¶ … Right with Jamaica

Jamaica is a unique mixture of cultural influences, historical circumstances and different ethnicities. The country has a truly fascinating past; if you want to know Jamaica, you have to approach it with an open mind, and a genuine desire to leave prejudice behind.

Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most intriguing and interesting aspects of Jamaica is its spirituality. Jamaicans have adopted several forms of spirituality embodied in an impressive number of denominations, and all of them are reflected in the country's diverse and unique culture. However, apart from Christian religions, Rastafari is the "local" religion of the island. Rastafarians believe in the cultivation of the inner spirit, and the detachment from exterior appearance, or material goods. The Rastafari religion was born as an alternative to Christian and non-Christian white-oriented religions which were dominant on the island at the beginning of the twentieth century. It promotes the existence of the inner self, as well as meditation. The culture associated with the religion has become very popular all over the world, and has spread to many regions of the globe.

Religion has also influenced several artistic manifestations in Jamaica. Music is undoubtedly the most prominent example. Reggae is the most well-known style of music coming from Jamaica, but there are many other styles which were generated by Jamaican folk music which in turn, was a result of African influence which has always been present on the island. Dancehall is another popular style. Dance is also a very important local cultural product; celebrations and are oftentimes accompanied by dance and costumes.

However, one cannot talk about Jamaica without referring to sports. There are several popular sports on the island such as football, cricket and basketball, to name just a few. Nonetheless, Jamaicans excel at track and field; Jamaica's success started in 1948 when Jamaica's first track Gold Medalist, Dr. Authur Wint won the 400m in the Olympics, and has continued through to this day.