Essay Example on Jamaica: A Vibrant Island of Culture, Unity and Independence

Introduction

Jamaica is known to be a rich island culture. It attained its independence in 1962, from the United Kingdom. The country is a constitutional monarchy characterized by a parliamentary system of government. The head of the government is the prime minister who is nominated by the leading political party through its members of parliament. Jamaica is the third-biggest island in the Caribbean Sea which ranges from 90 miles South of Cuba (Pariona, 2018). Notably, the island is made up of the Blue Mountains, coastal lowlands, and a limestone plateau. Its Geographical features enhance the growth of a wide variety of crops. Jamaica experiences tropical climate while the northeastern part is one of the wettest areas on Earth, which contains over 100 inches of annual rainfall.

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Subsequently, the Jamaican cultural growth is significantly influenced by other outside cultures such as British traditions. The other external cultures are primarily based on the island's African heritage as well as the interaction between Europe and Africa. All these outside cultures have affected the Jamaican cultural values and traditions such as Christian worship, arts, and medicine among others (Pariona, 2018). Jamaica's life expectancy is recorded at 73.8 years with minimal infant mortality, which is at 19 deaths per 1,000 live births. According to WHO, the World Life Expectancy ranking of Jamaica is at 59 (Morrow, 2018). However, the health issues facing the populations entail rising levels of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease which have been ranked as the primary causes of death. The levels of Jamaicans who are physically fit are down since the overweight levels are at 26.4%.

One of the reasons why Jamaica is a famous holiday destination is attributed to the notion that Jamaicans are polite and relaxed individuals with an easygoing attitude. While speaking, the words which are mostly used are excuse me, thank you, and please since they depict a lot of politeness and pleasantries. The most common gestures used are thumps up which means good or yes. The population in Jamaica has a small percentage of English settlers, and a high number of Africans (Morrow, 2018). The other people include those who trace their origins from the United Kingdom, China, Germany, India, Portugal, and the Middle East.

On the other hand, the Jamaican economy relies significantly on services, which contribute more than 70% of GDP. Jamaica acquires most of its foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina. Although there are high unemployment rates and crime problems, the economy keeps on growing and debt burdens are reduced. The domestic life is central to a majority of Jamaicans, but legal marriages are minimal compared to other states. It is a common practice for three generations to share a home. It is only the wealthier Jamaican families that normally employ at least one domestic helper. Divorce cases are minimal and parents are always involved in their children's marriages by helping them choose a partner with whom they can start a family and last for long.

Typical/Common Foods in Jamaica

A majority of Jamaicans tend to grow their food such as bananas, citrus fruits, ackee, jackfruit, and sugar crops. They use these commodities for trade and personal consumption. Additionally, they also produce sufficient domestic crops, such as yam, cassava, corn, cocoas, vegetables, sweet potatoes, and dasheen. In as much as rice is an essential food to Jamaicans, they are forced to bring it from other places such as Guyana. Other common foods consumption that can be found in Jamaica are beef cattle, fish, poultry, pigs, and sheep (Samuda, 2020). Most food preparations contain peppa and the cook's special ingredients. Notably, much of the meat is prepared using small drums on charcoals. Food preservation is done through the use of pantries and refrigerators and food is not wasted in the Jamaican culture.

The cuisine of Jamaica is another significant piece of the Jamaican culture. The Jamaican food contains a mixture of British, African, Indian, and Spanish cooking methods and recipes. Other dishes that have been adopted from other countries entail fruits, spices, and vegetables. The commonly used ingredients in Jamaican cuisine involves allspice, coconut, pigeon peas, jackfruit, and tamarind. The frequently used sauce in Jamaican cuisine is the curry blend, which is derived from the Indian culture (Samuda, 2020). Allspice is mixed with cardamom, peppa, coriander, salt, turmeric, cinnamon to make a fragrant unique sauce that is used to stew goat meat. A typical recognized Jamaican dish is jerk chicken, which has been seasoned by dry rub or local marinade.

Curry Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons curry powder

3 tablespoons cooking oil

2 to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken

Dash each of onion powder, peppa, garlic powder, and salt.

2 cups cooked rice

Procedure

Slice the chicken into small pieces and store it in lemon juice for an hour.

Remove chicken and cover it with seasonings and spices and let it rest for five minutes

Heat cooking oil

Add chicken and cook for around 8 to 10 minutes on each side.

Ready to serve with a fresh piece of tropical fruit as a refresher.

Jamaican Fruit Drink Recipe

Ingredients

2 slices pineapple

2 cups orange juice

1 ripe mango

1 apple

1 slice ripe papaya

1 peach

1 ripe mango

1-pint vanilla ice creme

Procedure

Peel and slice all the fruits into small pieces

Place into the blender and blend in until smooth before serving it.

Conclusion

To sum up, a Jamaican meal is normally a relaxing social time for the entire family. The food is set on the table using the dishes and everyone serves whatever they want. Table manners are not a top priority as long as everyone is enjoying the meal and the company.

References

Pariona, A. (2018, May 8). The Culture and Traditions of Jamaica. Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-culture-and-traditions-of-jamaica.html

Morrow, K. (2018, September 20). An Introduction to Jamaican Culture & Traditions: Sandals Blog. Retrieved from https://www.sandals.com/blog/jamaican-culture-and-traditions/

Samuda, C. (2020, March 10). 20 of the Most Popular Jamaican Dishes. Retrieved from https://delishably.com/meat-dishes/The-Twenty-Most-Popular-And-Authentic-Jamaican-Dishes