Eh Eh, Jamaica soon turn 50!
Eh Eh, I remember when Roy Rayon won JCDC’s song contest with hit song “22 years to salute”. If oonu bawd, tell mih de year and you just might get a prize.
I sit back now thinking of the upcoming silver anniversary of our achieving Independence from England August 6, 1962.
What really will we be achieving for us to galang like we deserve to be growing those silver hairs. I started two columns on my own website. One is important dates to remember in Jamaica’s culture history. I certainly am going to highlight at least one major achievement in Jamaica’s history per year in this section to reflect on at least 50 things to be GREAT-FUL for – sports, science, arts, culture, banking.. you name it. Now I invite you too.. if you got something to add.. Please do.. others may never know or even remember till we tell them. Here goes in a little of this English and a lickle a dat Jamaican tongue mix:
1. TENK GOD FI SHAGGY and the buzzing circle round him:
Shaggy and Friends concert launched in 2009. A powerful event, if eva dey was wan. Did you know this event not only helps children of Bustamante, but is a power tool in promoting Jamaica’s creative power to the world.
Added to that the book ‘Shaggy Parrot’ series the brainchild of Jana Bent led team exposes lickle pickney pon whole to the arts and culta of Jamaican.. Mi well proud a dem two related Jamaican project dem ya.
NOTE:
Stay connected for more updates yah suh!!
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March 24, 2012 No Comments
‘Team Jamaica’ makes us all bigger and better as one
The following excerpt is from a speech made on the final day of the Team Jamaica course which ended June 4, by Anthea:
May I recognize the presence of our trainers and organizers, and judges who made us more complete as Jamaicans.
The Team Jamaica Programme promotes the reality that “Together everyone achieves more,” and I’ll add FOR JAMAICA.
I will do a brief overview. How does it enhances the delivery of our professional services? Please see more in the Team Jamaica pullout of the Dear Jamaican tabloid.
A few students do a 'One Love' pose on Jamaica Day!
BACKGROUND
In 1996, after several disconcerts surfaced within the industry such as visitor harassment, one Jamaican, Mr Horace Peterkin, dared to come up with a solution. The Team Jamaica Advisory Council was formed and training of skills began in 1996. The programme fully developed by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) was officially launched in 1997. The Team Member training is the first certification level of the Team Jamaica training.
OUR TEAM MEMBER TRAINING
I participated in the weekend Team Member training held mainly at Knutsford Court hotel, from May 13 to June 4, 2011. It was fun and the team did achieve a lot together and grew more hospitable. Hospitality, above all, is critical in the delivery of any professional service from being a lawyer, politician to a room attendant.
After four modules we know Knowledge is indeed power. The training was made interesting with power point presentations and activities.
You can only imagine just how proud we feel being better equipped to speak about our country – it’s people, history, folklore, beliefs, language, culture, food, entertainment, music, dance, flora, fauna, environment. We also confidently share on our attractions and events, achievers and achievements, show a dance step or two, share about Jamaican proverbs and riddles.
There were also lessons on police community relations, self-development and self esteem, customer service. All this empowers all professional service providers, but especially within the tourism industry to deliver better. The list of providers include tour representatives, hotel employees like entertainment co-ordinators, custom officers, airline personnel, craft traders, attraction employees. Please see more in the pullout.
ONE MAIN BENEFIT
The tourism product is a combo of experience and memories, I now can help to create with an enthusiastic attitude. Fellow tourism workers, this training gives the knowledge of the tourists, how they see us and why they come to Jamaica as being among the best tools of a professional service provider. It makes you understand other workers as being Jamaican team-players in delivering services for visitors whether international, regional or domestic. This inspires me most in the delivery of my package of offering souvenir art.
ENHANCING THE DELIVERY OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES:
Taking a leaf from our presenters, we are more confident, as we prioritise the needs of each tourist – the customer. Thanks Mr Oneil Thomas for those dance lessons and clarity on our culture and environment, Thanks Ms Charmaine Henry we are better customer service providers. Ms Shirley Lindo thanks for assisting us to develop our self esteem. Mr Charles Cross thanks for that trip through our history. Corporal Winston Harris thanks for training our watchful eye and Ms Maureen Aarons we are no more dryland tourist thanks to you, but Jamaicans knowledgeable about exciting attraction spots.
Mr Oneil Thomas monitors the demonstration of Jamaican dance taught as part of the Team Jamaica training (Team Member course May 13-June 4). The demonstration is being done by Craig Green and Kelleye-Jean Barnaby on Jamaica Day. ANTHEA McGIBBON PHOTO.
As an arts and culture Journalist, I am equipped to share more accurate information, and to foster better relationships, visitor awareness and interest. Now we know how much each Jamaican is a walking advertisement of who we are collectively. We will show how tallawah we are as creative Jamaicans, full of love, strength, talent and plenty achievements to share regardless of one’s reason for coming. Some come for nonobligatory reasons such as leisure, health, and some must come for family, friends, ceremonies, special missions, trade. As one team we offer various types tourism such as business, eco, culture, community.
We are a rounded Team Jamaica – “Together Everyone Achieves More” ensuring that “When tourist come they know,” and gain unique memories from experience.
Please see Team Jamaica pullout where Team Member graduates share briefly, and photographs testify of the fun we had learning how better to serve this dynamic tourism industry. As a special bonus, please see my song “Team Jamaica Journey Fi Betta.” Let’s sing the verse verse together to the tune of Mek mi tell bout the story of the blessed virgin Mary! 1,2,3 and ….. sing along!
Walk good together!
VIEW PDF of Dear Jamaican newsletter
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June 19, 2011 No Comments
Jamaican Bush fi dis, bush fi dat!
CAUTION: Written in Jamaican dialect!
Well if you nuh noa bout Jamaican bush, even one weh good fi sinting, sitten wrang wid yuh! Big time. All Jamaican grow up a learn bout bush fi dis, if not bush fih dat.
Memba di Jamaican peppermint fih gas as in GAStroenteritis and the herb fih a good clean out. Some people love aloe vera, sometimers confused with the Tuna for washing dem hair, especially wen dem have dandruff.
Dont forget dih greens wi all did grow up a eat like callaloo fi iron and tings!
Mercy, but dem bush and greens wuk fi true. Jah-Mek-Ya.. Jamaica blessed by God fih True!
Si wan list ya fi apply fi all kind a evil weh oonu a face:
Dis click
Jamaica plants, herbs, bushes for cures and more
See more about bushes at www.antheamcgibbon.com!
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May 15, 2011 No Comments
You know you’ve got Jamaican parents when…
Seriously, between you and I, there are just some experiences that makes us as Jamaicans truley unique. Topping that list is anything and every thing about parents/guardians who are truley Jamaican – culturally so. Then again, they may not be your parents/guardians, but in true Jamaican-style a whole village raises a child right. Keep connected – the list bound fih get longa ova time!!
So there are some experiences not owned, but witnessed by you – that you just in true Jamaican-style feel a part of. Nuh true?
I’ve started a list. You can view it by clicking THIS LINK: You know you got Jamaican parents WHEN. Otherwise, feel free to share and add right here pon www.jamaicans.com just how you noa yuh gat Jamaican parents.
Here we go:
You remember dat ugly boot weh yu parent/guardian/WARDEN buy weh you try fi mash up cause it so ugly – but it so rebellious it laaast almost a lifetime. Thank God fih parents like-a-dat fih ha di good sense fi budget dem money wisely.
Some might even remember when dih shoes a bun dem, but dem haffi step same way, or fih some dem parent jus cut out dih toe part.
Memba dem bush tea deh. Everytime, well almoast ebbry time, yu belly run yuh get herb fih drink cuz a time fih a wash out.
But memba di garden outside a mint tea, leaf a life, rosemary bush, french time. Alomst ebbry mawning if is not porridge or chocolate tea you sure getting a draft of one o dem bushes fih tea wid you breaskfast. Some just get the tea without the breakfast!
Yuh eva drink hominy corn porridge and get the real corn in the porridge or the real corn in your cornmeal porridge or corn bread which of course was homemade.
Yuh remember when you find your shiny money and run go tell you mommy and dem sen you right back go put it down where you found it, so the greiving owner could find it back again too.
You remember when you mumma sen you go look fi something, and if she sure it deddeh you haffi go back and search till a mawning right weh she sen you till you find it and carry it to her.
You remember when everybody did haffi sit together every Sunday and eat off dem plate clean clean at every meal, regardless of what was not your favourite.
You eva eat out a you fren yawwd or full you belly someweh else, but by the time you reach home you betta mek space or else. But den agin, some people did lucky fih have a mumma weh cook so good, dih smell a di food alone just mek space.
Yu memba wen you have gas, you mother just pick off a leaf of peppermint or draw a handful of black peppermint and draw it, and you did haffi drink it hot hot till you a big belch down di place
Rememba when you couldnt sleep how you get warm condensed milk and nutmeg
Rememba wen anyting go wrang you madda, granny and all a di woman dem we in charge ova you guddung pan dem knee till daylight a pray, and some a dem well a stay lock up inna dem room especially wen a exam you aggo duh
Memba wen all yu a hear is wat a lovelely head a hair — dis becuz yu got dem big dodo platts deh inna yuh head. All wen people a seh yu head a suck yuh dung fi grow, you madda dis a step like johncrow in a bush jacket an some madda a tell dem seh is because she mix.. ar fadda a indian, chinese and God noas…
Tek cyah!!
Culturally yours
Anthea
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September 11, 2010 4 Comments
Greetings
Welcome to the blog, Culturally Yours. Here you’ll find jots and thots about Things Jamaican – for, about, on, from Jamaica and anything relating to the island and it’s people that makes us the unique people we are.
My own site at www.antheamcgibbon.com gives more detailed articles on arts, creativity, culture, law. So on occasion, I’ll link you to relevant articles, some may also be published right here on this website.
What I’d love is your feedback, as pure and unadulterated from your heart and soul as you can be. After all when it comes to Jamaicans like me — love me or let me be!
Let love!
Culturally Yours,
Anthea
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September 9, 2010 2 Comments
