ROSE HILL, Buff Bay Valley — OWEN Smith, organiser of the Ackee and Cultural Festival at Nyam Jam Travel Halt and Restaurant in Portland, said the inaugural event was a “success”.

“We achieved our objective and that is preserving the Jamaican culture,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer.

The event, which was rich in cultural heritage, showcased various ways to prepare the national fruit as well as poetry performances, ring games and traditional dances.

Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), said his organisation was committed to the festival.

“The JAS is committed to the festival and events of this nature as it promotes the eat what you grow campaign launched by the JAS 10 years ago. Ackee is the perfect fit in the ‘eat what we grow’ initiative,” said Grant, who declared the event open.

In addition to the traditional ackee and saltfish, other dishes available included ackee and callaloo, ackee spread, and ackee wine.

Patrons were also treated to poetry by Fabian Thomas and Tribes Sankfa (Brian Johnson and Ricardo Barnett), storytelling by Shirley Lindo, and the Liberty Learning Centre doing a variety of traditional dances and drumming. Portland artiste Journey Man was well received with Travel Along.

“We will be improving on this for the next staging,” Smith added.