The Chinese and East Indians in Jamaica (Lesson 4)

THEME: OUR COMMON HERITAGE

FOCUS QUESTION

How can we promote and preserve our Caribbean Culture?

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1.  Recall the meaning of culture, heritage

2. Examine the variety of goods and services offered to consumers, then assess  the contribution of the       East Indians and Chinese .

3. Categorize aspects of culture as goods and services.

CONTENT SUMMARY

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

Over the years, Chinese entrepreneurs branched out into more extensive commercial endeavors, including restaurants, laundromats, wholesale merchandising, and music production. Their contributions to music production in Jamaica cannot be overstated.

ENGAGE

Ok students, what is the meaning of CULTURE? 

Let's take a look at the chart below and see what culture entails.

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

The Chinese represent a very small proportion of the Jamaican population, nevertheless, their impact has been great particularly in the area of commerce. The first Chinese arrived in 1849. The Chinese were brought as indentured labourers to work on the sugar estates following the  emancipation of the slaves.

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?

EXTEND/ELABORATE

Watch this video clip to lean more about Chinese contribution.

You may glean further information on Chinese and Indian contribution from your Text - Jamaica  Primary Social Studies (pg. 11)

EVALUATE

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?

STATEMENTS	Depict culture	Do not depict culture
Dancing at a nine night
Planting coffee and bananas
Drinking sorrel every Christmas

 3.    Use the Venn diagram to compare the 19^th-20^th century Indians and Chinese to today’s Chinese & Indians.

  

4. 

Categorize the words in the WORD BANK below as goods or services.

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
ASPECTS OF CULTURE AS GOODS	ASPECTS OF CULTURE AS SERVICES