Thanksgiving is not a Jamaican holiday but many Jamaicans in the US have become accustomed to celebrating this holiday every November 26th. Some Jamaicans in the homeland love to travel to the United States at this time of year, to celebrate Thanksgiving with family members.
While I don’t like changing our Jamaican cultural celebrations, and while I don’t like to pretend that we are Americans therefore not needing to copy everything Americans do, I wonder though if giving thanks with our families and friends in Jamaica is not a good idea. Could there not be a day, a week, a month, set aside to focus on the goodness of home and family?
I am not saying we share the same history as any other country, or that we need to copy the American holiday. We had some other visitors to our shores but I don’t remember them being pilgrims. What I am saying is, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a Thanksgiving something, to focus on being grateful for what we do have on the island. Things are not the best for everybody, we have a lot of complaints, but if Jamaicans are to copy something, it should be the idea of giving thanks.
While I don’t like changing our Jamaican cultural celebrations, and while I don’t like to pretend that we are Americans therefore not needing to copy everything Americans do, I wonder though if giving thanks with our families and friends in Jamaica is not a good idea. Could there not be a day, a week, a month, set aside to focus on the goodness of home and family?
I am not saying we share the same history as any other country, or that we need to copy the American holiday. We had some other visitors to our shores but I don’t remember them being pilgrims. What I am saying is, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a Thanksgiving something, to focus on being grateful for what we do have on the island. Things are not the best for everybody, we have a lot of complaints, but if Jamaicans are to copy something, it should be the idea of giving thanks.
To say there are some things to be thankful for in Jamaica is probably and understatement for most. Everybody at home or abroad can think of even one thing we are grateful for as a Jamaicans, or because of Jamaica. I can think of many but here are a few…
With curried goat, rice an peas, soda, and all foods Jamaican, we would have many thankful celebrations. Irie!
Sandra Campbell –Notice
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@talkpatois
www.facebook.bluemountainrhythms.com
- The amazing weather. I didn’t know I would appreciate it until I moved to New York and experience a blizzard.
- All of the food in Jamaica. Again I didn’t know I would even like food until I got to New York. Pizza was not it!
- Family and community. I miss the family life I had in Jamaica and the people in the community who at least said “Good Morning” when they saw you.
- I am grateful that I lived in the country (rural area of St. Thomas) where I could see the Blue Mountain every day.
- Jamaica provided me with emotional safety because I saw many people who looked like me everyday. I still want to scream and thank God every time I arrive at any Jamaican airport, because I am so grateful to see my people…but I get frighten thinking they may haul me away to jail (you know the times we live in).
With curried goat, rice an peas, soda, and all foods Jamaican, we would have many thankful celebrations. Irie!
Sandra Campbell –Notice
[email protected]
@talkpatois
www.facebook.bluemountainrhythms.com