Young Jamaicans Proud of Their Culture and Heritage

As Jamaica celebrates  62 years of Independence on Wednesday, August 6, the nation’s youth are embracing the milestone with a sense of pride and enthusiasm. 

For them, the Independence anniversary is not just a  historical marker but a powerful reminder of the country’s potential and the wellspring of opportunities that come with being able to determine one’s own destiny. 

This year, the nation celebrates Independence under the theme ‘Jamaica 62: One Love to the World’.  

For St. Ann native, Regina Taylor, Independence 62 brings a sense of excitement and pride to be Jamaican. It is a call to action and a celebration of cultural identity. 

“The entire season of ‘Emancipendence’ is exciting for me. It’s a time of celebration and extreme pride to be a Jamaican. After all, we are the best and most influential Caribbean island,” Miss Taylor boasts.  

The General Manager at EduFocal Business notes that Jamaica’s influence extends far beyond the country’s shores, noting that she spots elements of the culture in Korean television dramas. 

“I always get so excited when I see our flag, our music, our athletes and our culture in their shows. The Jamaican brand’ is one of the most influential brands in the world and it makes me proud to know that brand comes from the land of my birth,” she says. 

Seventeen-year-old past student at Herbert Morrison Technical High School, Devonté Walker, had similar sentiments.  

“It is a day where we truly acknowledge and praise the fact that we are Jamaican  and that ‘wi likkle but wi tallawah’. We reflect on how far we’re coming from as a country and thank the Almighty for guiding us and our ancestors on the tumultuous journey that has led us to where we are now,” he expresses.  

 “This occasion brings pride and a sense of thanksgiving among the people,  while also giving hope to the young generation that being Jamaican means that they are strong, they are resilient and the best is yet to come,” he adds. 

Content creator, Nicole Reid, shares that the Independence period allows her to “reflect on the sacrifices our ancestors made to award us with the freedom we have now”.  

“It means acknowledging the sacrifices of those who came before us, who were not able to enjoy the privileges that we have now, whether it’s the freedom to work with wages, to have access to a good education or to be able to make choices,” she says. 

Miss Reid acknowledges that a lot of young people view Independence as another holiday rather than a grand celebration of Jamaica’s roots. 

 “I remember what it was like when I was much younger and how we celebrated Independence Day. There was a lot more festivity around it and I can say that we haven’t been as festive as we used to be,” she contends. 

“Currently, a lot of us are struggling in terms of appreciating where we are as a nation and what sacrifices were made to get us to this place,” she continues. 

Nonetheless, Miss Reid contends that with knowledge, more persons will show appreciation and gratitude for what the country has achieved.  

“If we arm ourselves with knowledge and gratitude with what our forefathers put in to get us to this place, we can push forward for the next generation to be able to not only appreciate us being an independent nation but just the journey that we had to go through to get here and to be able to really show gratitude for what we have,” Miss Reid says.