After the abolition of slavery, Chinese and Indian migrants were transported to the island as indentured workers, bringing with them ideas from the Far East. These contributions resulted in a diversity that affected the language, music, dance, religion, and social norms and practices of the Jamaican people
EXPLORE
Let's review past lesson about life of Indian and Chinese on the plantation.
What do you know about the Chinese and Indians today in Jamaica? Tell me if they contribute to our culture and how.
Let us discuss the articles below to glean information on the Chinese and Indians contribution in the Caribbean.
INDIAN CONTRIBUTION TO JAMAICA
1. Innovative methods of farming, including rice cultivation
2. Introduction of spices like curry powder to Jamaican cuisine.
3. Skilled metalsmiths and jewelry workers who created brass, silver and gold ornaments
4. Distinctive music, dance and traditional dress that were incorporated into Jamaica’s culture.
5. Introduction of social practices like arranged marriages
6. Introduction of new plants and trees and their products, including betel leaves, betel nut, coolie plum, mango, jackfruit, and tamarind.
7. The use of ganja/marijuana for spiritual and medicinal purposes
8. Incorporation of traditional Indian foods like curry goat, curried potato, eggplant, bitter gourd okra. roti and callaloo, which have become part of the national cuisine.
9. The source of the appellation “Gong,” a name applied to Leonard Howell and then to Robert Nesta Marley, who was called “Tuff Gong.” The term is an abbreviation of the Hindi word ‘Gangunguru” that means “great king” or “king of kings.”
10. Influence of Indian belief systems incorporated into Jamaica’s religious practices
CHINESE CONTRIBUTION TO JAMAICA
Perhaps the main gift of the Chinese to Jamaican cooking is soy sauce. There is hardly a Jamaican meat dish that is now prepared without soy sauce, both for colour and taste. Then there are oyster and hoisin sauces, as well as sesame oil. Sweet-and-sour sauce was also introduced and quickly became a Jamaican favourite.
Out of Many, One People. Some of the contributions of the Chinese to Jamaica’s culture are listed below.
1. Food – The Chinese have provided singular influences on the cuisine of Jamaica. A unique illustration of this influence is Suey Mein or Sui Mein, a dish created by the Chinese community in Jamaica. Featuring a broth enhanced by noodles, shrimp, vegetables and Cantonese-style roast pork, the dish provides a complete meal that requires diners to use both a spoon and a fork. It is typically topped with a hot sauce made of scotch bonnet peppers and mushroom soy sauce
2. Entrepreneurship – Most of the grocery stores in Jamaica are owned by Chinese people, who followed their entrepreneurial talents early one. Their business and commercial innovations made major contributions to the nation’s economic development of the impact of Chinese Jamaicans on the business world considerable, with families and individuals controlling major restaurant, bakery and supermarket chains, including Island Grille, Purity and SuperPlus, and banks like NCB.
3. Games of Chance – The Chinese brought their tradition of gambling with them and introduced games like “Whe Whe” and “Rakka Piu”, also known as “Chinapoo” to the island. The game of chance tradition was assimilated by Jamaicans who play modern games like “Cash Pot” and “Lucky Five.”
4. Celebration – The Chinese custom of setting off fireworks in celebration of special occasions was readily adopted by Jamaicans, who especially favor the activity at Christmas. The traditional Chinese lion and dragon dances have been incorporated into Jamaica’s yearly National Festival in a notable display of cultural adaptation and integration.
5. Preservation of Cultural Values – The Chinese have been praised for their industry and for the focus they bring to their work, emphasizing education and extended family relationships in the raising of their children. Their focus on the values of family preservation and education helped Jamaica, whose African-influenced culture already held these elements in great esteem, to retain a strong family-centered society.
6. Music Industry – Chinese Jamaicans have impacted the evolution of the reggae genre from the 1960s, Vincent “Randy” Chin, along with his wife Patricia, through their label VP Records was instrumental in launching the careers of artists like Beenie Man and Sean Paul. Many Chinese Jamaican musicians receive named credits on numerous reggae albums. A significant contribution by early Chinese record producers is illustrated by Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s label, which released the debut recordings of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and John Holt, Continuing to give Jamaicans a source of pride, Tessanne Chin, who is of Jamaican Chinese heritage, was named the winner of Season 5 of “The Voice” talent competition in the United States in 2013.
7. Political Leadership – Chinese Jamaicans serve honorably in Jamaica’s government, with notable examples being Members of Parliament like Rose Leon, Ferdinand Yap-Sam, and Delroy Chuck.
EXPLAIN
Explain the significant contributions did the Chinese and Indians make to Jamaica.
If we were to categorize the different aspects of culture as goods and services, which ones would be listed under each column?
Answer the following questions.
1. Which of the following best defines the culture of a people?
(a) The way they speak (b) the work they do (c) their way of life (d) their dance and music
2. Which of the following does not depict culture?
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STATEMENTS |
Depict culture |
Do not depict culture |
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Dancing at a nine night |
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Planting coffee and bananas |
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Drinking sorrel every Christmas |
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3. Use the Venn diagram to compare the 19th-20th century Indians and Chinese to today’s Chinese & Indians.
4.
Categorize the words in the WORD BANK below as goods or services.
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Farming jewellery gold chains bangles rings bracelets earrings curry bammy rice yam barber cloth bags baskets fishpots restaurant hats footwear shoemaker dressmaker, fishermen axe shoemaker ironsmith goldsmith farmers |
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ASPECTS OF CULTURE AS GOODS |
ASPECTS OF CULTURE AS SERVICES |
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