The youngest son of the reggae icon, Bob Marley, Damian Marley seemed to explode on to the music scene with
Damian Marley, image from the Internet
his double Grammy Award Winning CD, Welcome to Jamrock, which was recorded in 2005. But these weren’t his only Grammy Wards. Marley, who’d been singing since he was thirteen, also won in 2002 for his second CD, Halfway Tree.
Damian Marley was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. His mother, Cindy Brakespeare, is a jazz singer and a former Miss Jamaica.
I was pleased to hear Marley showcasing the unmistakable ‘old school’ reggae vocabulary on several tracks on this CD. One of my favorites and the featured song for today’s Soulful Sundays is There For You. Most of reggae is protest music, and songs about poverty and social injustice. It’s always a pleasant surprise when an artist slips in one that isn’t. There For You reminds me of the turn his father took with a little love song, which interestingly, was penned for Damian’s mother.
When I lived in Jamaica, we’d go to the beach regularly. My older male cousins were all good swimmers
Jamaican Flag
and on one occasion, I asked one of them to teach me to swim. He led me out to where my feet no longer touched the sand. Then he let go of my hand and yelled as he turned towards shore, that I should swim.
I think of that incident now as I reflect on Jamaica’s 49 years, and take a personal assessment of how it has handled its own navigation as an independent nation.
In August, 1962, Jamaicans were giddy with the prospect of self-government after 300 years of British
rule. (There was a semi-independence period from the mid- to late 1930s under universal adult suffrage. Political parties were formed and the first election took place in 1944. Full independence came later, in 1962.)
Treasure Beach is small community on Jamaica’s south western coast that prides itself with being friendly and very laid back.
A fishing community with six miles of beach, rocky coastline and private coves, Treasure Beach it is the perfect place to get away from it all.
I’ve been going to Treasure Beach for several years now, most times to attend Calabash, the international literary festival, which brings scores of lovers of the written and spoken word to this far off the beaten track place to listen to soak up world class literature.
I’ve also been to Treasure Beach when the festival is not in session. It’s a beautiful place. Here are a few of the reasons I keep going back.
This dish has won me friends and lovers each time I serve it.
Ackee and Saltfish with Johnny Cakes
Every Jamaican I know either has an ackee tree out back or ackees in the freezer. And the ones “a foreign” have a can or two in the pantry and/or frozen ones they or someone brought back from Jamaica for them.
Ackee is a very popular and versatile dish. Serve on toasted bread for a tasty bruschetta or ackee and saltfish sandwich. Add a little curry to sauteed onions and peppers then mix in ackee for delicious curried ackee (no saltfish needed).
What’s ackee and saltfish, you ask? Well, it is Jamaica’s national dish. Ackee, a relative of the lychee, was brought to Jamaica from West Africa, probably on a slave ship. In 1962, it took pride of place next to the coat of arms, flag, lignum vitae, blue mahoe and humming bird as one of the symbols of the newly independent island nation.
Ackee and saltfish is made of two main ingredients: ackee and salted cod. As with most dishes, different people add their own twist. Here’s how I make it:
1lb boneless saltfish
2 dozen ackees or 2 cans
6 strips of bacon, cut up
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, seeded
2 stalks of scallion, chopped
1 sprig of thyme
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/4 cup of cooking oil (optional)
Ackees
Note: Unripened ackees contain a toxic substance that is released when the pod is opened. If you’re using them, make sure they are completely opened, like these in this photo are.
Remove the ackees from their pods, discard the pinkish-red membrane and seed. Wash and put them to boil in a large pot with saltfish that has been washed to remove traces of salt crystals.
You can also cook the ackees separately in lightly salted water or use the water from the saltfish.
(There are different varieties of ackees. Some really soft ones, so called ‘butter’ ackees, take just a few minutes to cook. Others are firmer and take a bit a little longer. You want to make sure whichever one you use, you don’t over cook them or they will break apart.)
Canned ackees are already pre-cooked so if you’re using those, all you’ll need to do is wash the salt off the saltfish then put in a pot with enough water to cover and boil, or soak overnight to remove the salt then boil. Drain. Flake with a fork or your fingers.
Fry bacon strips, remove from saucepan. Saute onions in same oil until tender. Add strips of Scotch Bonnet pepper, chopped scallion (leave some for garnishing) and tomato. Then add flaked saltfish and stir. Add the ackees. Season with freshly ground black pepper and thyme. Stir carefully so as not to break the pods. Lower heat and let cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Plate, garnish with chopped scallions and serve as an appetizer or main course with avocado wedges, bammie, fried plantains, boiled green bananas or Johnny Cakes.
Treasure Beach is small community on Jamaica’s south western coast that prides itself with being friendly and very laid back.
A fishing community with six miles of beaches, rocky coastline and private coves, it is the perfect place to get away from it all and with not much activity besides swimming, snorkeling, bicycle rides, etc., you’ve got little choice than to relax and catch the vibe.
I’ve been going to Treasure Beach for several years now, most times to attend the international literary festival, Calabash, which brings scores of lovers of the word to this far off the beaten track place to listen to world class literature.
I’ve also been when the festival is not in session. Besides the people, here are a few of the other reasons I keep returning.
Fishing boats at Treasure Beach
Pool at Jakes
Cottage at Jakes
Seaview
Coconut tree
Plants grow everywhere
Pink hibiscus
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Just beyond the hustle and bustle of Negril‘s Hip Strip, that stretch of road that marks off the
beach and the hotels that spill out on to the famous white sands, is a secluded place known mostly to nature lovers.
The Royal Palms Nature Reserve, part of the 6,000 acre Negril Morass, is a 300 acre expanse of towering Royal Palms – the largest stand in the world – and long thatch palm.
This popular eco-tourism spot teems with about 300 species of animals, reptiles, birds and butterflies as well as over 114 species of flowers.
The boardwalk at Royal Palms
Walk the half-mile boardwalk and see up close the variety of birds that live among the mangroves – from egrets and herons to ospreys and hawks – the West Indian Whistling duck, an endangered species, and plants such as anchovy pear, wicker vine and saw grass. Some plants are endemic to the area, others have medicinal purposes.
View from the 30' observation tower
Or climb the 30 foot observation tower to get a bird’s eye view of the area.
Royal Palm Peat Lake
The black lake at Royal Palms is evidence of the extensive deposits of peat in the area.
Next time you’re in Negril, plan a day to take a leisurely stroll through Royal Palms. It’ll be a relaxing experience.
Tours can be arranged through hotels and guests houses or you can go on your own. Royal Palm Nature Reserve is just outside Negril on the Sheffield Road in Westmoreland. Open daily 9-6. Cost $15/adults; $7/children. 876-364-7404
Jamaica’s nearly 300 year old great houses provide a peek into a byegone era. Some have been turned into museums, others offer a beautiful backdrop for weddings and events.
Today, we’ll visit three: Bellefield Great House and Gardens, Good Hope Great House and Devon House.
Bellefield Great House & Gardens - photo courtesy of Bellefield
II, John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill. Built in 1794, it is part of the Barnett Estate and is owned by the Kerr-Jarrett family. The house, gardens and Sugar Mill are available for tours and private events.
For more information, (876) 952-2382
Good Hope - photo courtesy of Good Hope
Good Hope Great House: Nestled on 2,000 acres more than 500 miles above sea level in the lush mountains of Trelawny’s Queen of Spain Valley, Good Hope was built in 1755 by Thomas Williams. It was later purchased by John Tharp and has changed ownership many times. The current owners have restored the property, where the first hot water bath in the Caribbean was installed, period furniture, stables, a lily pond and bird sanctuary.
For information, 876-469-3444
This Georgian style mansion was built in 1881 for Jamaica’s first black millionaire, George
Devon House - photo courtesy of Devon House
Stiebel. Purchased and restored in 1968 by the Government of Jamaica, Devon House, now a historical landmark, is decorated with French, English, Jamaican and Caribbean antiques and reproductions. Located in Kingston, it is known as a venue that promotes Jamaican art and culture.
For information, call 876-929-6602
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town of Greenwood is a time capsule that has carefully preserved the legacy of its previous owners.
Part of an 84,000 acre plantation, Greenwood has an impressive pedigree. Built in 1790 by Richard Barrett, a custos of St James, Speaker of the Assembly and cousin of the British poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, it has been in continuous occupation since.
Chair with Barrett family crest
Greenwood boasts the original Barrett family library complete with leather-bound books dating to 1697, china and original furniture, some with the Barrett family crest.
What impressed me most about this house is that is has never been abandoned. It still has original furnishings and artifacts, a lot of which I had never seen before.
Bob and Anne Betton, its proud current owners and operators, opened Greenwood as a museum in 1976.
Main bedroom
Greenwood Great House, 876-953-1077 is open every day from 9-6. Tours cost $14 for adults, $7 for children under 12.
View of the Caribbean Sea from Greenwood
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Jamaica, the third largest island in the Caribbean, was ‘discovered’ in 1494 on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the New World. He was in search of silver and gold. Columbus declared Xaymaca, as it was then known “the fairest island that eyes have beheld.”
Among the ‘gifts’ he brought to the New World was sugar cane, but the indigenous Taino (Arawak) population was decimated before it could be developed into a viable industry. This forced the Spanish to look elsewhere for cheap labor. They turned to Africa.
The slave trade was well underway in 1655 when, after 150 years of colonial rule, the British wrested control of the country from the Spanish.
Sugar flourished and Jamaica was, at a time, its largest producer. The wealth sugar generated made plantation owners extremely wealthy. Some of that wealth made its way back to Britain. Some of it was spent building lavish ‘great houses’ that demonstrated the wealth and power of the owners. About 700 existed on the island — all but fourteen were destroyed during and after the 1831 slave revolt which was led by Samuel Sharpe, a local Baptist preacher.
My next few posts will be about this interesting aspect of Jamaica’s history. Walk with me as we take a step back and discover Jamaica’s Great Houses.
Rose Hall
Rose Hall
Rose Hall was built in 1770 for John Palmer, then custos of St. James, and his wife, Rosa. A ‘calendar house,’ it has 365 windows, 52 doors and 12 bedrooms. The house eventually passed to Palmer’s grand-nephew, John Rose Palmer and his wife, Annie, the infamous ‘White Witch.’
Annie’s bedroom
Annie, Palmer’s second wife, is said to have killed three husbands and several slave lovers at Rose Hall before being murdered in 1831.
The slaves were so fearful of her that after her death, they burned all her possessions, including her photographs.
The property was in ruins for several years before being restored to its former glory by the owners, John Rollins (now deceased) and his wife, Michele.
Truth be told, like a lot of Jamaicans, I’m afraid of ghosts and the stories of the brutality at Rose Hall more than clouded my image of the place. But I realized later that those
stories were keeping me from enjoying something that was almost in my backyard, a place that I now find intriguing because of its history.
I can’t say that I saw any ghosts at Rose Hall but several of the photos I took inside the house
turned out blurry, a few had shadows where I know there hadn’t been any.
Walking down the steps to Annie’s torture chamber, the last thing you see is the azure blue waters of the Caribbean Sea just visible through the doorway. It made me wonder what went through the victim’s mind as he (or she) was being led away to be tortured.
Rose Hall pool
The day I visited, a soft breeze brushed my cheek as I sat near this man-made pool. The peace and beauty surrounding the house seemed incongruous with the stories of destruction inside.
Rose Hall Great House is located about a 20 minute drive from the airport in Montego Bay. Open 9-6. Tours are given daily with the last tour given at 5:15 p.m. Call 876-953-2323 for information.
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Way down on the southwestern coast of Jamaica, just over the Manchester border from St. Elizabeth is a seaside restaurant called Little Ochie (not to be confused with Ocho Rios on the island’s north coast).
Started in 1989 by Evrol “Blackie” Christian, this little spot has become a favorite destination for Jamaicans (some of whom travel 2-3 hours to get there) and visitors alike who are looking for freshly caught fish and seafood cooked to order.
Boat Table
Strewn on the black sand of Alligator Pond as if they had been scattered by some unseen hand, are canoes – the primary means of getting the fish that’s served and sold here – that now have been raised off the sand, outfitted with tables and benches, and sheltered by thatched roofs.
Once you place your order, for fish or seafood, and decide how you want it done – steamed, jerked, fried or grilled – it is prepared and brought to your table.
Steamed Fish with potato, carrots, okra, bammieJerk Lobster
I’ve had the steamed snapper and it is delicious. The jerked lobster is to die for but if you visit between April 1st and June 30th, you’ll be out of luck. It is illegal in Jamaica for anyone to have or serve lobsters, whole or in part — this is so that the lobsters can breed and replenish.
You can also select sides: roasted breadfruit, bammie or rice and peas. While you wait for your order, grab a cold Red Stripe, rum and Coke or any drink from their extensive selection, or watch the fishermen push off or return from fishing.
Pushing out to sea
Little Ochie is more than a restaurant, it’s an experience that delivers big taste without breaking the bank.
Little Ochie, 876-382-3375 or 876-610-6566
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