Running head: CULTURAL IMMERSION

Cultural Immersion Project Part One Gxxxxxxx Liberty University

CULTURAL IMMERSION Cultural Immersion Project Part One On this first of three cultural immersion projects highlighting the Jamaican heritage, I

quickly learned that this venture is more like looking through the lens of a kaleidoscope than it is gazing at a piece of stationary art to be able to learn of its nuances. But, despite the beauty of this pleasantry brought about by its ever-changing illuminations, I began to view the encounter as being just an exercise in trying to reconcile the many unrecognizable contradictions that could be found within this culture, and, that disturbed me. Nonetheless, upon further review of this matter, I, soberly, came to the conclusion that if, all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23, King James Version) then finding a culture that did not have these disparities would indeed be quite a futile endeavor for anyone to pursue. With such being the case, this author will now expound on some of the visages of the Jamaican people that have been expressed in not only their distinguishable behaviors and beliefs (e.g., implicit as well as explicit) but also in the concrete manifestations of their vibrant culture as well. Key Behaviors Learned Through Scholarly Literature One of the most visible ways that Jamaicans interact with each other is through the communicative mode of English (e.g., established ever since the English had overthrown the Spaniards in the seventeenth century; Davis, 2011). Despite its utility however, its sanctioning has long been an area of dissension for many of its countrys citizens. Although this may, at first, be difficult to understand why a people who fluently speak a language would be so against its status being their nations authenticated system of speech, a brief review of their history is sure to shed some light. For during their involuntary servitude to the British, the ancestors of todays Jamaicans (e.g., approximately 90% of their current populace; McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Presto,

CULTURAL IMMERSION 2005) not only endured the Englishmens violent compulsion to force them to perform a variety of duties, they had also survived a number of countless indignations that even coerced them to forfeit their African heritage. In an effort to ward off this sense of displacement, the enslaved community created Patios, which, eventually filled several aims for them: (1) it enabled them to communicate in privacy with each other, (2) it became a way of symbolizing their identity and hence forming a distinct community (i.e., though this vernacular had originated from their captors speech patterns, their utterances were deliberately irreverent and brash in order to be distinctly different from those who held them captive; Hall, 2010), and (3) it enabled them to express their discord without any fear of punishment. Due to the occurrence of these past events and its continued usage, Patios is still considered the official-unofficial language of the descendants of these progenitors though it is generally agreed upon that their utterances are not to be used for any formal purpose (Herbold, n.d.). In spite of the abundance of hardships that their forebearers withstood, an informal greeting by one of their female progenies today will likely result in one being swiftly embraced quite enthusiastically, regardless of your gender. Though the Jamaican men can be just as exuberant in their cordialities, they are known to express them in a bit more subdued manner

because of the high regard they have for [a] man is a man philosophy in their society (Davis, 2011, p. 50). Key Explicit Beliefs Learned Through Scholarly Literature In looking at the feature of personhood regarding what roles the Jamaican culture has deemed proper for each gender, on the surface, it could be said that they are traditional (McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Presto, 2005). For among the characteristics that are prized for little girls, they are usually encouraged to not only be submissive and obedient to their future

CULTURAL IMMERSION husbands, they are also taught that they must remain sexually pure as well. And, in addition to having expectations of mastering domestic skills, young girls are also deterred from being too aggressive. Conversely however, male children are inspired to take on all of the distinguishable

traits that are associated with their biological sex. But, in looking at this matter deeper, one soon learns that this constituent of the Jamaican lifestyle also happens to be of a paradoxal nature, which can easily be seen in real life. Though males are encouraged to have children with not only their wives as well as other females in their passing sexual liaisons, and do so, it is just as common for females to engage in numerous intimate relationships as well. With such being the case, it can be of no astonishment that the result of such practices is large numbers of individuals who are related to each other in some very convoluted ways (Deadly, 2011). The other visible outcome that results as a consequence of this way of life, of course, are the many children that are reared right along side their half-brothers and -sisters in struggling matriarchal homes (Dreher & Hudgins, 2010). Despite the immense popularity of living life in this manner however, there are still some Christian households in the Jamaican culture who have remained faithful in sustaining their conventional nuclear families (Davis, 2011). In pertaining to the elderly population in recent days gone by, it would not be so uncommon for younger members of their families to take care of them when they needed help, but, as this author is sad to report, in recent times, this loving and respectful support has all but nearly vanish and they often end up being a mere financial obligation for their country to meet. Key Implicit Beliefs Learned Through the Literature and Media Sources As noted earlier in this composition, the Jamaicans have a heritage in which there are no small quantities of contradictions. In highlighting this point, it may be interesting to learn that

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though individuals of British West Indian culture strongly view themselves as being in control of their own destinies (Miller, Campbell-Forrester, 2010, slide 27), they also affirm a clear belief in the power of fate, as can be noted in the popular Jamaican saying, if youre born to hang, you wont drown (Phillips, Scott, Sutherland, Gerla & Gilzene, 2012). In highlighting another intriguing feature about the opinions that many Jamaicans hold even of themselves asserts that there is no other country in the world where the belief in self is more ingrained and yet so strongly concealed (Nick Davis, 2011, p. 32). Though the causes of this state is likely due to the Jamaican culture itself, as well as the lack of opportunity to advance (p. 32), the sense of humor that Jamaicans have will likely have you rolling on the floor in no time. To give a quick example of the type of comedy that they are known to pen, I came across a web site that had a very brief story on it called New Years Resolutions and just below the heading there is a picture of two feet in white socks standing on a scale that plainly exhibited a range of numbers spanning from 200 to 260 pounds, but, right in the middle of these numbers it had a phrase that read, ONE AT A TIME PLEASE (Will, 2010). On a serious note, in spite of the copious amounts of incongruencies found within the construct of their culture, I am quite persuaded that these individuals do have access to a real hope that is well within their reach simply because the majority of them not only acknowledge the fact that there is a God, they are also acutely aware that they are able to go to Him as their spiritual refuge as well (Miller, Campbell-Forrester, 2010, slide 42). Key Concrete Manifestations Learned Mostly Through Media Sources Tangible expressions of what I have noticed about this vivacious heritage through the internet are so abundant that it can be quite difficult to constrain oneself from elaborating on only a few, but this counselor-in-training will do her best to try. Beside encountering the enjoyment of

CULTURAL IMMERSION the exceptional warmness of the individuals who had been raised in this culture, another

experience that one would not want to miss while being entangled in this welcoming atmosphere would be indulging in the taste of the cuisine they have to offer, which is said to be so scrumptious that it may just put you in a euphoric coma (Fyffe, June 24, 2012). With that said, you cannot say that you have not been warned. Among the food that you might want to try to get the flavor of this particular Caribbean ethos may encompass dishes like jerk meats (e.g., chicken, pork, fish), exotic fruits, such as ackee (i.e., which is Jamaicans national fruit), the delicacy of curried goat, and some Johnny cakes, that perhaps, has some savory cabbage and pigeon peas on the side. Following the refreshing satiety that has been brought about by this wondrous gustatory encounter, one might also choose to yield to a dessert of blue drawers (i.e., a pudding-like menagerie of spiced bananas and coconut; realjamaicavacations.com, n.d.), sweet potato pudding (cooklikeajamaican.com, September 7, 2012), or even a piece of Jamaican rum cake (Johnson, June 24, 2010) to complete the pleasurable experience. One Salient Shocker About the Jamaican Culture Although the many enjoyable entertaining venues in Jamaica may foster an encounter of friendly companionships and some fun-in-the-sun activities, there is one kind of amusement that I have been exposed to that I must confess to, personally, being offended. The name of this form of music is called Dancehall. The core reason as to why this form of entertainment has been so distressing to me is due to the view I hold of it actually being an affront to God. For here God is, loving us so much through the ages, that He is willing to sacrifice His only son for us so we may be able to live with Him in eternity, and, this unsavory form of music comes along and, just like that, makes Jesus precious blood of no value to the people that embraces this requiem. How can that not be troubling?

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To clue the reader into what the audience of a Dancehall dramatization may be like while observing a show, Pinnock (2007) reports that there will be some, [h]ardcore and very explicit sex [that can be easily viewed because] the penis is a highly valued part of this discourse (p. 55). Though this may seem to be nothing more than a transient expression of youthful expression by some, upon further scrutiny, one soon learns that it is actually viewed as being quite intimately tied to the very identity of what it means to be Jamaican. To make matters worse, some youths are even viewing this movement as being as politically meaningful as the actions that their ancestors took when they formed the Patios language (i.e., which was, in part, to protest the way their captors had treated them). Though this genre of music may provide a way of escape of sorts from the struggles that modern-day Jamaicans face, I frankly, cannot see its end result ending in anything but further bondage, and, I am sadden by that. How this Research Has Impacted My Expectations for the Upcoming Immersion Activity Since the occasions I am planning to attend will have me in a milieu in which I am completely unfamiliar, the outcome of my probe into the Jamaican heritage has afforded me some peace of mind on what I am likely to encounter. But, despite this being so, I am experiencing a little ambivalence on the matter, because of, and, in spite of, what I have discovered about their customs. For although I do anticipate that the mingling amongst Jamaicans will be an exciting and fun event to participate in because, after all, the country has been ranked regularly in the top five happiest nations on the earth (Davis, 2011, p.161), I am still a little hesitant about attending these events because of what I had learned about this culture, particularly in regards to two issues: (1) the current popular genre of a music called Dancehall (Pinnock, 2007; i.e., I have been informed that there will, indeed, be teenagers at these

CULTURAL IMMERSION gatherings) and (2) the byzantine arrangement of many of their families relationships (Deadly, 2011). Despite this being so however, I will be in the company of a Jamaican friend of mine, who I have known and trusted for over six years, so that does offer me some comfort about the endeavor I am about to undertake; and, not only that, who knows where my direct observations of their distinguishable behaviors, beliefs, and concrete manifestations may actually lead in the long run? Because for all I know, it may even be a moment of for such a time as this (Esth. 4:14).

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References
Cook Like a Jamaican. (2012, September, 7). Jamaican sweet potato pudding recipe. Retrieved from: http://www.cooklikeajamaican.com/?s=sweet+potato+pudding&x=0&y=0 Davis, N. (2011). Culture smart! Jamaica. London, UK: Random House. Deadly, C. A. (2011). Complicated family trees. Things Jamaicans love. Retrieved from: http://www.thingsjamaicanslove.com/the_full_list/complicated_family_trees.html Dreher, M., & Hudgins, R. (2010). Maternal conjugal multiplicity and child development in rural Jamaica. Family Relations, 59(5), 495-505. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview 815403199?accountid=12085 Fyffe, D. N. (2012, June, 24). Jamaican food/cuisine: Lick yuh lips and ten finga dem. The Island Journal. Retrieved from: http://theislandjournal.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/ jamaican-food-cuisine-lick-yuh-lips- and-ten-finga-dem/ Hall, M. I. (2010). Re-constituting place and space: Culture and communication in the construction of a Jamaican transnational identity. The Howard Journal of Communications, 21, 119-140. doi: 10.1080/10646171003727425 Herbold, S. (n.d.). The Dread library. Jamaican Patois and the power of language in reggae music. Retrieved from: http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/herbold.html Johnson, C. (2010, June, 24). Black gold: Jamaican rum cake. Cooking With Sin. Retrieved from: http://cookingwithsin.com/2010/06/24/black-gold-jamaican-rum-cake/ McGoldrick, M., Giordano, J. & Garcia-Presto, N. (2005). Ethnicity & Family Therapy (3rd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press. Miller, D. M., & Campbell-Forrester S. (2010). An introduction to Jamaican culture for rehabilitation services providers. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from:

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http://ssc.bibalex.org/viewer/detail.jsf;jsessionid=E747878468CB81C09562318491E7CF 2F?lid=E5F2FC1D0654417A5C0F34370D61201E&aid=A27B8A0840E100DF2B9061A FCB6DF1F3&category=0C931FE898397005D4FC8BE957331521&sort=1&page=1 Phillips, M. E., Scott, A. D., Sutherland, C. E., Gerla, M. P., & Gilzene, A. M. (2012). Carry mi ackee go a Jamaican market: Ackee as a metaphor for the organization and environment of Jamaican business. International journal of cross cultural management, 12,(3), 277-297. doi: 10.1177/1470595812440155 Pinnock, A. M. N. (2007). A Ghetto Education Is Basic: (Jamaican) Dancehall Masculinities As Counter-Culture. The Journal of Pan African Studies, 1(9), 47-84. Retrieved from://www. jpanafrican.com/docs/vol1no9/AGhettoEducationIsBasic.pdf Real Jamaican Vacations. (n.d.). Traditional Jamaican dessert recipes. Retrieved from: www. Real-jamaica-vacations.com/Jamaican-dessert-recipes.html Will, S. (2010). New Years Resolutions. Things Jamaicans Love. Retrieved from: www.things jamaicanslove.com