St Patrick’s High School &

Junior College

Commonwealth Youth Games

2008

• Island of Jamaica• Flag of Jamaica• Map of Jamaica• Political Map of Jamaica• Jamaica (introduction)• National Symbols• History• Geography• Economy

• Education

•Culture

•Customs & Tradition

•Religion

•Language

•Sports

•Beaches

•Food

Island Of Jamaica

Flag of JamaicaThe flag of Jamaica was

adopted on August 6, 1962 which was the original Jamaican Independence Day. The flag consists of the color green, gold, and black. The present design emerged from those sent in by the public in a national competition It was originally designed with horizontal stripes, but this was considered too similar to the Tanganyikan flag, and so the saltier was substituted. Black, green, and yellow are Pan-African colors.

Map of Jamaica

Political Map of Jamaica

JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometers(145 mi) in length and as much as 80 kilometers(50 mi) in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 145 kilometers (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 190 kilometers (120 mi) west of the island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are situated Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water", or the "Land of Springs".[1] Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada.

National Symbols

National Bird — Doctor Bird (Green-and-black Streamertail, Trochilus polytmus)

National Flower — Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinale) National Tree — Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) National Dish — Ackee and (dried salted Cod)

National Motto — "Out of Many, One People." (Unity among many cultures

History

The Arawak and Taino indigenous people originating from South America settled on the island between 4000 and 1000 BC. When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1494 there was already an established government with a Cacique or chief as the head who was supported by a group of nobles. In addition the island was divided into districts and

regional chiefdoms. The Taino population was largely increasing when the Spanish arrived. Although some claim they became virtually extinct following contact with Europeans, others claim that they survived for a while. It has been proposed[by whom?] that the Taino bloodline has been absorbed into the population

. The Jamaican National Heritage Trust is attempting to locate and document any evidence of the Taino/Arawaks. [2]

Geography

• Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean, and the most populous English-speaking island in that region. The island of Jamaica is home to the Blue Mountains inland, and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns and cities are located on the coast. Chief towns and cities include the capital Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Ríos, Port Antonio, and Montego Bay.

• The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather, although higher inland regions have a more temperate climate. Some regions on the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains are relatively dry rain-shadow areas. Jamaica lies in the hurricane belt of the Atlantic Ocean; as a result, the island sometimes experiences significant storm damage. Hurricanes Charlie and Gilbert hit Jamaica directly in 1951 and 1988, respectively, causing major damage, destruction, and many deaths. In the 2000s, hurricanes Ivan, Dean, and Gustav also brought severe weather to the island.

Geography

Economy

Jamaica is a mixed economy with state enterprises as well as private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and financial and insurance services. Tourism and mining are the leading foreign exchange earners. Supported by multilateral financial institutions, Jamaica has, since the early 1980s, sought to implement structural reforms aimed at fostering private sector activity and increasing the role of market forces in resource allocation. Since 1991, the Government has followed a programmed of economic

Education

The emancipation of the slaves heralded in establishment of the Jamaican education system for the masses. Prior to emancipation there were few schools for educating locals. Many sent their children off to England to access quality education. After emancipation the West Indian Commission granted a sum of money to establish Elementary Schools, now known as All Age Schools. This was the genesis of the modern Jamaican school system: Presently the following categories of schools exist Early childhood – Basic, Infant and privately operated pre- school. Age cohort – 1 – 5 years. Primary – Publicly and privately owned (Privately owned being called Preparatory Schools). Ages 5 – 10 years. Secondary – Publicly and privately owned. Ages 10 –18 years. The high schools in Jamaica may be either single-sex or co-educational institutions, and many schools follow

Culture

Though a small nation, Jamaica is rich in culture, and has a strong global presence. The musical genres reggae, ska, mento, rocksteady, dub, and, more recently, dancehall and ragga all originated in the island's vibrant popular urban recording industry. Jamaica also played an important role in the development of punk rock, through reggae and ska. Reggae has also influenced American rap music, as they both share their roots as rhythmic, African styles of music. Some rappers, such as the Notorious B.I.G., were of Jamaican descent.

Culture

• Paintings

• Myal Dance Of Jamaica

• Music

Music

ReligionChristians make up 65.3% of Jamaica's population, with the majority being Protestant,[11] partly due to the influence of the Christian leadership in the British Anti-Slavery Society,[12] and the later influence of abolitionist denominations from the U.S. In spite of resistance by the slave owners,[13] the Christian faith spread rapidly as British Christian abolitionists and educated former slaves[14] joined local Jamaican Christian leaders[15][16][17] in the struggle against slavery. Today, the five largest denominations in Jamaica are: Church of God, Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal and Anglican.[18]The Rastafari movement was founded in Jamaica. This Back to Africa movement believes that Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was God incarnate, the returned black messiah, come to take the lost Twelve Tribes of Israel back to live with him in Holy Mount Zion in a world of perfect peace, love and harmony. Bob Marley, a convert to the faith, spread the message of Rastafari to the world. There are now estimated to be more than a million Rastafarians throughout the world.Other non-Christian religions in Jamaica include Bahá'í, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.[19] There is also a small population of Jews, about 200, who describe themselves as Liberal-Conservative.[20] The first Jews in Jamaica trace their roots back to early 15th century Spain and Portugal.[21][edit] Culture

•The official language of Jamaica is English. Informally Jamaican Patois (pronounced is more commonly spoken by a majority of the population. Although British English or "The Queen's English" is the most obvious influence on patois, it includes words and syntax from various African languages (namely Akan, Igbo, Wolof and Twi);[9] other European languages (Spanish, Portuguese, and French); Pre-Columbian Caribbean languages (Arawakan); and Asian languages (Hindi, Hake and Cantonese) which is evidence of the long standing mixing of the people. In general, patois differs from English in pronunciation, grammar, nominal orthography and syntax, having many intonations to indicate meaning and mood. The language's characteristics include pronouncing /θ/ as [t] and /ð/ as [d], and omitting some initial consonant sounds, principally /h/. For example, the word "there" is pronounced .A number of linguists classify Jamaican Patois as a separate language, while others consider it to be a dialect of English.

LANGUAGE

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Usain Bolt of Jamaica won three gold medals and broke the World Records for the 100 and 200 meters sprint races respectively. 400 m hurdler Melaine Walker, won a gold medal and broke the Olympic record time in her event. Veronica Campbell-Brown successfully defended her 200 m title when she claimed gold. Shelly-Ann Fraser won gold in the women's 100 m sprint, with her team mates Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson coming in joint second for two silver medals.

SPORTS

Continue………….The Jamaican men's 4 x 100 metres relay team consisting of Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter passed the finishing line in a World Record time of 37.10 seconds. This was 0.3 seconds quicker than the previous record set by the American relay team in 1992 and 1993, the margin is equivalent to three meters. Overall, the Jamaican 2008 Olympics team finished with a rank of 13 out of 204 competing nations. The 11 medals consisted of 6 gold, 3 silvers and 2 bronze. Jamaicans, in general, have a large interest in sports. Cricket, Football (soccer), athletics and horse-racing are several popular sports. The Jamaican national cricket team competes regionally, and also provides players for the West Indies. The national football team qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Beaches• The BEACHES  are probably the

most popular part of Jamaica with our guests. The village of Negril on our west coast boasts seven miles of white sand beach. All other resort areas also have there own mix of rugged coastline and spectacular white sand or black sand beaches.  Tour our island and pick conch from the shoreline, snorkle or dive along our beautiful reefs, leap from our exquisite cliffs into the blue Caribbean Sea.

• In recent years marine parks have been set up in major tourist areas to protect the Coral Reefs, these initiatives have been quite successful in guaranteeing a future for our most valuable underwater resource.

1.Ackee Dip INGREDIENTS :

2 Cups boiled ackee 2 ½  tbsps grated cheddar cheese 2 table spoons onion ½ tsp lemon juice Salt and hot pepper to taste

METHOD:Mash ackee Combine and mix with other ingredients Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3  hours before serve Serve on Jamaican crackers or crumpets.

JAMAICAN FOOD

INGREDIENTS : 1 medium rib eye , 1 small onion, 2 gloves

garlic , Thyme ,Scallion, Crushed pimiento seeds , ½ hot scotch bonnet pepper , Pick-a-

pepper sauce , Paprika , Corn starch , Soy Sauce , Ketchup, Oil , Salt & Black pepper

METHOD:Dice all seasoning and mix with a little pick-

a-pepper sauce and salt. Make small holes in roast and stuff the mix seasoning in the holes, all around, leaving enough seasoning to make gravy. Heat oil in skillet, shake excess seasoning off. Add meat. Cook over medium heat, turning constantly to prevent sticking. Let it brown on each side. Do not add a lot of water.

2.Stuffed Roast Beef

INGREDIENTS : 1 medium rib eye , 1 small onion, 2 gloves

garlic , Thyme ,Scallion, Crushed pimiento seeds , ½ hot scotch bonnet pepper , Pick-a-

pepper sauce , Paprika , Corn starch , Soy Sauce , Ketchup, Oil , Salt & Black pepper

INGREDIENTS :1 Cup Hominy Corn ,2 cups

Coconut milk (Skim milk can substitute) ,3-5 cups water, 3 tablespoons flour 6 tablespoons water , 1/2 tsp. salt ,brown sugar to taste ,1 teaspoon nutmeg to taste ,vanilla - optional METHOD:

Put the Hominy corn in a slow cooker and fill with 3-5 cups water and leave for 5-6 hours (or Overnight). Be sure the Hominy corn is completely submerged and there is enough water to leave it overnight. If you do not have a slow cooker you can leave hominy corn to soak in water overnight. Pour coconut milk in a pot and boil on a medium/high burner Drain the water from the corn Mix the 3 tablespoons of flour and 6 tablespoons of water together to make a paste. Sprinkle nutmeg to taste Continue cooking and let it simmer over low heat.

3.Hominy Corn Porridge

Cuisine

Ackee Dip

Gizzada

Stuffed Roast Beef

Hominy Corn Porridge

Roast Breadfruit

Fried Green Plantains

[edit] Parishes

Main article: Parishes of Jamaica

                                                                

Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes, which are grouped into three historic counties that have no administrative relevance.

Cornwall CountyMiddlesex County Surrey County

1 Hanover 6 Clarendon 11 Kingston

2 Saint Elizabeth 7 Manchester 12 Portland

3 Saint James 8 Saint Ann 13 Saint Andrew

4 Trelawny 9 Saint Catherine 14 Saint Thomas

5 Westmoreland 10 Saint Mary