The Folk Roots of Jamaican Cultural Identity*
Caribbean Quarterly › Vol. 51 Nbr. 2, June 2005
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Extract
The Folk Roots of Jamaican Cultural Identity*
Introduction
In young nations, such as Jamaica, history is a mix of cultures which have been stratified in layers of society, shaped by the experiences of folk life and modern society, moulded by metropolitan influences. Jamaica is a well-defined model of a dual society: two Jamaicas blending at points of contact.Traditional identities are created from the perceptions and realities which characterise Jamaican folk life. This presentation will deal with both perceptions and realities, tracing dominant influences from birth to mature periods of life, outlining the experiences which shape, and the characteristics which define the cultural identity, as influenced by Jamaican folk culture.Care and DisciplineThe journey of these experiences begins with birth.Folk wisdom creates its own traditional technology characterised as a mix of pseudo-scientific and ethno-religious lore. Food and drink are widely applied categories of traditional beliefs and practices throughout the many stages of life.Traditional cultural practices, for instance, do not promote the use of fresh milk from the cow for essential protein content to assist brain development in feeding infants. To compensate, there are substitutes in the form of milk powder and soya in packaged form. However, the use of "bush" teas, lacking protein value, is still practiced, although declining.Health clinics are addressing this problem for expectant and nursing mothers by some distribution of milk powder. To the extent that milk powder is available through small sachets distributed commercially and, to some degree, in public clinics, the nutritional requirements for brain development in the formative stage of infancy, are now more adequately covered. The alternative to milk is soya which is becoming more widely available and provides essential proteins and is reasonably affordable to mothers in low-income households. Commeal porridge is still the traditional complementary food for young infants, though declining.The optimal option, exclusive breastfeeding, falls victim to traditional theories of child nutrition. Breastfed inf...See the full content of this document
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