Explore vibrant, easygoing—and impoverished—Jamaica
Learn about vibrant, easygoing—and impoverished—Jamaica.
Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz
Transcript
Jamaica - a holidaymaker's paradise. Jamaica is the third largest island in the Greater Antilles, topped only by Cuba and Hispaniola. Jamaicans themselves are famously easygoing. Roy Johnson is no exception. Every day he climbs the 59 steps of his lighthouse to look out over the ocean and watch the sun go down. Jamaicans manage to maintain their sunny disposition despite - or perhaps as a result of - the hardships of everyday life. Soaring unemployment, widespread poverty and a high rate of adult illiteracy all blight the island. But life on Jamaica marches to a much slower beat than in many other parts of the world. This is the famous Caribbean calm. The phrase you're most likely to hear on this island is "no problem, relax, take it easy."
One of the reasons Jamaica is such a vibrant place could be its low average age of 23 years, with a third of the population under the age of 14. The mix of a young population and the playful culture gives life on Jamaica a very distinct flavor. What's more, Jamaica is made up of a mixture of ethnic groups. The majority of the population are descended from African slaves brought here centuries ago. But there are also people with European and Asian roots. Jamaica is a cultural melting pot and racial tolerance is part and parcel of everyday life.
Only in exceptional circumstances do Jamaicans lose their legendary calm - and it's usually around the domino table. This is, without doubt, Jamaica's number one pastime. Dominoes are played throughout the Caribbean, but the Jamaicans claim to be the best players. They know all the tricks and are ready for anything. They are of course, completely cool about it all. While his friends relax by playing dominoes, Roy Johnson watches the sun go down. On the outside he's cool as a cucumber, but inside he's enjoying the fabulous sunset. No problem, relax, take it easy is his motto.
One of the reasons Jamaica is such a vibrant place could be its low average age of 23 years, with a third of the population under the age of 14. The mix of a young population and the playful culture gives life on Jamaica a very distinct flavor. What's more, Jamaica is made up of a mixture of ethnic groups. The majority of the population are descended from African slaves brought here centuries ago. But there are also people with European and Asian roots. Jamaica is a cultural melting pot and racial tolerance is part and parcel of everyday life.
Only in exceptional circumstances do Jamaicans lose their legendary calm - and it's usually around the domino table. This is, without doubt, Jamaica's number one pastime. Dominoes are played throughout the Caribbean, but the Jamaicans claim to be the best players. They know all the tricks and are ready for anything. They are of course, completely cool about it all. While his friends relax by playing dominoes, Roy Johnson watches the sun go down. On the outside he's cool as a cucumber, but inside he's enjoying the fabulous sunset. No problem, relax, take it easy is his motto.