Written by Biko Kennedy
From the infectious beats and lyrical gymnastics and infectious beats and lyrical gymnastics to painting the perfect image of celestial beauty, Jamaica’s festivals sculpt a national salute to local talent for over four decades. Placed in the palms of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), the festivals stand as the beacon of all things Jamaican; a constant reminder of a rich cultural identity. The story of the JCDC dates back to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Minister of Development and Welfare, the Most Honourable Edward Seaga, seeking a way to entwine cultural development with cultural heritage.
“Well the JCDC was founded by the Most Honourable Edward Seaga out of his recognition and appreciation for the tremendous wealth of talent that about in the Jamaican people,” intimates the present Executive Director of the JCDC Mr Delroy A. Gordon, JP. “It was out of the need to find a suitable outlet for the ordinary people to hone and express their cultural talents to preserve that which is truly Jamaican,” he continued noting that “Mr Hugh Nash’s contribution to the Commission demonstrates considerable thought and foresight in ensuring its longevity and they both will be prominently featured in the history of Jamaica.”
The structured programes and competitions of the JCDC certainly are unmatched anywhere in the Caribbean.
What a Bam Bam
From Toots and the Maytals’ Bam Bam and Eric Donaldson’s Cherry Oh Baby to Desmond Decker’s Intensified and Stanley Beckford Fi Wi Island a Boom, the Festival Song Competition has positioned itself as one of the most talked-about platforms used to propel the musical career of many. From its inception in 1966, with a rollercoaster-like ride, the competition has left countless songs carved indelibly among all-time favourites while others have slipped from popularity.
“Our culture is very dynamic, and so it is ever-changing and of course, preserving our cultural identity is no easy task. But to maintain our relevance and currency, we have to do everything possible to stay abreast of the change in trends and develop strategies to respond accordingly,” says Gordon, “and as such we’re able to remain the focal point of visible and tangible expression of the vitality and range of Jamaican culture and creativity as the years pass.”
Riddle Mi Dis Riddle Mi Dat
With a potpourri of entertainment, Mello Go Roun’ has planted its roots as the pinnacle of the JCDC performing arts competition, appealing to massive crowds yearly.
Inspired by Jamaica’s first lady of culture, The Honourable Louise ‘Miss Lou’ Bennett-Coverly’s Ring Ding television series, Mello Go Roun’ reflects the virtue of a sociocultural impact on the Jamaican consciousness, while being the personality and face of the psycholinguistic platform of the Jamaican language and culture; synonymous to that of Miss Lou.
“With Mello Go Roun’ we simply try to unearth new and emerging expressions of the arts from our youths. The talent of our Jamaican people, especially the younger generation, is simply phenomenal,” said Gordon denoting that “the challenge or pressure the commission might be faced with lies in finding novel ways of staging the events so that each year is better than the previous. It, therefore, challenges our creativity to recreate ourselves each year. Still, we are blessed with a very dynamic and creative team at the Commission that continues to outdo itself each year.”
Beauty Not Only Skin Deep
Becoming the premier forum for young women to display their vast knowledge of Jamaican culture while contributing to nation-building, the Jamaica Festival Queen Competition’s goal of seeking out cultural ambassadors has developed numerous outstanding role models. The competition, which started in 1963, sustains a constant high throughout the years without neglecting by any means a cultural identity.
“I think one of the most powerful ways in ensuring that our cultural identity isn’t forgotten is via the electronic, media and I mean all mass media,” Gordon stated tersely. “As a country, we need to define and agree on those values and traditions that we wish to be defined and known by and indoctrinate (very strong word, but I believe it) our youth in them. In other words, it should not be passed on by chance, it should be deliberate. W need to make use of all the media at our disposal, especially those to which our young people are addicted, such as the social media,” he continued.
Visions Of A Brighter Future
Talking about the growth of Jamaica Festival and Jamaica’s Independence goes hand-in-hand with the development of the JCDC, seeing that the JCDC was developed out of the initial independence celebrations, and as such the means of cultural appreciation mirrors that of a waving flag, hoisted from the depths of a people with captivating personas.
“We have achieved so much, but could have achieved so much more had we been more united, respectful and appreciative of what we have and who we are. I am however comforted in the thought that the best times to have started was 50-year ag,o and the second-best time to start is now. Fifty years in the life of a nation is not a very long time, consequently, we can feel proud of where we have reached and what we have accomplished, albeit there are many more mountains to climb and conquer, but we remain a nation on a Mission!” states Gordon.
To read more, please purchase a copy of Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine Vol 10 #6 in a store near you.
Want more tips for a better you? Read: 6 Best Foods For Hair Growth
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Written by Biko Kennedy
From the infectious beats and lyrical gymnastics and infectious beats and lyrical gymnastics to painting the perfect image of celestial beauty, Jamaica’s festivals sculpt a national salute to local talent for over four decades. Placed in the palms of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), the festivals stand as the beacon of all things Jamaican; a constant reminder of a rich cultural identity. The story of the JCDC dates back to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Minister of Development and Welfare, the Most Honourable Edward Seaga, seeking a way to entwine cultural development with cultural heritage.
“Well the JCDC was founded by the Most Honourable Edward Seaga out of his recognition and appreciation for the tremendous wealth of talent that about in the Jamaican people,” intimates the present Executive Director of the JCDC Mr Delroy A. Gordon, JP. “It was out of the need to find a suitable outlet for the ordinary people to hone and express their cultural talents to preserve that which is truly Jamaican,” he continued noting that “Mr Hugh Nash’s contribution to the Commission demonstrates considerable thought and foresight in ensuring its longevity and they both will be prominently featured in the history of Jamaica.”
The structured programes and competitions of the JCDC certainly are unmatched anywhere in the Caribbean.
What a Bam Bam
From Toots and the Maytals’ Bam Bam and Eric Donaldson’s Cherry Oh Baby to Desmond Decker’s Intensified and Stanley Beckford Fi Wi Island a Boom, the Festival Song Competition has positioned itself as one of the most talked-about platforms used to propel the musical career of many. From its inception in 1966, with a rollercoaster-like ride, the competition has left countless songs carved indelibly among all-time favourites while others have slipped from popularity.
“Our culture is very dynamic, and so it is ever-changing and of course, preserving our cultural identity is no easy task. But to maintain our relevance and currency, we have to do everything possible to stay abreast of the change in trends and develop strategies to respond accordingly,” says Gordon, “and as such we’re able to remain the focal point of visible and tangible expression of the vitality and range of Jamaican culture and creativity as the years pass.”
Riddle Mi Dis Riddle Mi Dat
With a potpourri of entertainment, Mello Go Roun’ has planted its roots as the pinnacle of the JCDC performing arts competition, appealing to massive crowds yearly.
Inspired by Jamaica’s first lady of culture, The Honourable Louise ‘Miss Lou’ Bennett-Coverly’s Ring Ding television series, Mello Go Roun’ reflects the virtue of a sociocultural impact on the Jamaican consciousness, while being the personality and face of the psycholinguistic platform of the Jamaican language and culture; synonymous to that of Miss Lou.
“With Mello Go Roun’ we simply try to unearth new and emerging expressions of the arts from our youths. The talent of our Jamaican people, especially the younger generation, is simply phenomenal,” said Gordon denoting that “the challenge or pressure the commission might be faced with lies in finding novel ways of staging the events so that each year is better than the previous. It, therefore, challenges our creativity to recreate ourselves each year. Still, we are blessed with a very dynamic and creative team at the Commission that continues to outdo itself each year.”
Beauty Not Only Skin Deep
Becoming the premier forum for young women to display their vast knowledge of Jamaican culture while contributing to nation-building, the Jamaica Festival Queen Competition’s goal of seeking out cultural ambassadors has developed numerous outstanding role models. The competition, which started in 1963, sustains a constant high throughout the years without neglecting by any means a cultural identity.
“I think one of the most powerful ways in ensuring that our cultural identity isn’t forgotten is via the electronic, media and I mean all mass media,” Gordon stated tersely. “As a country, we need to define and agree on those values and traditions that we wish to be defined and known by and indoctrinate (very strong word, but I believe it) our youth in them. In other words, it should not be passed on by chance, it should be deliberate. W need to make use of all the media at our disposal, especially those to which our young people are addicted, such as the social media,” he continued.
Visions Of A Brighter Future
Talking about the growth of Jamaica Festival and Jamaica’s Independence goes hand-in-hand with the development of the JCDC, seeing that the JCDC was developed out of the initial independence celebrations, and as such the means of cultural appreciation mirrors that of a waving flag, hoisted from the depths of a people with captivating personas.
“We have achieved so much, but could have achieved so much more had we been more united, respectful and appreciative of what we have and who we are. I am however comforted in the thought that the best times to have started was 50-year ag,o and the second-best time to start is now. Fifty years in the life of a nation is not a very long time, consequently, we can feel proud of where we have reached and what we have accomplished, albeit there are many more mountains to climb and conquer, but we remain a nation on a Mission!” states Gordon.
To read more, please purchase a copy of Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine Vol 10 #6 in a store near you.
Want more tips for a better you? Read: 6 Best Foods For Hair Growth
Follow the Buzzz on Instagram
Share this post: