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Running head: UNDERSTANDING JAMAICAN CULTURE

Understanding Jamaican Culture


Jamie R. Wilson
Georgia State University

Author Note
This paper was prepared for Dr. Karen Watkins Cultural Diversity Class at Georgia State
University- Alpharetta Campus.

UNDERSTANDING JAMAICAN CULTURE

Understanding Jamaican Culture


Becoming more culturally competent is a journey, and along this journey speaking with a
co-worker, whose family is originally from Jamaica, was extremely interesting. Learning about
her culture and heritage gives an insight into who she is as an individual outside of being a coworker. Jamaicans began to migrate to the United States in large numbers in the 1960s
following the change in U.S. immigration policy, which opened the borders to skilled
professionals (Ferguson, 2014). In 2014, according to Gail Ferguson, the United States is home
to the largest population of Jamaicans outside of the Caribbean, and many migrants are
motivated by desired professional and educational opportunities (Ferguson, 2014). She also tells
that most immigrants give up their majority status in their home country to become a minority
here in the United States (Ferguson, 2014). Understanding the terms at which they come to the
United States is an important factor in becoming culturally competent. As social workers we are
obligated to become knowledgeable in all contexts of our field of study and knowing how or why
someone comes to America is an essential part of that knowledge.
Pre-Interview
Before beginning my cultural immersions, I had only scarce knowledge about Jamaican
culture. Interviewing my co-worker gave me the chance to learn something new and become
more culturally aware of her heritage and who she is as a person. I only knew her in a work
setting and getting to know her through her heritage and family background was a way for us to
get to know each other better. I always believed that all Jamaicans were dark skinned and that
they spoke a different language, and that they were just pretty much the same as African
Americans. Speaking with Ms. Weathers definitely taught me things about her culture that I did
not know prior to this experience.
Interview with Ms. Phylicia Weathers

When sitting down with Ms. Weathers, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her outside of
our work environment. Sometimes when you only see someone in a particular setting you do not
get to know who they really are or what they are really about. In speaking with Ms. Weathers she
told me that both her parents were immigrants and that they came here to the United States for a
better life. Her father immigrated here in the early 1970s and her mother followed him in 1988,
now they are both US citizens (Weathers, 2014). Also during our conversation I asked her if she
has faced any discrimination or stereotypes since her family came to the United States, she told
me that mostly the stereotypes she has faced is that all Jamaican men have dreads or smoke
marijuana. Other stereotypes they have faced is that they do not drive cars and they are not
Americanized. According to Doman Lum (2011) Americanization involves being American in
character, manners, methods, and ideas and the assimilation of U.S. customs, speech, and other
characteristics to the point of excluding your culture of origin (Lum, 2011). When asked what
types of discrimination her family faced? She said there were issues dealing with employment,
she said employers thought that her parents were illegal or didnt speak English properly, when
English is the native language of Jamaica (Weathers, 2014). She doesnt seem to find many

UNDERSTANDING JAMAICAN CULTURE

differences in the way Jamaican families raise their children as opposed to American families
except some Jamaicans tend to shelter their children more in the teenage years and being more
strict on their whereabouts (Weathers, 2014). Since there are numerous immigrants from
Jamaica coming to the United States it is important for us as social workers to become more
culturally aware of their heritage, customs, and beliefs.
Post Interview. After my interview with my co-worker, Phylicia Weathers, I have
learned many things about her culture and background that I didnt know before speaking with
her. Another interesting fact about Jamaicans is that there are many different cultures from
Jamaica, some such as Cooley (white Americans), Chinese, Indians, Africans, Canadians, and
French culture. They also only speak one language in Jamaica which is English. I asked her if
there was any special customs or traditions that her family still continues today and she told me
that there really isnt anything special because Jamaica is an everyday thing to her and her
family. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a different culture besides just American. This
journey to becoming more culturally competent has been an eye opening experience for me and
one I will take with me throughout the my life and career.

UNDERSTANDING JAMAICAN CULTURE

References
Ferguson, G. M. (2014). Tridemensional (3D) acculturation: Ethnic identity and psychological
functioning of tricultural Jamaican immigrants. International Perspectives in Psychology:
Research, Practice, Consultation, 3(4), 238-251.
Lum, D. (2011). Culturally Competent Practice. Sacramento: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.
Weathers, P. (2014, November 2). Understanding Jamaican Culture. (J. Wilson, Interviewer)

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