amjamin

Tassa Drum Let's take a trip, to a land far away in the east where mysticism, hues, romance, aromas and paradoxes run on steroids India, the mere mention of this land transcends one's mind, body and soul into mythical spheres. In the Caribbean, India and Indian-ness are an integral part of the region's social and cultural fabric, hints of which are potent and fragrant as the spices of the land are perhaps not visible on the surface but deeply embedded in the way of life. Turning the clocks back to a sunny afternoon of May 10, 1845 S.S. Blundell Hunter anchored in Old Harbour Bay aboard were 200 men, 28 women and 33 children making journey from India it is recorded that first Indian to set foot on Jamaican soil was a man named Parmeshwar (meaning Supreme Being or God). These were the first Indian immigrants to Jamaica. The Indian presence in Jamaica would grow with recruitment for another 70 years, as some 36,400 immigrants made the four-month long journey ...

Published: Friday | December 26, 2008 "As far back as I can remember there had been no better time than Christmas," says Asha Mohansingh, who has been immersed in the season's festivities since her childhood. "We go to our grandparents in Clarendon on Christmas Day, where the usual festivities abound," says Mohansingh. Hints of Indianness Christmas, which follows Diwali (the Hindu Festival of Lights), has become an integral part of Indian culture in Jamaica. The season, though, has the flavour that their forefathers brought from India. "There are hints of Indian-ness in the festivities," Mohansingh says. "The most visible aspect of Indian-ness is in the cuisine; my grandmother would lay an elaborate fare," she says. The spread includes different kinds of rotis, curry goat, curry chicken and sweets. "There would also be the chicken roast and baked chicken to add the Jamaican touch," Mohansingh says. Beyond r...