Customs and etiquette in Jamaica
Jamaica originated from the Indian language, meaning "land of forests and waters." It was originally inhabited by the Arawac Indians. Columbus came here in 1494 and became a Spanish colony in 1509. It was occupied by the British in 1655. It became a British Crown Colony in 1866. Independence was declared on August 6, 1962 and it became a member of the British Commonwealth. It covers an area of 10991 square kilometers. Located in the northwest Caribbean Sea. It faces Haiti across the Strait of Jamaica to the east and is about 140 kilometers away from Cuba to the north. The coastline is 1220 kilometers long. It is 235 kilometers long from east to west and 82 kilometers wide from north to south. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea after Cuba and Haidi Island.
The original residents of Jamaica came from the Arawac Indian tribe in South America, and were gradually extinct due to disease, slavery, exploitation and war. Currently, blacks and mulatto account for more than 90% of the total population (mainly blacks), with the rest being Indians, whites and Chinese.
According to Jamaica custom, a man must buy or build a house before getting married, hold a grand wedding, and support a wife who does not have to go out to work, but this is often only common in upper society. There is another recipe for lower-class residents. About one-third of Jamaica women have their first child before marriage. When a woman develops pregnancy symptoms, the woman's mother usually recognizes this fait accompli. As long as the father of the baby agrees to bear a certain amount of child expenses, he can live in the woman's house. Once the child is born, he can live in cohabitation, but no formal wedding is held. Therefore, more than 70% of Jamaica babies are illegitimate children.
Villages in Jamaica generally have a central square, which is the center of the entire village. The square is surrounded by village government, hospitals, shops, long-distance bus stations, etc. Most of the houses in the village are built of cement and bricks. Urban architecture and planning are European-style, with many high-rise buildings, and coastal cities have beautiful restaurants and swimming pools. The clothes commonly worn by residents include shirts and shorts. Women usually wear skirts and wear suits on solemn occasions. Residents like to dance disco, listen to lega music, and like group dancing. Residents 'staple foods are rice, corn, bread, beef, milk, vegetables, etc. Young people like to drink Coca-Cola, while old people like tea and coffee. Beer and dragon wine are also drinks that many people like to drink.
The etiquette of Jamaica is similar to that of Commonwealth countries and Latin American countries. The most commonly used addresses are Mr. and Ms., Mrs., Mrs., etc. It is customary to add an official title or professional title before the address. Taboos in Jamaica are similar to those in the UK. For example, people don't like the number "13" regardless of the age of the woman. People usually dress more casually, but they wear suits for formal occasions. Those invited to the banquet should bring gifts. When Jamaica people attend meetings and other activities, usually when the speaker says good morning or good afternoon, the audience below will also repeat the greeting to the speaker.