The original inhabitants of Jamaica are believed to be the Arawaks, also called Tainos. They came from South America 2,500 years ago and named the island Xaymaca, which meant ““land of wood and water”.

Are Jamaicans originally from Africa?

Jamaicans are the citizens of Jamaica and their descendants in the Jamaican diaspora. The vast majority of Jamaicans are of African descent, with minorities of Europeans, East Indians, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and others of mixed ancestry.

When did Jamaican culture start?

The first inhabitants of Jamaica probably came from islands to the east in two waves of migration. About 600 CE the culture known as the “Redware people” arrived. Little is known of these people, however, beyond the red pottery they left behind.

What makes Jamaican culture unique?

Jamaican culture is also enriched by its flavoursome, spicy and unique food. Using the aromatic spices of the Caribbean the dishes are an unusual fusion of flavours in the world. Most popular on the menu is jerk, a spicy marinade that is added to meat, fish and chicken.

What is the heritage of Jamaicans?

The majority of Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European, East Asian (primarily Chinese), Indian, Lebanese, and mixed-race minorities.

What part of Africa did most Jamaicans come from?

Sub-Saharan African Afro-Jamaicans are Jamaicans of predominantly or partial Sub-Saharan African descent. They represent the largest ethnic group in the country .Atlantic slave trade.Region of embarkment, 1701–1800Amount %Bight of Biafra (Igbo, Ibibio)31.9Gold Coast (Asante/Fante Akan)29.56 more rows

What did the original Jamaicans look like?

Physically, they were light brown in colour, short and well-shaped with coarse, black hair. Their faces were broad and their noses flat. They grew cassava, sweet potatoes, maize (corn), fruits, vegetables, cotton and tobacco. Tobacco was grown on a large scale as smoking was their most popular pastime.

What is the main culture in Jamaica?

Jamaican culture consists of the religion, norms, values, and lifestyle that define the people of Jamaica. The culture is mixed, with an ethnically diverse society, stemming from a history of inhabitants beginning with the original Taino people. The Spaniards originally brought slavery to Jamaica.

Who are native Jamaicans?

The original inhabitants of Jamaica were the indigenous Taíno, an Arawak-speaking people who began arriving on Hispaniola by canoe from the Belize and the Yucatan peninsula sometime before 2000 BCE.