{"id":783,"date":"2015-11-05T00:47:16","date_gmt":"2015-11-05T00:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/islandoutpost.com\/outpostings\/?p=783"},"modified":"2023-10-16T18:47:39","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T18:47:39","slug":"jamaican-stereotypes-arent-true","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.islandoutpost.com\/outpostings\/2015\/11\/05\/jamaican-stereotypes-arent-true\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamaican Stereotypes and Why They Aren\u2019t True"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jamaicans all smoke too much ganja. They only listen to reggae. Everyone is a rasta. These are common stereotypes\u2014and they are simply not true. Here are seven lies we\u2019ve heard again and again, and why you shouldn\u2019t believe them. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/strong>1. Kingston is dangerous:<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Sure, there are areas in Kingston that are less than glamorous, but the same goes for any city, country or island in the world. Avoiding Kingston would mean missing out on a chance to dig deeper into the cultural DNA of the island. You wouldn\u2019t get to visit the <\/span>Institute of Jamaica<\/span><\/a>, an organization that is dedicated to furthering and preserving Jamaica\u2019s heritage. You would skip the freshly cooked i-tal meal at <\/span>IBO SPICE<\/span><\/a>\u2014the guava drink alone is worth a trip. And you wouldn\u2019t witness the beautifully painted murals along Fleet Street. In short: You wouldn\u2019t be seeing the real Jamaica.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/strong>2. Everyone is a Rastafarian.<\/b><\/p>\n

The Rastafarian religion is not even the most popular religious affiliation on the island\u2014it\u2019s actually a minority. According to the most recent census, less than one percent of the 2.7 million people living in Jamaica identify as Rastafarian. The leading religion affiliations are: Church of God (24%), Seventh-day Adventist (11%), Pentecostal (10%) and Baptist (7%). PS: Having dreadlocks does not make someone a Rasta!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Jamaican people aren\u2019t friendly.<\/b><\/p>\n

The drive down the Blue Mountain Hills in Kingston is long and winding. \u201cI hadn\u2019t expected everyone to be so warm and friendly,\u201d said photographer Daniela Spector, on her first trip to Jamaica this summer. \u201cAs we were driving down the hill, everyone would honk and wave at each other. It was so nice to see, especially coming from New York City. I enjoyed waving back, actually!\u201d      <\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/strong>4. Everyone smokes marijuana.<\/b><\/p>\n

Every T-shirt, snow globe and souvenir at the airport gift shop would lead you to believe that the cannabis plant is the unofficial logo of Jamaica, and that everyone on the island partakes. First of all, marijuana is not legal (yet!). The government did recently pass the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015, which decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana. Not every citizen smokes marijuana\u2014and the reasons for not indulging vary from religion to personal convictions. Bottom line: Don\u2019t assume that because someone is Jamaican, they must smoke cannabis.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. All Jamaicans are fast runners.<\/b><\/p>\n

We love that the world recognizes Jamaica as a nation of fast runners, but we are talented in other areas. We\u2019re looking at you, <\/span>Marlon James<\/span><\/a>, recent winner of the Man Booker Prize. By the way, the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, claims that his secret weapon for shattering world-records is\u2026 wait for it…yams. The next time you are in Jamaica, try our yams and see if your time improves.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6. Jamaicans only listen to reggae.<\/b><\/p>\n

Deep in the mountains you\u2019ll hear a sound system blasting Shania Twain\u2019s \u201cYou\u2019re Still The One.\u201d Turn on the radio in Jamaica and you will hear Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift. Yes, we love reggae, but it is one of many genres we listen to.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

7. There is no real sense of community.<\/b><\/p>\n

Anyone who believes there is no sense of community in Jamaica hasn\u2019t visited <\/span>Jamnesia<\/span><\/a>\u2014a youth-focused surfing enclave in Kingston\u2014or watched an episode of \u201c<\/span>Talk Up Yout<\/span><\/a>,\u201d a media platform for teenagers and young adults. Series creator Emprezz Goulding has spent years creating a safe haven for the island\u2019s youth. The fishermen of the Oracabessa Bay, who banded together to help save the coral reefs, serve as further proof of community and philanthropy. Jamaica is one giant community, and we would love to welcome you into the fold.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image courtesy of Adrian Boot <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jamaicans all smoke too much ganja. They only listen to reggae. Everyone is a rasta. These are common stereotypes\u2014and they are simply not true. Here are seven lies we\u2019ve heard again and again, and why you shouldn\u2019t believe them. 1. Kingston is dangerous: Sure, there are areas in Kingston that are less than glamorous, but the same goes for any city, country or island in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":160,"featured_media":830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jamaica"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Are the Jamaican Stereotypes and Why They Aren't True<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jamaicans only smoke ganja and listen to reggae. Everyone is a rasta. Are these common stereotypes really true? 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