Jamaican Culture Dance and Music
Rumours has it. The people make Jamaica, and Jamaica makes the people.
In Jamaica, them always have throwback riddims, recycled old beats, and the hardcore reggae scene is always present. You have faster stuff like the more commercialized stuff, but you always have that segment of music that is always from the core, from the original root of it.
We’re a naturally warm and friendly bunch, welcoming tourists with huge smiles, and open arms. As a culture, we prefer to laugh than cry, dance than stand still, and express ourselves rather than hold back. Our complex past, marked by slavery and the struggle for independence, has made us proud, resilient and strong. Now we’re celebrated for our music, sport and art.
What kind of Language do they speak in Jamaica?
Our official language is English, which we speak in our unique Jamaican accent. But our street language is patois, which suits our personalities and sense of fun perfectly. A sing-song dialect, influenced by English and African languages, patois is easy to pick up and enjoyable to learn.
Feel the Rhytm
In Jamaica, there’s always a reason to dance. Whether you’re celebrating, or just walking down the street, you’ll find us Jamaicans swaying to the beat.
In Jamaica, dancing is part of our daily lives. We dance everywhere and for all occasions – for worship, cultural celebrations, formal events, social gatherings and to tell stories. When there’s music, our hips start to sway, hands clap and the whole family from young to old, move to the island beat.
The passionate and infectious sounds of our folk music is almost like the heartbeat of our people. With origins from villages in Africa, where our forefathers mourned the passing of an ancestor, welcomed a son into the family, or celebrated the end of the harvest, folk music has been a big part of our lives.
Music has always been our tool to express ourselves, which is why our beats are full of history and stories of freedom, independence and the current political climate. The fusion of our African and European heritage has produced several forms of music that still thrive in many modern communities.
