amjamin

Taino Heritage by Norma Rodney-Harrack Taking a cue from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once said, “Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.” ’Tis a journey embracing the supreme being in its forms and manifestations. A mosaic of multicultural entities, Jamaica is home to as many denominations and beliefs, some potently evident, others subtle ­ like a spice mix, which exudes aromas and flavours of the island. ‘Explorations II: Religion and Spirituality’ seeks to explore those diversities, laying before creative conversations, expressions and interpretations of the two entities that are sacredly intertwined. “The series explores major themes in Jamaican art, and in the National Art Collection,” informed O’Neil Lawrence, senior curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica. “It aims to engage, in new, more exploratory ways with the artistic and cultural history of Jamaica.” Ancestral...

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...