6 fascinating Jamaican traditions and customs
21.07.2023 - 08:41
/ roughguides.com
Jamaica is an island full of folklore, magic, and spirituality, with a rich culture of traditions, customs, and rituals, many of them religious in origin (although by no means all). Jamaican traditions are often a mix of African and European customs – modified and adapted over the years to create the unique Jamaican culture that exists today. The Rough Guide to Jamaica is full of intriguing nuggets of information about the culture and history of this popular Caribbean island, but we've picked out a few of the most interesting Jamaican traditions for you below. And if you're ready to explore the island yourself, check out our recommended excursions here.
Jamaican Revivalism is a mix of European and African religious traditions, turned into something uniquely Jamaican. Revivalism is based on Christianity, but with an African twist – the attitudes towards nature and spirituality are influenced by African religions, as is the style of worship.
Unlike European Christianity, Revivalist Christianity in Jamaica doesn't believe in a separation between this world and the next, meaning spirits can affect the material world and, by extension, our lives. So it makes sense to keep these spirits happy – and Revivalists choose to do this by praising and worshipping them using traditional dances and songs.
As with any religion, there are of course different branches of Revivalism, but generally speaking a Revivalist ritual involves lots of singing, drumming, dancing, hand-clapping, and foot-stomping. This is done to invite possession, and once the spirit is inside its physical host, it becomes an adviser to the ‘flock’, interpreting messages in tongues.
Hand-clapping and percussion are an important part of Jamaican Revivalist ceremonies © mauricioalvesfotos / Shutterstock
Although many Jamaican death rituals are dying out nowadays, the ‘Nine Nights’ ritual is still going strong – it’s an extended wake that lasts nine days and traditionally involves music, anecdotes, lots of food, and plenty of rum. Friends and relatives will meet and celebrate the life of the person who has passed, and the gatherings are normally very lively and fun. Traditionally, the person will be buried after the ninth night, once the celebrations have finished.
The Nine Nights ritual was traditionally practised to ensure the dead person’s ‘duppy’ did not come back to haunt the living. A duppy is one of two souls that a person has. After death, one of the souls goes up to heaven and the other stays on earth. As duppies are capable of doing both good and evil, many rituals on the island arose as a way to appease these spirits.
Obeah is a belief system that is officially outlawed, although nowadays it's rare for anyone to be convicted for adhering to the