Cooking Saltfish
This is not a recipe by any means but a childhood memory of me cooking saltfish for the first time. As a child growing up in Clarendon during the seventies, if you happen to be the eldest child in the household it was your responsibility to learn fundamental domestic duties. Cooking, washing, ironing, sewing, things like that.

Growing Up Like A Jamaican - The Book
June is a special month for me not only because of my birthday but also because of the "birthday" of my book, "How To Raise Your Child Like A Jamaican." In honor of "How To Raise Your Child Like A Jamaican's" 2-year anniversary and because I just released the second edition, which includes an excerpt by Gen. Colin Powell (ret.) and comments by Michelle Bernard of the Independent Women's Forum - they're both Jamericans - for this month's blog I am including an excerpt.

Sammy lose him cool ( Part 2)
Much to my ease and comfort I had just dispelled intestinal gas when out of no where my ‘wishy washy’ looking grandson would suddenly appear.  “Granpa! Granpa!  There’s a lady at the gate asking for you,” said he excitedly as he stood before me in close proximity.

Childhood Days
I spent some of my childhood years growing up in a small community called Lionel Town in the parish of Clarendon. It was a sugar town, meaning sugar canes grew and were harvested there for the Monymusk Sugar Factory. Lionel town had its own hospital of the same name; it had a court house, a community park known as Pawsey Park, several supermarkets, shops, a post office, police station of course, library, gas station, I even remember a “Bata” shoe store, but most importantly it had decent hard-working, law-abiding citizens.

Dog Get A Raw Deal
In this place of solitary confinement and except for the occasional ‘ra-ta-ta-ta’ outburst of falling excretion, it is very quite. Here, I am able to think and ponder certain things and review my thoughts to see if there is any thing I’ve over looked.

Jamaica and Film
The beauty of Jamaica cannot be denied. Christopher Columbus called Jamaica the “fairest island” he had ever seen. Pirates became so entranced with the island that they sometimes opted to stay they rather than continue looting. And now, Jamaica’s natural beauty has made it a draw for modern moviemakers.

Memories of Back a Yaad-- It's all about Sammy (Part1)
Not so long ago when I was a little barefoot, suck finger, tear-up  trousers boy, I use to sing this song, ‘Sammy plant piece a corn down a gully.’ Now stop y'u foolishness, stop pretend you don’t know it for neither of us is any young guinea chick and as a matter of fact, "y'u of all persons older than Moses rod."

The Best of Both Worlds
I believe I am a much better person because of my British heritage and Jamaican culture.  Being rooted and grounded in both, interchanging dialects as only Jamaicans can is something that fascinated my British work colleagues – little did they know my lapses into patois were simply to stop them eavesdropping on my conversations! 

Going To Jamaica for Christmas
I plan on going home for Christmas this year. But for the first time it is with ambivalent feelings.When I close my eyes, I remember all the warmth, love, happiness and joy of a Jamaican Christmas. A white and cold Christmas can be nice but compared to a warm Jamaican Christmas? Priceless!!

You know they're Jamaican if they...
Express disgust by 'sucking' or 'kissing' their teeth....Point with their mouth...'Cut yeye' when upset with someone...Wear a 'frock', not a dress...Refer to fancy shoes as 'boot'

Memba some more - Remember This in Jamaica
Icy mint for 1 cent and fudge was 5 cents. Stroll down Jamaica memory lane. When Air Jamaica had stewardess with looks and manners. "Teenage Dance Party" on JBC radio.

"Life dung Memory Lane."
Unknown to Misses Matilda, a handful of ravens (A beg y’u pardon; black buds) are ravaging her tomatis crop. They are drilling and sipping sweet nectar from the cherry-red plumy ones.

Life Abroad... ‘Tory come to bump’
Jamaicans are the most creative and determine beings in the whole wide world ‘mi ha tell y’u’ and I write that with no fear of being wrong. I have written it with absolute conviction and without jingoism. (Weh y’u seh, y’u agree sah?  Haw-right then.)

Jamaica Tidbits & History Part 1
Who was Jamaica's first Jamaican-Jamaican Born Governor General?  When was breadfruit first introduced to Jamaica? What was Jamaica's first broadcast station? Learn about these tidbits of Jamaican history today!!!

Ms. Dulcie Sey: "Dem Ole Before Dem Time, Babies Having Babies"
How are all my loyal fans doing? Well, a jus cum back from me long stay inna Canada. Bwoy dem Canadians really treat me nice you see. Anyting wey Ms. Dulcie want, Ms. Dulcie get.

Out of the Frying Pan & into the Fire
I viewed a television program that depicted a gentleman reflecting on his young life during the sixties. Inspiringly, I picked up my diary which I maintained since my elementary school days. My former teacher, Mr. Clark (now a National Commerce Bank senior executive and a major sponsor of Jamaica’s National Volleyball Team), taught us the importance of keeping a diary. Plus, he nudged us to write about our daily activities.

Final Journey
“I was a pretty young gal wen I was young ” said Aunt Hilda, her voice trailing off as she gazed afar – way back into the distant years. It seemed she was reliving every episode of her life. I remained silent, holding a tuft of her hair in my hand, waiting patiently for her to continue. “You’re still beautiful, Aunt Hilda. Even more so now,” I said, trying to bring her back from her journey into time.

My Trip to Jamaica!
For several years I wanted to return home to Jamaica for another visit, but circumstances keep me from doing so, well that day I wished for finally arrived in which I boarded the Boeing 737 jet, in-route to my homeland. I was happy because I was to see my brothers and sisters, whom I have not seen for quite some time and also my schoolmates. Except for a few bumps on the highway in the sky, the flight was okay.

Reflections on my School Days
I was in the fifth grade at Ewarton Primary School. I was a fifth grader who was very accomplished as he was competitive. Throughout my previous years at the school, I have won a nationwide art contest; skipped a grade, and maintained an ‘A’ average. In the fifth grade, I ranked first in my class. Naturally, during the preparation for the annual ‘Class Challenge Quiz’....

Is Patois Doomed in a Global World?
Jamaicans are going to have to learn "global" English if they want to prosper in the world of tomorrow. Yes, I enjoy the beauty of Jamaican patois, when it is used to express gentle thoughts, and I acknowledge the power of Jamaican patois when it is used to express anger or frustration.

Gully-bank (Part2)
The Old Harbour Road is in a mess. Skipping between traffic I make my way over to the other side; trespass through big-nose Buro’s yard and onto the gully bank which leads to Strebor Avenue. Men are already beneath the shed.

Ah...The memories of JOS
I read of the newly opened bus depot in HWT and it brought to mind the buses of my time. When I lived in Jamaica, JOS was the company that provided bus service throughout the corporate area. Jamaica Omnibus Service or Chi Chi bus as they were called, probably due to the sound heard when the doors were being closed. Needless to say, this was before the name "'chi chi" took on a whole other meaning.

Gully-bank - Part 1
Along the gully bank beautiful concrete homes now replace the1951 Hurricane-Charlie Relief Board-houses. Telephone and hydropower lines run from rooftops to roadside poles and noticeable everywhere are spawning signs of social improvements. This is Homestead, south west St. Catherine, just a mile outside the old capitol, Spanish Town.

Reggae Review in 2007
Reggae and dancehall in 2007 national and locally lost steam. The riddim-driven albums by VP Records (USA) and Greensleeves (UK) that drove dancehall hits in past years seem to have come to a stand still this year. Creatively it was more of the same and that made room for the new sound of Tarrus Riley and Da’ville whose hits tunes were not riddim driven.

Countdown to Chrismus Abroad....Toronto Style
Once again its that time of the year when merchants remove ghost and goblets ‘fan-gan dangles’ from racks and shelves and replace them with toys and other yuletide commodities. Store windows now display moving train sets, snow angels, miniature ornaments, creatures, and such delights. Inside the malls, evergreen trees are fully dressed with mountains of presents beneath while mannequins ‘cut pose’ in the latest fashion trends.

Ms. Dulcie Sey: Sage Dem Dung!!!
Greetins and Exaltations! Ow is aall mi wanderful folks doin? Ms. Dulcie is mekin hout ar Chrismas list fi de cantankerous granpickney dem. Fi mi grandchilren dem no deserb even a starlight, dem gi me bodderation, so till me feel like sey me a go ave body come down.

No Matter Where I Go, The Jamaican Influence Is There
When I was asked if I would like to go on a mission trip to southwest China, I said “Yes” without hesitation. I did not wonder, what am I going to do? I am not a dentist, a hygienist, nor a dental assistant. Besides, I do not speak Chinese except for “Ni Hao” You see; I believe that it is not enough to just breathe.

Memories of School in Jamaica
When I think of school in Jamaica the first thing that comes to mind are Khaki school uniforms, lunch boxes, and a smiling teacher in the morning to greet you at the end of your trip from home to school. The school I attended in Kingston was a primary school and had an aggregate of students from different walks of life. They were students of different ethnicities and backgrounds, but what made the relationship between the students in my school special was that we were; “out of many one students.”

Jamaican Marriage Customs
Getting married is, of course, a rather significant commitment between two people. In Jamaica, the wedding ceremony is an integral part of the celebration, with elaborate plans and large gatherings of family and friends. While many of the old-time traditions are no longer practiced, some have survived the test of time.

Moving Back to Jamaica from a First World Country
After visiting South Africa last December (and especially after touring the Alexandria and Soweto Townships,) I am facing the fact that my Move back to Jamaica has a lot to do with moving from First World to Third. In Johannesburg, it is possible to move from First to Third and back again at will, simply by driving a few miles down a road, or by crossing a highway. The transformation is complete, entire and total -- almost like entering an airplane in one country and exiting via the stairs into another. Everything was instantly different -- the buildings, the signage, the colour of the people, the poverty, the way the cars drove, the smells, the dust. I liken it to flying from Washington DC to Accra on a direct flight. Moving Back to Jamaica is not very different.

Jamaican Dead Yard - A True Story
When our 5-month-old grandson, Jaheim Miller died the entire town went into mourning, and as is the Jamaican custom, undertook a "dead yard" process that lasted most of a week. Dead yard is a kind of public wake, to help the family and the community come to grips with their grief. Friends, neighbours, and well-wishers come by every night for sound system music, dominoes, drink, smoke, and food; and they stay, very late into the night. The night before the funeral is the biggest dead yard celebration. Everybody shows up -- even all the taxi drivers who ply the road to town. In our case, because of this particularly tragic death, hundreds of people showed up. And the story ran in the Gleaner and the Mirror, so wherever we went in MoBay people seemed to know. I was amazed at the universal outpouring of condolence and support. The saying, "It takes a village," could never be more true than it is here.

Tenement Yard Part 3 - Hard-Aze Pickenies.
Ever since infancy, things seemed ‘weird’ with Kyman. He would n ever show any interest in the stuff little boys his age like, but rather he loved to play with girl-toys and act ‘girlie girlie’ every ‘live long day". His mother Miriam, has been trying relentlessly to curve his ways, but ‘no bra-ba, nuh him’ and now she has to put up with all the stigma, taunts and teases.

The Story of the Jamaica Easter Tradition From The Hot Cross Buns
Most people probably don’t realize that hot cross buns pre-date the Jamaican bun and cheese and led to their popularity. Sometimes called Easter buns, they are a big part of Jamaican culture, just like several other representative foods such as saltfish or ackee.

Living in a Tenement Yard - Part 1
‘Tenement Yard,’ is not included in my Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. I have had this dictionary from ‘Wappy kill Fillo’ and so it may very well be in a newer edition. I nonetheless came across a similar word. It is Tenement House—n: an apartment house used as a dwelling...one meeting minimum standards of sanitation, safety & comfort and occupied by poorer families...usually in a city.”

The Hero of Fern Gully - A True Story
The red Hyundai Atos sedan was struggling uphill along the winding narrow road of the Fern Gully heading towards Moneague and away from the resort town of Ocho Rios. Behind it, a stream of headlights seemed to be concentrated on the small vehicle as the driver turns off the A/C in the hope that its tiny engine would realize a little more power.

Photo Essay: The Kite
In this photo essay Jamaicans.com webmaster, Xavier Murphy, takes you on a kite making adventure from his October 2006 visit to Jamaica. His search for a traditional Jamaican kite has ended....

Domino ...." A Big Sinting Abroad."
This month our senior writer, kharl Daley, tell us about the Dominoes leages in Canada bringing Caribbean nationals together.

Why am I so proud to be Jamaican?
This month Karen Lee tells us why she is proud to be Jamaican. She explains some of the things people with Jamaican heritage have accomplished.

Thank y'u Poopah Gezas, Summer is finally here.
The wintry months for Jamaicans in Toronto can be very dreary especially after the yuletide season.

So You Think You’ve Eaten Dog - Letters from a Jamaican in China
ShellyAnn Wauchope a Jamaican Teacher living in China shares her experiences in monthly letters. In this month's letter she talks about the stereotype of the Chinese eating dogs.