity. It is difficult to name them because there are so many great people who made the island known in various fields; politics, sports, human rights, philanthropy, art, and music. Bob MARLEY and Usain BOLT, for example, each made Jamaica known in their respective fields.  The history of Jamaica made it the amazing country it is today. If Jamaicans can boast about their culture, it’s because they made the best out of their heritage; a great example that pride comes from the inside and not the surrounding circumstances.