Catching the Rhythm

If there is one thing I've learned in the six plus months that I've been on island is that rhythm is a huge part of life here. Music pumps out of speakers at high volume, the bass turned up enough that you can feel it to your bones.

The speech of Jamaicans is also highly influenced by rhythm. Listening to the chatter of Jamaican patois (or Jamaican creole) is a music unto itself. Movement and body language also play a huge part in expression here.

So "catching the rhythm" is a vital part of blending into the culture. The way you walk, talk, and act shows how much you are willing to learn about the culture you are living in. When I attempt to "chat patois" I may get a lot of laughs, but I also get a lot of respect for trying.

There have been a number of times lately that a person has assumed I was Jamaican (at least until I said something--then my American accent gives me away). Of course there are still plenty of times where I'm called "whitey" (a term for foreigners usually) as I walk down the street. But I don't mind it too much. After all it is the truth (I'm white and foreign). :)

Returning to rhythm...

Today I had the joy of attending the Manchester Red Cross Association's first Drum Vibes event. It was basically a concert with a drum group and band from another parish, a local drama group, a saxaphonist, and a few local dignitaries. I went with some other volunteers (and saw a few of my Jamaican friends there). It was a blast. The drummers were amazing. They performed many songs from Jamaica's cultural history and often took turns dancing during their perfomances. All the performers were great, and they all had us dancing, clapping and having a good time. It was definately a good day. Made better by the fact that my internet connection is back up and working (it went down yesterday morning). So I get to update my blog. :)