Mishka Cramer | GCU 114 |

Cultural Diversity
JAMAICA

Loss of Cultural Diversity

Jamaica is a very diverse country. It is both culturally diverse and biologically diverse as
well. The culture stems mostly from the African culture due to the slaves that were
brought there during the time of the slave trade. The culture is also influenced by certain
British traditions due to being under British rule for many years. There are certain
traditions that were acquired on their own. Jamaicas motto is, Out of Many, One
People. This means that there are many different people living on the island that are
from different backgrounds, but they are all one. This motto welcomes different people
and shows unity between the country and its people.
Although the culture is very diverse, there are some issues that are faced. One
issue that is being faced is the loss of cultural diversity. Because of the size and
population of the country, everything is close knit. Many people are used to things being
a certain way and they are stuck in a certain mindset. An article titled, Understanding the
Jamaican Cultural Environment states, There are a number of cultural indicators which
help us determine the cultural heritage and cultural expression of a people. The major
ones are: ethnicity, social class, religion, education, and language. All the major topics
stated in the article are all things that contribute to the loss of cultural diversity. Most of
the population is used to a certain way of life. This can be seen as positive because they
are very traditional. However, this can also be viewed as negative because individual are
not welcoming other cultures.
The loss of culture itself within the country contributes to the loss of cultural
diversity. African traditions are not evident in the Jamaica culture. For example, when the
African slaves were brought to Jamaica, they would tell stories and these would passed

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down from generation to generation. The article Jamaican Culture states, Folk lore can
often be cited as a part of Jamaican tradition however folk lore is stories and ballads
passed down through the generations Due to technology and loss of culture, this is not
something that is very common any more. Another factor that contributes to the loss of
culture is migration. Many Jamaicans migrate to different countries for various reasons.
Alex Glennie and Laura Chappell state, The Caribbean has a long history as a migration
hub, with many of its inhabitants having sought employment opportunities by moving
either within the region or to a number of key receiving countries, including the United
States, Canada, and former colonial powers such as the United Kingdom and France.
Due to the large amount of people migrating to other countries, they adapt to those
cultures and lose some of their own culture.
Since it is evident that there is a loss of a culture, there has been many efforts to
preserve the culture. Jamaicas Minister of Youth and Culture states that Jamaica should
preserve its culture because it is an area that can benefit the growth of the economy.
There are organizations such as the Heritage Clubs of Jamaica and the National Heritage
trust, whos goal it is to preserve the countrys culture and heritage. The loss of culture is
also evident in school. The assistant general manager of the Jamaica National Building
Society states, There was once a sense of dignity and pride that came along with being a
Jamaican, which defined us as someone aspiring to great heights and was willing to work
hard to achieve economic and social progress. Very often today, the history of Jamaica is
not being taught to our children and so they are growing up with little or no appreciation
of the struggles which have allowed us to reach where we are today as a nation. Political

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leaders and members of the board of education are urging to bring back cultural diversity
in schools.
There are many areas that contribute to the loss of cultural diversity. Some of
these issues are being addressed and also improving. There are however some issues that
are still at risk. Jamaica is culturally diverse in some areas but it is also lacking some of
its diversity due to social influences, migration, and education. It is important that these
issues are recognized and solved before they propose a bigger problem than they already
have.

Work Cited
Braham, A. (2014, May 9). Students Urged to Help Highlight and Preserve CultureJamaica Information Service. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
Glennie, A., & Chappell, L. (2010, June 16). Jamaica: From Diverse Beginning to
Diaspora in the Developed World. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
Jamaican Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015.
O'Meally- Nelson, B. (n.d.). Understanding the Jamaican Cultural Environment.
Retrieved November 19, 2015.

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