History

History, Rivers

Jamaica’s Living Veins: The Sacred, Scenic, and Storied Rivers of the Land of Wood and Water

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Jamaica, affectionately called Xaymaca by the island’s first inhabitants—the Taino—means “Land of Wood and Water.” Few places in the Caribbean embody this name as powerfully as Jamaica, with over 120 rivers flowing through its valleys, cascading down its mountains, and weaving into the daily lives, heritage, and identity of its people. From the north coast’s rafting havens to the south’s hidden freshwater gems, rivers in Jamaica are not merely natural resources—they are lifelines, witnesses to rebellion, channels of commerce, and gateways to adventure.

History, News

A Third City for Jamaica: Prime Minister Holness Announces Bold Urban Development in St. Elizabeth

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In a historic move set to redefine Jamaica’s urban and economic landscape, Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative — the creation of Jamaica’s third city — to be purposefully built in the parish of St. Elizabeth. This transformative project, revealed during the grand opening of KFC Black River on July 26, 2025, signals a new chapter in national development and promises to shift the axis of progress to the island’s often-overlooked south coast.

History, Out of Many One People

Out of India, Into Jamaica: The Undeniable Legacy of Indo-Jamaicans

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Jamaica is often praised for its national motto: Out of Many, One People. This phrase doesn’t merely echo patriotic sentiment — it encapsulates the nation’s deep and complex multicultural identity. As of 2024, Jamaica’s demographic makeup is approximately 76.3% of African descent, 15.1% Afro-European (mixed), 3.4% East Indian and Afro-East Indian, 3.2% Caucasian (White), 1.2% Chinese, and 0.8% Other. Among these groups, Indo-Jamaicans — descendants of Indian indentured labourers and later migrants — represent the largest ethnic minority in the country, critical in Jamaican culture. 

History, Rastafarianism

Haile Selassie, Marcus Garvey, and the Rise of Rastafarianism

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Among the many powerful and world-shaping stories in the African diaspora, few have fused prophecy, kingship, resistance, and faith quite like the spiritual connection between Haile Selassie I, Marcus Garvey, and the birth of Rastafarianism.

Rooted in the Black struggle for identity, dignity, and liberation, this story stretches from the hills of Jamaica to the highlands of Ethiopia—linking ancient royal lineage to modern political resistance, and transforming how generations of Africans and their descendants see themselves and their Creator.

This is not just the tale of a man becoming king. It is the spiritual awakening of a people—a movement that redefined God, Africa, and destiny through Black eyes and Black voices.

History

George Stiebel: The Rise of Jamaica’s First Black Millionaire and the Legacy of Devon House

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In the 19th century, a man of mixed heritage defied the odds, amassed a fortune from the rugged frontiers of South America, and etched his name in Jamaica’s history. That man was George Stiebel (c.1821–1896) — a trader, investor, and visionary entrepreneur, remembered today as Jamaica’s first Black millionaire. But behind the wealth lies a layered story of privilege, resilience, ambition, and legacy — one that still captivates Jamaicans and historians alike.

History, Jamaican Ancestry

From Asante to Maroon: The African Roots of the Jamaican People

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The majority of Jamaicans are descendants of Africans forcibly brought to the island between the 17th and 19th centuries during the transatlantic slave trade. Although European slave traders grouped them as “Africans,” these men, women, and children came from a range of distinct ethnic groups, nations, and cultures across West and Central Africa. The largest contributions came from the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana), the Bight of Biafra (primarily Nigeria), and West-Central Africa (especially Congo and Angola regions).

History

Chains of Empire: Who Enabled the Slave Trade and Why It Happened – A Deeper Look into Jamaica’s African Origins

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Jamaica’s African heritage is not accidental—it is the result of centuries of calculated, systemic exploitation known as the transatlantic slave trade. This wasn’t a tragedy that “just happened.” It was a deliberate global enterprise, engineered by powerful economic and political forces, and supported by local African collaborators, European elites, and colonial administrators alike.

To understand why enslaved Africans were brought to Jamaica and who allowed it to happen, we must pull back the curtain on a vast, brutal machinery that turned human lives into currency, empires into superpowers, and Africa into a bleeding continent.

History

Mountains, Maroons, and the Might of Cudjoe

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Long before Jamaica gained independence in 1962, freedom was already being carved into the island’s mountainous heart by self-liberated Africans who refused to bow to colonial chains. At the forefront of this fierce resistance stood Captain Cudjoe — a warrior, strategist, and the legendary leader of the Leeward Maroons. His legacy is one of defiance, diplomacy, and deep ancestral pride. Known also as Codjoe, Cudjo, or Kojo (an Akan name given to boys born on Monday), this Jamaican hero helped shape a unique chapter in Caribbean history — one written not by colonial rulers but by the blood, courage, and determination of a free African people.

History

Garnet Silk: The Messenger, the Martyr, the Voice of a Nation

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On a warm Jamaican night in December 1994, a house went up in flames in Mandeville. Inside that house were two souls — one an elder, Etiga Dulcie Grey, and the other, a son, a prophet, a beloved voice of a generation: Garnet Silk. The world lost more than just a singer that night. It lost a man sent to heal, to uplift, to guide. It lost a voice that could cradle sorrow and summon joy in the same breath. It lost a light that burned too brightly to last long.