Jamaican Independence
Jamaican Independence
Why is it that some uptown Jamaicans try to reinforce their highty tighty and snobbish attitude wherever they go?
“Out of Many, One People”, the JA motto, but out of all those many, is their any form of love & unity other than the black, yellow & green?
In a conversation about uptown Jamaican events, I had made it quite clear that I’m not really bothered as most of those events tend to involve the elites of the JA community and many of which still try to reinforce the social "island" segregation wherever they go. Soca, all night. Snobbery, all night. Talk proper all night. My preference is the all inclusive affairs. Let your imagination run wild.
Why is it that some uptown Jamaicans try to reinforce their highty tighty and snobbish attitude wherever they go?
“Out of Many, One People”, the JA motto, but out of all those many, is their any form of love & unity other than the black, yellow & green?
In a conversation about uptown Jamaican events, I had made it quite clear that I’m not really bothered as most of those events tend to involve the elites of the JA community and many of which still try to reinforce the social "island" segregation wherever they go. Soca, all night. Snobbery, all night. Talk proper all night. My preference is the all inclusive affairs. Let your imagination run wild.
Yea, I’m talking about those high colored, mixup mixup island people who still think that if you are a few shades darker then you must be the helper! But I’m very sure that when dem did come ah foreign dem did find out seh “black is black” regardless of your shade of brown. As an islander in the USA, that too holds its preconceived notions, so I just think it's retarded that 44 years on from so called "independence", so many still live in that make belief world that they are better than.
So this is the chain of events. I get invited to the 44th anniversary of Jamaican Independence Ball. My sistren & I roll up, dressed to the t. As expected the whole of South Floridas elite community were out in full force to support. We walked up to collect our Media Pass and di 2 woman dem behind di table dem just a look pun wi like seh wi did a beg dem someting. I must point out that they were both from di chiney/Syrian/white/ black- mixup crew. You know the type of which you can’t really tell what their mixture is, however you know they are Jamaican. I was instructed to step aside & wait for the passes, however I didn’t see any effort on their part to investigate the issue. So we waited, 5… 10 minutes while others were being served. We enquired. Now mind you, I still have a strong London accent and when I’m in these situations, it’s even stronger. But still no respect! No movement. No acknowledgement! Wah happen…… dem don’t know di I? I guess I’m not famous enough, just infamous online.
As I stand against a wall, I see my photo opps passing by, and that’s the worst feeling for any photographer. My rescue came in the form of another media rep and fellow Brit, who showed me that the tickets had to be picked up from the unsigned counter down the hall. Wow…. yu mean to tell mi seh mi stand up inna dem muss muss face an dem couldn’t give me the right information? What ever happened to customer service ( and that’s a topic for another blog) OR were they really as dumb as they acted OR did they have that “I don’t like, don’t help woman syndrome” OR did they just reinforce that “you are too black, too nappy, I don’t know you or your family so you must come from downtown” attitude.
In irony to this experience we just lost our beloved Hon. Louise Coverly Bennett, an unforgettable cultural icon who’s famous phrase was “walk good”. In my opinion, she was one of the few Jamaicans that successfully talked the talk & walked the walked. May she rest in peace, cause I know seh she must have faced a whole lot of scrutiny on her cultural journey in and out of Jamaica. When will the Caribbean, especially Jamaicans free themselves from this mental slavery? Or am I just way too sensitive.
"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots"...Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
For more log onto www.blackbritsusa.com
So this is the chain of events. I get invited to the 44th anniversary of Jamaican Independence Ball. My sistren & I roll up, dressed to the t. As expected the whole of South Floridas elite community were out in full force to support. We walked up to collect our Media Pass and di 2 woman dem behind di table dem just a look pun wi like seh wi did a beg dem someting. I must point out that they were both from di chiney/Syrian/white/ black- mixup crew. You know the type of which you can’t really tell what their mixture is, however you know they are Jamaican. I was instructed to step aside & wait for the passes, however I didn’t see any effort on their part to investigate the issue. So we waited, 5… 10 minutes while others were being served. We enquired. Now mind you, I still have a strong London accent and when I’m in these situations, it’s even stronger. But still no respect! No movement. No acknowledgement! Wah happen…… dem don’t know di I? I guess I’m not famous enough, just infamous online.
As I stand against a wall, I see my photo opps passing by, and that’s the worst feeling for any photographer. My rescue came in the form of another media rep and fellow Brit, who showed me that the tickets had to be picked up from the unsigned counter down the hall. Wow…. yu mean to tell mi seh mi stand up inna dem muss muss face an dem couldn’t give me the right information? What ever happened to customer service ( and that’s a topic for another blog) OR were they really as dumb as they acted OR did they have that “I don’t like, don’t help woman syndrome” OR did they just reinforce that “you are too black, too nappy, I don’t know you or your family so you must come from downtown” attitude.
In irony to this experience we just lost our beloved Hon. Louise Coverly Bennett, an unforgettable cultural icon who’s famous phrase was “walk good”. In my opinion, she was one of the few Jamaicans that successfully talked the talk & walked the walked. May she rest in peace, cause I know seh she must have faced a whole lot of scrutiny on her cultural journey in and out of Jamaica. When will the Caribbean, especially Jamaicans free themselves from this mental slavery? Or am I just way too sensitive.
"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots"...Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
For more log onto www.blackbritsusa.com
posted by Black Brits USA at 9:35 AM
2 Comments:
You ain't wrong, You shoulda ask dem if you were to black for dem, den spit pon dem. I'm mad for you. And those same people wonder why Kingston a bon down and why down town Jamaican's don't have no heart.
Dem deh!? (strupse -- kissing my teeth)
Gwan bon di fire mi sistah, dem nuh more than yuh!
Just wanted to add my 2cents:
As the accompanying sistren to this event I can vouch for the chain of events and the distasteful behavior of the ladies at the registration desk. It’s such a pity that the attitude of a few can turn the most celebrated of occasions into something unpleasant.
Overall, it was a good event and Jamaican Pride was flying high. This type of event really does cater to the upper echelon of our community. I also felt out of place among these self proclaimed elite Jamaicans, though I spotted a few familiar faces. It’s definitely an exclusive group, where who you are and what you do is of paramount importance. It’s definitely a “them and us” situation and you know what, they can keep their “Ball”
Gimme Tropix any day!
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