The histories of Jamaica and the United States have been intertwined from before English and Spanish colonialism and after we won our freedom from England. Happy birthday to the USA. From the earliest times, Arawak and Taino people traveled and traded with what would become the Southern United States. Free Taino emigrated to Virginia in the 17th century (under the protection of Dutch traders) and free Jamaicans were some of the first Black settler/owners in what would become New York. The connections between the US and Jamaica have continued, with the US being of the first countries to establish diplomaticRead More →

photo of red boxes

Like so many others, Jamaican culture has always revolved around the hearth – the warm embrace of home and care and nurturing and family. The hearth is the first thing tended in the morning and the last thing rested in the evening. It is where we find sustenance, where we find community and where we celebrate. It has been a long year for all of us. It’s been a year of stress, trepidation, fear, and for some of us sadness and separation. The capital ‘H’ hearth – the one we all know and remember in our minds be it aRead More →