Jamaica Resources
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Arawaks
Columbus and the Golden World of the Island Arawaks. The Story of the First Americans and Their Caribbean Environment, Afroz, Sultana. Social and Economic Studies, vol. 44, no. 2/3, 1995, pp. 387–390. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27866041. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.
Pre-Columbian Jamaica, Phillip Allworth-Jones, U. Alabama Press, 2008 (Accessed 4/2/2021)
Architecture
Island Modernity: Jamaican Urbanism and Architecture, Kingston, 1960-1980, Elizabeth Pigou-Dennis Caribbean School of Architecture, University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica
http://www.urbanislandstudies.org/UIS-3-Pigou-Dennis-Modernity-Jamaican-Urbanism.pdf
urbanislandstudies.org
Caribbean Style, Suzanne Slesin et. al., Clarkson N. Potter, Inc./Publishers (Distributed by Crown Publishers, NY, 1985
History-Jamaica Surveyed:
James Robertson (1753 - 1829): The Shetlander who mapped Jamaica
The Georgian Society of Jamaica
Art
Jamaican Art: Then and Now (Reviewed in Reggae Times Magazine, 2011)
Ackee
Ackee, Blighia spida, brought to Jamaica in the 1770s. Ackee-’N-Sal’ Fish, Jamaica’s National Dish.
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Black River, St. Elizabeth
Botanical Gardens
Bath Botanical Gardens, in St. Thomas, established in 1779. Dr. Thomas Clarke was put in charge of the garden. (Note: the first garden was established by Horton East in 1747.
Castleton Gardens, St. Mary, established 1862
(Oldest in the Caribbean is in St. Vincents, est. 1765). Bartram’s, Philadephia, 1728; Kew, 1759)
Bond
As in, “My name is Bond. James Bond.”
Bond, James movie
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Castleton Gardens Castleton Gardens was established in 1862. It is one of the oldest public botanical gardens in the western hemisphere. The Gardens, “… is located approximately 20 minutes from Kingston and is anchored on a landscape dominated by ravines and tall mountain ranges. This lush, unbelievably beautiful garden is located on 15 acres and is bordered by the main road on one side and a river on the other….”
Cinchona Gardens, established in 1864, in the Blue Mountains, over 4000 feet above sea level. The garden gets its name from the numerous Cinchona trees that were planted in the area. Interestingly, the bark of the tree contains quinine, an antimalaria substance.
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Gardens: The first garden was established by Hinton East in 1747 in Gordon Town. For a good history see:
Fawcett, William. “The Public Gardens and Plantations of Jamaica.” Botanical Gazette, vol. 24, no. 5, 1897, pp. 345–369. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2464044. Accessed 11 May 2021.
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I found this link a while back. It is a Tourist Guide from the 1930s and a spectacular look at the hotels in Jamaica in the time. History of Jamaican Hotels (Accessed 4/12/2021)
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Jamaica, (Xaymaca)
History of Jamaica (Maps) “Jamaica was one of the islands of the Caribbean that was discovered by Columbus on his second voyage to the New World. He returned there once more on his fourth voyage when his small flotilla of ships was beached by a storm…” The British Empire
Travel map of Jamaica: Map (Accessed 3/36/2021)
Jamaica Tourist Board This is the Visit Jamaica page. Here you will get information on vacation related matters.
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Kingston
Traveling to Kingston? Well, this is a lovely piece written by Jamaican, Booker Prize winner, Marlon James:
“No one sound speaks for all” Jamaicans, the novelist Marlon James says. Here are the books he recommends for readers who want to see the island’s many facets…. Marlon James (New York Times, December, 12/7/2022)
Read Your Way Through Kingston, Jamaica - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
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Mountains
Blue Mountains and John Crow Mountains
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Negril
Nyam
Nyam is the verb, to “Eat”.
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Patty
This is a nice article from The New York Times, by Bryan Washington 2/23/2022. “ A Jamaican Patty is an island’s history in the palm of your hand…”
Patois, “Patwah”
Check out this website: Jamaican Patois
First, English is the official language of Jamaica. That said, the language you will hear most people speaking is “Patois”. Patois is a Creole language. It is not “broken” English. Here is an illuminating presentation about Jamaican Patois: Jamaican Patios (Not English)
Plantations
The last Great Great House The author, Michael Mosley, goes on a journey to track down the remnants of the plantations in Jamaica. A good resource for the history buff.
Reggae
Reggae month, started in 2008 and is celebrated in February.
“Afro-Jamaican on line museum (Accessed from Northeastern University’s website)
“The Jamaican Airs Exhibit” by Devin Leigh (UC Davis)
Slavery
Legacies of British Slave Ownership
Jamaican Family Search is a virtual genealogy library for Jamaica, developed by Patricia Jackson, which is particularly strong in 19th century material.
Surfing
Makka Beach St. Thomas
