Eternal Father bless our land
Guide us with thy mighty hand.
Jamaica, Jamaica,
Jamaica Land we Love.
From the National Anthem

I know that it will be impossible to prove, but I do think that the words to our National Anthem must be the best in the world. Sure, every person from every country will attest that theirs is the best, but we know that it's really ours that ranks as number one. Many countries have anthems that speak of victory on the battlefield, or rousing military style music to lift the spirit, but ours speaks to the heart and soul of our very being. I'm not being sentimental, but at a time when our little island is taking a beating on the world stage, I must reflect a bit.

To be Jamaican is special, although many of our people take it for granted. It's not until they go away that they start to cling to their roots, although some do adopt the country where they now live and can't say anything good about our fair isle. I will argue with and take any criticism from any Jamaican living here, but what really irks me is when our own people after spending a few years abroad can find nothing good to say about our country. Their favourite line is, "Only in Jamaica dem tings gwaan." Then they also have all the solutions to our problems. "But why you don't do this to fix so and so, and in Atlanta this is how things run and furthermore Toronto would have solved the problem long ago'. Give me a break and stay where you are and enjoy where you are. The rest of us have survived here, and all of us do not want to leave.

We are but a speck in the Caribbean sea and in fact don't even appear on some world maps, yet the impact that we've made has surpassed that of countries many times our size. The term 'we little but we talawa' originated here, so much so that many Jamaicans actually believe that we are bigger and more important than we really are. No wonder we so boasy, no wonder we walk with the swagger of a man who thinks he owns the world, no wonder our women act as if they are the catch of the day, no wonder we stand so, loud, bellicose, effusive, fearless. Perhaps only Americans surpass us in arrogance, and that's debatable. And look at their size and history anyway.

'Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door', it is said. Well mousetrap or not, the world has beaten a path to our door, as we continue to be the focus and envy of many. Hey, no matter what, the tourists still keep coming, and they come for various reasons. The sand, sea and sun may be enticing, but I don't think that there is anywhere else in the world that people.. er make that women, actually go for sex. Tales abound of tourists coming here for .well coming, as the rent a dread phenomenon abounds. It's an open secret that our men not only have the tools, but know how to use them. Frown and scoff you may, and no disrespect to our neighbours, but I don't hear of any tourists flocking Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Antigua for that sort of activity. It's strictly Jamaican, and it's because we're special that they come here. Some people might not like to admit it, but it's a fact.

No other music has reached the world like ours, and if you doubt me go to any of the far reaches of the world and say that you're Jamaican. 'So, you're Jamaican you say. do you know Bob Marley?' If I was given a dollar for each time I was asked that question I'd be a rich man. It matters not where you go, our music is there. Walk the back streets of Cuba, France, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Ireland, Greece, South Africa, and you'll hear reggae music being played. As for Japan, the land of the rising sun, they have embraced reggae as if it was a part of their history, even staging an event called Japan Splash to emulate our Reggae Sunsplash. So much so that many a Japanese band and sound system will put our home based bands and systems to shame. Currently, the reigning dance hall queen is a Japanese girl. We should be ashamed of ourselves to lose the title to a gaichin, as the Japanese call foreigners, but more power to her and more power to that country's love for things Jamaican.

So many top music stars want to record either in Jamaica or with Jamaicans, the most current I think being Janet Jackson who did a music video with Beenie Man. It's so amazing that for a country that's so small we command so much world attention. I won't even get into the John Malvo case as everyone else is commenting on it, but the fascination with our little country never ceases. Just say the name Jamaica and all heads turn. I wonder what would happen if we were say, the size of England or even New Zealand. Maybe we would have been a superpower. Everyone wants to be Jamaican it seems, and this subliminal national envy manifests itself in various ways. Either the people of other nations try to talk like us, walk like us, sing like us, or make love like us, or they try to beat us down. You'd think that John Malvo was the first person to do any crime, assuming he's guilty, and that no American has ever done anything of that nature. Crime rears its ugly head in all nations and in all forms, but if it's committed by a Jamaican it's special, very special.

Check out the history of the world, and in every corridor of power, a Jamaican left his handiwork. It's quite possible that Colin Powell is the most powerful man in the world yet you never see the media bleating about his heritage. Let him do something terrible and the world would instantly know what district, street, lane and box juice vendor his parents used to buy from. Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Harry Bellefonte, and a host of others have Jamaican roots. People such as Patrick Ewing, Shaquille Oneil, who's grandmother is Jamaican, Claude Mckay, and Sheryl Lee Ralph are Jamaican. I could go on and on.

Our work ethic is legendary, and even though many of us are lazy at home, when we go abroad we work like soldiers, much to the chagrin of the natives there. "Those damn Jamaicans working too hard and showing us up". Even in badness we excel, but that's one area that I'd like erased. We win Spelling Bee, making them change the rules, Reggae Boyz still fill stadiums, more Miss Worlds per capita than anywhere else, and our current Miss Jamaica going to win too, mark that down.
Nobody makes Patty like us, nobody does jerk or pan chicken like us, even our blue mountain coffee is world famous and many people try to copy it and say that their's from Jamaica. Oscar Wilde said that Jingoism is the last resort of a scoundrel, well I must be a scoundrel then. To be Jamaican is to be special. More time.

seido1@hotmail.com
Footnote: I challenge any Jamaican to tell me that they don't feel proud to see an Air Jamaica plane pull up at the ramp in any foreign airport. It's really a great sight. Now if only we can focus our energies in a positive way, we'd achieve so much more. Call me fool fool, but hope springs eternal. Hey, how come it's only Haitians who are turned back after seeking political asylum, is it because they're black? Just asking. Great feature on Barbara Blake Hannah in last week's All Woman. Truly a beautiful Jamaican woman.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World