" (Unity among many cultures and races.) National Flower -- Lignum Vitae Other names are palo santo, greenheart, and of course ironwood (one of many). National Bird -- Doctor Bird Doctor Bird is a long-tailed hummingbird. The Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) is the national tree of Jamaica. National Dish Ackee fruit Ackee Flower Ackee oil makes an important contribution to the diet of many Jamaicans. Jamaican dollar The dollar has been the currency of Jamaica since 1969. It is divided into 100 cents. The history Jamaica was inhabited by Arawak Indians when Columbus explored it in 1494 and named it St. Iago. Traditions New Year's Day in Jamaica is a grand celebration time with festive parties and colorful fireworks shows. Famous "Johnkankus" parades and masquerades mark is an age-old New Year tradition of
J. Patterson described the situation as ,, a national challenge of unprecedented proportions". In 2005, Jamaica had 1674 murders for a murder rate of 58 per 100 000 people. It's terrible. That year, Jamaica had the highest murder rate in the world. In November 2008, Jamaica's parliament voted to retain the death penalty, which is performed by hanging. In 2008 was widespread by private citizens homosexuals. Homosexuality is illegal in Jamaica, incurring a prison sentence. Many Jamaicans are intersex people, and several mob attacks agains bisexual people have been reported. Attacks on bisexual people are even encouraged in some popular Jamaican dancehall songs that have been called murder music. The country has been called ,,the most homophobic place on earth". Sport Sport has a very important part in Jamaica. The island's athletes tend to perform to a standrad well above what might ordinarily be expected of such a small country.
containing the nation-states of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica is the fifth- largest island country in the Caribbean. The indigenous people, the Taíno, called it Xaymacain Arawakan. meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs". Jamaica Marcus Garvey, Father of the Back to Africa Movement and Jamaica's first National Hero. Language The official language of Jamaica is English. Jamaicans primarily speak an English- African Creole language known as Jamaican Patois, which has become known widely through the spread of Reggae music. Jamaican Patois was formed from a base of mainly English words with elements of re-formed grammar, together with a little vocabulary from African languages and Native American words. Some archaic features are reminiscent of Irish English. Reggae Bob Marley, the most famous reggae artist from Jamaica. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JhwxTen6yA
· Appelton Jamaica started in 1749 and is the second oldest rum maker in the world behind Mount Gay Distilleries of Barbados. Jamaican rum and others from the Caribbean are of optimum quality. · Rum-Jamaicans use rum as a healing remedy for just about anything a bout with the flu, asthma, headaches or other ailments, ward off evil or to spice up our classic Jamaican rum punch. · Rum is added as that extra ingredient that
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