Book Review - 'Jamaica Fi Real'? ... definitely!

The following article published, last week in the Arts and Education section, is being republished because a technical glitch resulted in several sentences being deleted in the print edition.

• Title: Jamaica Fi Real - Beauty, Vibes and Culture
  
• Author: Kevin O'Brien Chang
  
• Reviewed by: Colin Steer

A BBC reporter not so long ago described Kingston as a "muscular, pulsating city", and Kevin O'Brien Chang's Jamaica Fi Real - Beauty, Vibes and Culture captures well, not only the throbbing vibrancy of the capital, but much of the everyday activities that contribute to the country's multilayered, multi-textured history and contemporary life.

From the ska roots of reggae to today's dancehall phenomenon, from revivalist cults to established Christian denominations, from the famed jerk meats to the ubiquitous guineps of summer, the book provides a delightful cornucopia of life on 'the rock'. It paints a rich tapestry of the various aspects of the island's culture, reinforcing without plagiarising the Jamaica Tourist Board's slogan of the late 1970s: 'We are more than a beach, we are a country'.

Although it was released to the market in the last quarter of 2010, the book is by no means stale, and should make a wonderful addition to the collection of Jamaicans at home and abroad, and for others who want a better understanding of our island.

Yet, while O'Brien Chang has provided a useful synopsis of Jamaican history - from the Tainos to Columbus, from slavery to Independence - the 238-page book does not pretend to be an authoritative academic volume likely to be targeted by tertiary students. But it does provide keen insights into our history and points to much effort on the part of the author to collate so extensive a trove of material. O'Brien Chang outlines his mission in the preface.

"This book tries to explain today's Jamaica from a Jamaican point of view, while highlighting its distinctive features. It also ponders present realities in the context of the past - history without the boring parts."

Nostalgia

Politics with all its positive and negative aggression, the country's impact on world culture, through Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, and our athletes, are all captured in succinct, digestible forms. Jamaicans living overseas will no doubt nod their heads in nostalgia as they encounter the images of an earlier time here on the rock. From Bustamante jawbone sweeties to what select contributors identify as their top 10 books, favourite food and drinks, reggae, dancehall and gospel songs, heritage sites and works of art at the National Gallery.

The lavish pictorial display of Jamaicans at work, play, worship, and in competitive sport contributes to the easy navigation for those who might "not be up to reading too much". Yet, it is in this one area that the author, editors and/or publishers may be faulted. For while the book acknowledges the ethnic 'mix-up' of the country's people, racial minorities, who have also had a positive impact on its rich and diverse culture, are under-represented.

I searched hard to find pictures of Jamaicans of Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern descent. While there is a smattering of Caucasians - predictably of women in beauty contests - the contribution of ethnic minorities into our cultural mix was somewhat understated visually, although the author acknowledged their contribution in the text. The point here is not who has contributed more than the other, but whether the vibes and culture of the island have been captured sufficiently.

Nevertheless, the author does more than a fair job of connecting the dots of the many inputs into what has made Jamaicans a delightful, cantankerous, caring, aggressive, and positive people.

Every house should have a copy, and it should make a good gift for friends and family overseas for years to come.