Writing POC 101

Jamaican-American Characters - @aelledee

Hey guys, I'm here to clear up some stereotypes regarding Jamaicans, and Jamaican-Americans in case you intend to create a character of this ethnicity.

1. Weed. Ganja, reefer, Mary-Jane, whatever you want to call it. We don't all smoke it. Jamaicans are like everyone else: some people enjoy it, others don't. A lot of non-Jamaicans love to cling to this notion due to elements of the Rastafari belief system. Many Rastas smoke it for spiritual purposes, and believe it or not, many don't. There's a strong emphasis on health in this faith, which is why a large chunk of the Rastafari don't touch it along with any other illicit substance. To ask if we all smoke weed as soon as I mention my ethnicity is both irritating and reeks of ignorance. Most people who ask this are looking for me to validate their assumptions rather than to learn.

2. On that note, we're not all a part of the Rastafari. In fact, the majority of Jamaicans are Christian. There are also Muslims, Baha'i, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, and Jewish folks. Furthermore, there are plenty of spiritualities based on West African belief systems like Obeah, Kumina, Pocomania, and more.

3. #2 may have been surprising largely due to misconceptions about Jamaica's population. We're overwhelmingly of West African descent. That's obvious upon stepping foot on the island. What most don't know is how diverse Jamaica is, hence our national motto, "Out of Many, One People." "Jamaican" is an ethnicity, not a race. There are plenty of Jamaicans of Indian, Chinese, Irish, Lebanese, Scottish, Syrian, and English descent. I'm sure there are some I'm missing. We must also not forget the indigenous people. Like the rest of the Americas, the people native to the Caribbean died of disease and genocide upon the arrival of Europeans. Like many other islands, the Arawaks inhabited what is now Jamaica. In fact, they're whom the word "Jamaica" originated from. It was originally named "Xaymaca", meaning "Land of Wood and Water" or "Land of Springs." They're also featured on our national seal! Lastly, the word "Caribbean" is derived from the Caribs, one of the dominant native groups of the region.

4. Jamaica is far more than resorts. Enough said.

5. Jamaica's landscape consists of more than beaches. There are also plenty of mountains and dense forests.

6. We're not always happy.

7. Our musical tastes and contributions stretch far beyond reggae, or even dancehall for that matter. There are plenty of other genres originating from the island and the members of its diaspora. Dub, rocksteady, ska, and mento are a few examples straight from the island. Lovers rock, grime, jungle, dubstep, punk, and rap are examples of its musical influence abroad. There are plenty of Jamaicans who love genres not associated with us, like country or pop.

8. Speaking of music, it's also the gateway to our language. Virtually all Caribbean islands have their own language resulting from their multi-cultural histories. They're often referred to as patois or creole languages. In this case, it's Jamaican Patois (pronounced 'Patwah') . In fact, there are many linguists who are leaning towards simply calling it "Jamaican". English speakers tend to mistakenly view it as broken English because they understand snippets of it. That's not true. It's its own language with words unique to it, and its own grammatical rules. All languages are mixtures of previous languages. Just because Caribbean languages are recent creations, doesn't make them any less of a language. The two main contributors to Patwah are a Ghanaian language called Twi, and English. Depending on the specific dialect, you'll also find elements of Igbo, Yoruba, Kongo, Spanish, Portuguese, Arawakan, words from Scotland and Ireland, and Hindi. Please don't write "Ya Mon". We've heard it enough. Also, don't expect us to whip out Patwah upon command.

9. I've been asked where in Africa we're from. As far as Afro-Jamaicans go, we're mostly from the Asante (often spelled Ashanti), an ethnic group who can be found in what is now Ghana. There are plenty of other West African ethnicities, but most of the enslaved people in Jamaica were of Asante descent. I must also mention the sad reality of how many of us, along with everyone else who descended from those who survived the Atlantic Slave Trade, have a significant percentage of European ancestry due to rampant sexual violence faced by enslaved women. Despite our appearances, it's common for us to also have English, Irish, Scottish, and French genetic "contributions" from the men who wielded the power on plantations. To clarify, I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with our European ancestry. The fact that it was most likely a result of rape is what's problematic.

10. Homophobia in Jamaica is a huge problem. There's no question about that. What I do contest, is the idea of it being portrayed as the most homophobic country. Homophobia (and transphobia) are worldwide problems. LGBT folx face frightening levels of violence and intolerance in Jamaica, but it's far from the only place in which this occurs. Even the US, the birthplace of the LGBT movement, has many cases of murder, corrective rape, teen homelessness due to parents abandoning their children after coming out, and more. I have my theories as to why (predominantly white-owned and Western) media outlets fixate on Jamaica when it comes to this, but that's worthy of its own article.

11. Many Jamaicans are impoverished. That is a somber reality of the Caribbean, and other regions affected by colonialism and/or chattel slavery. What most don't realize, is that there are also plenty of middle class, and wealthy people in Jamaica. Just take a stroll down Ironshore Drive, Montego Bay, and you'll see a plethora of beautiful and unique homes. Ironshore is an example of many places like it. I don't intend to minimize the extent of Jamaica's poverty - it's very much a third world country as a result of the huge class gap. I'm making this point because poverty is the only lens through which it's viewed, and its class system is far more nuanced than that.

12. Jamaica being unsafe is also one of the first things people, including those who've never been there, comment on when I mention my ethnicity. There are dangerous places, but like anywhere else, you'll be fine (yes, even outside of resort towns) as long as you have common sense. Personally, I've dealt with more crime-related issues in the US than JA.

13. There's much more to our delicious cuisine than jerk chicken. Oxtail and Ackee + Saltfish are other well known dishes, but they barely scratch the surface.

14. The Caribbean is much more than Jamaica. It's composed of numerous islands with their own unique cultures and histories. Jamaica may be the first place you think of when you meet someone of Caribbean descent, but keep that to yourself, and wait for them to tell you where exactly they're from. Assuming all Caribbean folx are Jamaican is like assuming all East Asians are Chinese, all Desi folx are Indian, all Latinxs are Mexican, all West Africans are Nigerian, etc. A country's prominence on the world stage shouldn't overshadow the beauty of its neighbors. That's a pet peeve for a lot of Caribbean folks who aren't from JA.

15. Though I have more insight into Jamaica than non-Jamaicans, there's plenty I don't know. Aside from the fact that no one person could be the representative of millions, I'm Jamaican-American. It's a different frame of locus from folx straight from the island. My American nationality carries privileges Jamaican nationals don't have. Like many children of immigrant parents, I have a serious case of diaspora blues. I have a foot in each country, but I don't quite fit in with either. Both are home to me in different ways. Someone born and raised there will have insights I may never attain. I'm proud of my heritage, but that hyphen makes a difference.