A Little Say, A Little DataI'm sure everyone in the audience has heard of Jamaica. My question is: what do you know about Jamaica? I don't want to embarrass you, but if what you know about Jamaica sounds like "rum, beaches, waterfalls, tropical weather and jerk food", then there's a good chance that it's everything you want from a vacation. I'm just saying there's a lot more to Jamrock than that. Educating yourself on Jamaican history, early settlers, culture and migration might whet your appetite for more than just the beaches. History Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean behind Cuba and Hispaniola. It is also the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean. Jamaicans speak English and speak it eloquently, but with their own musical rhythm. Jamaica is 51 miles wide and 146 miles long. It was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1494. It was a slave colony until 1833, when slavery was abolished. Part of its history is told by the food Jamaicans eat. The cassava grown by the Arawaks is used today as "bammie", with fried fish. The Maroons, still fleeing slavery, developed a way of spicing and slowly cooking pork that they called “jerking.” Jamaica, October 1, 2011)Early SettlersThe island was first inhabited by a group of peaceful settlers called the Arawak Indians who lived there as early as 600 AD. When the first tourist (Christopher Columbus) arrived in 1494, he described the island as "the most beautiful land that my eyes have ever seen" (Discover Jamaica.) Like the majority of visitors today, he could not stay away and on his fourth voyage he captured the island for Spain. In 1655, the British attacked and captured the island from the Spanish. , ...... middle of paper ...... "Personally, I am one of those immigrants. My family moved here in the early 70s. Why? Jamaicans are ambitious and, mostly, they left for economic reasons. abroad in search of opportunities Jamaicans perceive the United States as a land of opportunities. Jamaicans have been emigrating to the United States since the 1800s. conclusionSo when you visit Jamaica, enjoy its beauty, taste its history, experience its culture and learn about its people Jamaicans are an example to the world... they show how people of different cultures, skin colors, origins. different religious and ethnic backgrounds can come together and live together as one people... in friendship, in harmony, happy and smiling, and with a relaxed attitude of "No Problem Mon - Soon Come"... whatever the destiny that awaits us (Jamaica-no-Problem.com.)