Cultural Norms of Jamaica

The country that I chose to conduct a culture analysis on is Jamaica. Jamaica is a third world country located in North America and the 3rd largest island in the Caribbean Sea. There is a 2.5 million population, which equally divided between urban and rural areas. The country runs approximately 146 miles long and varies between 21- 52 miles wide. The climate is tropical and its main tourist attraction is their beautiful beaches. The capital of Jamaica is Kingston, which has a population of more than 645,000. Kingston is the chief port of Jamaica and is along the southeastern coast of the island. It is covered by the “Blue Mountains”, which is thickly covered which tree ferns. The Blue Mountains experiences an average of 200 inches of rain annually, resulting in topsoil erosion and an abundance of streams. Peasants nurture coffee, usually grown on large plantations, in the valleys of the mountains. It is amongst the most expensive coffees in the world and is exported mainly to Japan.

In an article written in the Jamaica Observer, Haughton (2017) describes the state of Jamaica as an under-developed child who continues to depend on its parents for approval. “For many years colonialism milked Jamaica and other Caribbean countries by imposing a false identity on our people, diminishing resources that affected growth and development (Haughton, 2017).

“Norms are the rules of behavior that are established and shared by group members”. (Northouse, p.176). The philosophies on the way people should conduct themselves have long been passed on from one generation to another, and still plays a vital role in the way we behave within society; without the existence of some habitual manners our world would be complete chaos. As a matter of fact, it is through our norms that we are able to identify where we belong within society, some norms however, are so deep-rooted that they are sometimes difficult to change. Jamaica has long been considered one of the most homophobic countries in the world, and the public display of affection from members of the same sex have often had deadly consequences. Although,

The people who live in Jamaica also vary from the people of the United States greatly. Jamaica is approximately 90.9 percent African, while, on the other hand, in the United States Africans are considered a minority only making up roughly 12 percent of all people in the United States. Even though, the official language of Jamaica, and the language taught in their schools, is English, matching the language of the United States, the vast majority of Jamaicans speak Patois in their everyday life. “Patois is an English-based Creole language with West African influences. The pronunciation and vocabulary of Jamaican Patois are significantly different from English, despite heavy use of English words or derivatives. Jamaican Patois displays similarities to the Pidgin and Creole languages of West Africa, due to their common descent from the blending of African substrate languages with European languages” (Jamaican Patois). Patois is as well the language used in nearly all popular local music in Jamaica. Additionally our tour

According to the Jamaica Information service, there are more than one hundred Christian religions practiced in the country. For many Jamaicans, church attendance strengthen extended family and kinship bonds. The church provides them with information, emotional and sometimes financial support in times of crisis. Among the religious practices in Jamaica, there are also a number of African-origin religions that are practiced such as Revivalism and Rastafarianism.

The music industry in Jamaica is one of the most influential in the world. Popular music genres such as reggae and dancehall was both originated in Jamaica. Likewise, rap and hip hop was stated by a Jamaican, called Kool Herc. Bob Marley is also a famous music artist from Jamaica. His music played an important role in many movements in Jamaica and all over the world. The most famous one is the fight against apartheid in South Africa. Dancing is also important in Jamaica. A famous proverb in Jamaica, is that “those who can’t dance, blame it on the music”. In all african countries, music and dancing is really normal and it’s like this in Jamaica too. It is normal to dance on the streets in public and have fun, while listening to music. By all means music and dancing is undoubtedly important for Jamaica and the culture is mostly based around

The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, ska jazz, reggae fusion and related styles. Jamaica's music culture is a fusion of elements from neighboring Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago (calypso and soca).

Without music there would be no dancing. The most popular form of music in Jamaica is Reggae, not only is it popular in Jamaica but also many other countries around the world. Reggae music has produced many famous artists one of the most popular who has had a global impact is Bob Marley. Dancehall music is a variation of reggae and its growing at an alarming rate. Reggae music has taken over as the main label for “Jamaican music.” Jamaican folk music has come a from many different sources over the years.

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles located on the North Western Caribbean Sea. The continent Jamaica is located on is North America. Countries that are close to this country is Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Jamaica is located fairly close to Central America. Jamaica covers 10,831 square kilometers of land and 160 square kilometers of water, making it the 170th largest nation in the world

It was not until the 1960s that Jamaica became its own country free from British commandment. Once Britain left, the most Jamaican population live a very easy lifestyle but some have chosen a life of wrongdoing. But before that Jamaica has had even worse problems. With the natives being enslaved then killed, more slaves being imported, the depression, the crime, and the drug trafficking.

     The people of Jamaica have no influence on the daily economic decisions that affect their lives. For almost 25 years, Jamaica has been able to keep a very small percentage of its national revenue because of agencies like the World Bank and IMF. While other big name countries continue to grow economically, these

Jamaica observes the holiday of Christmas in a way true to their own. The Jamaican people take the day to re-do their house paint, bedrooms, and curtains. They create a kind atmosphere in their homes by inviting family and singing old time songs. The meal of a Jamaican Christmas usually consists of the listed below:

His growing style encompassed every aspect in the rise of Jamaican music, from ska to contemporary reggae. Marley’s lyrics lifted spirits and united nations. Robert Nesta Marley is put on a higher thresh hold that any before him, he stands on the podium as the greatest musician in this century. Through reggae Marley lives on influencing many well known bands today. Marley sang of love and above all else “Jah” a god in one of the many religions worshiped in Jamaica. The religion most commonly associated with Jamaican culture is Rastafarianism. This group of free spirited natives known as the Rastafarian’s belive in the spiritual use of marijuana, known to this island as “Ganja”. They speak Patios, pronounced (pa-twaa), an extreme Jamaican slang of the English language. Rastafarians live off the land and worship freely in the green mountains of the inner island. From an economic stand point Jamaica is generally a poor country with an average family income of 2,000 dollars a year. As a result Jamaican people rely heavily on the precious U.S. dollar brought in through tourism. Jamaica’s number one source for trade is Bauxite. The mineral rock Bauxite is rich within the rocky coast of the island. Although the overall status of Jamaican society remains poor, the abundant source of fish, fruits, and spices keep the natives well fed. Curry goat and Akki (saltfish/eggs) fill the bellies of Jamaicans everyday. Among my favorites are jerk pork and

Jamaicans – lazy; grass-smokers; reggae and Rasta maniacs; modest; impulsive; loud; boisterous and aggressive; most look like Bob Marley in the morning; strong sense of self and their culture; willing and able to create something from nothing; strong traditional families; caring for others in need and they are proud God fearing

Jamaica is located in the Caribbean Sea and is the largest English-speaking country in the Caribbean, over 146 miles from east to west. The island varies in its features as well. The north coast contains coral beaches and plains where sugar cane, coconuts and citrus fruits grow, the west coast is more of a secluded area, and the southern region is full of mountains and small mining towns. Jamaica also has a warm climate, with the average temperature being about 80 degrees, but it also rains a lot. There are about 3 million people in this country, with the main religion being Christianity. All of these diverse aspects of the country are very important to know when wanting to successfully manage a business in Jamaica.