Westindies: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life

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JAKOB BÆKGAARD

Andre udgivelser fra Lindhardt og Ringhof Uddannelse

OPEN WIDE

THE BEAT GENERATION Af: Matias Andre Fredriksen & Peter Brian Hogg

CASE REOPENED Af: Tine Rønlev Eriksen

West Indies: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life er en undervisningsbog i engelsk til andet og tredje år på de gymnasiale uddannelser.

Bogen dækker særligt læreplanens krav om områdestudie udenfor Storbritannien og USA, og kan indgå i et samarbejde med idræt, historie og musik.

I fire kapitler med et varieret udvalg af opgaver fokuseres på forskellige aspekter af Caribien: • The History of the Caribbean Islands: I dette korte åbningskapitel får eleverne et basalt overblik over regionen. Kapitlet indeholder desuden en innovationsopgave, hvor eleverne aktivt skal forholde sig til Danmarks fortid som kolonimagt.

• Jamaica: Her zoomes der ind på et land, hvis rige kultur og historie udforskes i et væld af forskellige tekster fra reggae til romanuddrag, podcast, sagprosa og dokumentar.

• Trinidad and Tobago: Dette kapitel fortsætter den genremæssige spredning, men har et mere litterært fokus med tekster af nobelprisvinderen V.S. Naipaul og en af regionens mest berømmede forfattere, Sam Selvon. Desuden introduceres eleverne til calypsogenren.

• Cricket in the West Indies: I det afsluttende kapitel fokuseres på Vestindiens folkesport, cricket, der blandt andet belyses via en akademisk artikel.

De enkelte kapitler kan læses for sig eller kombineres på kryds og tværs. Hvert kapitel indledes med et fagligt fokus og afsluttes med et læringstjek. Derudover er der synlige læringsmål til de enkelte tekstopgaver. Her arbejdes blandt andet med analyse af film, sagprosa og fiktion, samt integrering af grammatik i tekstarbejdet.

Tilsammen giver teksterne et rigt portræt af en region, hvor smerten fra fortiden og livets udfordringer balanceres af en ukuelig livsvilje.

West Indies: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life

Af: Jakob Bækgaard, Kristine Lund Knudsen, Stinna Straagaard Pedersen & Eva Pors

3mm lagt til bredden

ryg 14 mm

JAKOB BÆKGAARD

JAKOB BÆKGAARD Lektor i engelsk og dansk på Midtfyns Gymnasium.

Er medforfatter til engelskudgivelsen Open Wide sammen med Eva Pors, Kristine Lund Knudsen og Stinna Straagard Pedersen.

West Indies: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life

UNSEX ME Af: Mette Brynaa Hansen & Anne Louise Haugaard Christensen

ISBN 9788770667944

www.lru.dk

LINDHARDT OG RINGHOF

West Indies: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life af Jakob Bækgaard © 2017 Lindhardt og Ringhof Uddannelse, København – et forlag under Lindhardt og Ringhof Forlag A/S, et selskab i Egmont.

Forlagsredaktion: Jan Krogh Larsen Omslagsdesign og grafisk tilrettelægning: Ulla Korgaard, Designeriet Billedredaktion: Ane Olsen Mekanisk, fotografisk, elektronisk eller anden gengivelse af denne bog eller dele heraf er kun tilladt efter Copydans regler.

Tryk: Livonia Print Sia 1. udgave 1. oplag 2017 ISBN 9788770667944

CONTENT

Forord

CHAPTER 1: The History of the Caribbean Islands Lonely Planet: “Caribbean Islands: History” (3 ns) SYNTHESIS

CHAPTER 2: JAMAICA Early B: “History of Jamaica” (1 ns) Roger Mais: “Blackout” (3 ns) Roger Mais: “Red Dirt Don’t Wash” (7,8 ns) Velma Pollard: “Berbice” (1,6 ns) Kei Miller: “These Islands of Love and Hate” (4,5 ns) The Jamaica Gleaner, February 14, 2016: “Don’t Destroy Our Future” (2,4 ns) Stephanie Black: Life + Debt (2001) The Stitcher: “Health Tips Episode 31: Usain Bolt! The Fastest Man on Earth!!!” (2014) (6,9 ns) Office of the Prime Minister: “Emancipation Day Message” (2,1 ns) Marlon James: “Excerpt from A Brief History of Seven Killings: Papa-Lo” (4,2 ns) Bob Marley Songs: “Concrete Jungle” (0,4 ns) “Slave Driver” (0,6 ns) “So Much Trouble in the World” (0,4 ns) “Babylon System” (0,7 ns) SYNTHESIS

CHAPTER 3: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Betsy Burlingame: “10 Tips for Living in Trinidad & Tobago” (8,2 ns) V.S. Naipaul: “Power?” (6,4 ns) V.S. Naipaul: “B. Wordsworth” (4,8 ns) Sam Selvon: “Departure” (0,3 ns) Ian McDonald: “A White Man Considers the Situation” (0,5 ns) Sam Selvon: “Brackley and the Bed” (3,1 ns) Sam Selvon: “Passing Cloud” (2,7 ns)

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Calypso Songs: “Seven Skeletons Found in the Yard” (0.7 ns) “Portrait of Trinidad” (0,9 ns) “No Money, No Love” (0,5 ns) “Calypso Music” (1,2 ns) Peter Culshaw: “Calypso Rose: “I’m fighting for everyone, regardless of sex”” (2,0 ns) Kamsha Maharaj: “Moving out of Trinidad: The Good, the Bad, the Truth” (3,5 ns) SYNTHESIS

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CHAPTER 4: CRICKET IN THE WEST INDIES R. M. Austin: “The Importance of Cricket to the West Indian People” (7,0 ns) Sam Selvon: “The Cricket Match” (4,3 ns) Stevan Riley: Fire in Babylon (2011) Oliver Brown: “West Indies cricket is becoming a relic” (2,2 ns) SYNTHESIS

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CREDITS

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FORORD West Indies: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life er en undervisnings-bog om Caribien, der tager eleverne med til en verdensdel, som vi som danskere har et helt specielt forhold til i kraft af vores koloniale fortid. I 2017 er der således 100 års jubilæum for overdragelsen af Dansk Vestindien til USA. Bogen er inddelt i fire kapitler og starter med en generel introduktion til regionen og inviterer dernæst eleverne til selv at undersøge Danmarks fortid som kolonimagt.

Herefter zoomes der ind på to lande: Jamaica og Trinidad & Tobago. De er valgt på grund af deres rige kulturelle arv og særlige forhold til musik, jævnfør undertitlen på bogen: The Rhythm & Struggle of Life. Til sidst zoomes der ud igen med et kapitel om sporten cricket, som har den samme status og nationale samlingskraft i regionen som fodbold herhjemme.

Bogen er beregnet til gymnasiets andet eller tredje år. Man kan vælge at læse et enkelt kapitel, kombinere kapitler eller vælge stof fra alle fire kapitler og sammensætte sit eget forløb.

Hvert kapitel udgør en sluttet helhed og indledes med et fagligt fokus og afsluttes med en syntese, hvor der samles op.

Til hver tekst hører indledende øvelser (PRE-READING), læseinstruks (READING INSTRUCTIONS) og arbejdsopgaver (POST-READING). Læseinstruksen er tænkt som lektiefokus, men kan også bruges som opgave i klassen.

Til hver opgave hører et fagligt fokus markeret med et why? som tydeliggør hvilken engelskfaglig kompetence, der særligt er fokus på. Der arbejdes blandt andet med analyse af dokumentarfilm, analyse af sagprosa og fiktion, samt integrering af grammatik i tekstarbejdet.

Bogen har desuden tilknyttet et website, hvor man kan finde arbejdsark og andet materiale www.lru.dk/westindies.

En central del af bogens didaktik handler om at eleverne selv skal være opsøgende og finde viden på nettet. I den forbindelse lægges der op til en diskussion af, hvordan man udvælger og vurderer materiale på nettet.

Tekstudvalget er bredt og dækker fiktion, sagprosa, podcast og dokumentarer. De to dokumentarer (Fire in Babylon og Life + Debt) er i skrivende stund let tilgængelige på DVD. Til slut vil jeg gerne rette en særlig tak til min gode kollega, Eva Pors, der har ladet mig stjæle sine opgaver og bidraget med gennemlæsning af en stor del af manuskriptet og pædagogisk sparring.

Forfatteren Odense, 2017

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CHAPTER 1

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THE HISTORY OF THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS Christopher Columbus landing in San Salvador in 1492

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Focus of Chapter 1

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n this short opening chapter, you will be introduced to the history of the Caribbean

islands. This is done through an unusual source: namely, a tourist guide from the famous travel guide publisher, Lonely Planet. Another commercial source used is a documentary about the Caribbean. Both of these sources are useful, but it is important to be aware of their shortcomings.

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he aim of this chapter is to give you basic historical knowledge about the Caribbean, but

also to make you able to use the communication model to see what the message is in a non-fiction text, where it comes from, and finally how the context affects the message and the language that is used to reach out to the readers. Finally, the chapter also touches upon Denmark’s own connection to the history of the Caribbean, and invites you to confront the troubling past of slavery.

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WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands: History

CHAPTER 1

PRE-READING Why? To try to visualise the Caribbean to get a more exact image of the region In pairs or groups 1. Find a map of the Caribbean. How many islands can you spot?

2. Make a photo collage of 6-10 pictures. The collage should include photos from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. You can use padlet.com or another device. You can find images on Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page or Flickr Creative Commons: https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/.

3. Make an exhibition with your collages. Walk around the class and look at them. At least one person should stay with his/her collage so he/she will be able to explain the choice of images.

In class 4. Discuss the image that is given of the Caribbean in your collages.

READING INSTRUCTIONS Why? To search for information about the sender of a text and practise getting an overview of a text Individually 1. The text does not have a specific author, but there is a sender. Find information about Lonely Planet.

2. Consider what makes a subheading for a paragraph work well.

3. The text is already divided into sections with subheadings. Replace the existing subheadings with subheadings that give a more exact description of the content.

Use the sheet “New Subheadings in a History of the Caribbean Islands� on the website www.lru.dk/westindies.

4. Consider what the purpose of the existing subheadings is. Why do you think the sender has chosen exactly these subheadings?

THE HISTORY OF THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

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CHAPTER 1

Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands: History 5

tourist guide

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nomadic (adj): nomadisk, omvandrende hunter-gatherer (sbst): jæger-samler island-hopping (sbst): øhop, at flytte sig fra ø til ø recurrent (adj): tilbagevendende peaceable (adj): fredsommelig minding one’s own business (idiom): passe sig selv fan out (idiom): sprede sig ud enslave (vb): slavebinde, gøre til slave trigger (vb): udløse dub (vb): navngive warfaring (adj): krigsførende penchent (sbst): tilbøjelighed weary (adj): træt hammock (sbst): hængekøje landfall (sbst): landkending, det at kunne se land settlement (sbst): koloni, bosættelse

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Ahoy Arawaks The first Caribbeans arrived on the islands closest to South America around 4000 BC. These nomadic hunter-gatherers were followed by waves of Arawaks (a collective term for the Amerindian people believed to be from the Orinoco River Delta around Venezuela and Guyana) who moved north and west, beginning the great tradition of Caribbean island-hopping. Indeed, one of the Caribbean’s recurrent themes, from pre-Columbian times until right now, has been movement of peoples.

Around AD 1200 the peaceable Arawaks were happily farming, fishing and minding their own business when the Caribs from South America started fanning out over the Caribbean. The Caribs killed the Arawak men and enslaved the women, triggering another wave of migration that sent the Arawaks fleeing as far west as Cuba and as far north as the Bahamas. When the Spanish explorers arrived, they dubbed the warfaring people they encountered ‘cannibals’ (a derivation of the word ‘caribal’ or Carib), for their reputed penchant for eating their victims. Since the Arawaks had no written language, little of their culture survived, except – thankfully for weary travelers – the hammock.

Ahoy Columbus Christopher Columbus led the European exploration of the region, making landfall at San Salvador in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492 – no matter that he thought he was in Asia. He too islandhopped, establishing the first European settlement in the Americas on Hispaniola, today shared by the Dominican Republic and

WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

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CHAPTER 1

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Pirates & forts 25

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Haiti. Discovering new lands gives glory, but what Columbus and subsequent explorers wanted was gold. Funny, though: despite four trips during which Columbus named and claimed much of the region for the Spanish crown, from Trinidad in the south to the Virgin Islands in the north, he never found much gold.

That’s not to say there weren’t riches: the land was fertile, the seas bountiful and the native population, after initial resistance by the toughest of the remaining Caribs, forcibly pliant. The conquistadores set to exploiting it all, violently. Focusing on the biggest islands promising the highest returns, they grabbed land, pillaged and enslaved, settling towns in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Jamaica.

Except for mineral-rich Trinidad, taken early by the Spanish, the Eastern Caribbean was left largely to its own devices until the English washed up on St Kitts in 1623, sparking domino-effect colonization of Barbados, Nevis, Antigua and Montserrat. Not to be outdone, the French followed, settling Martinique and Guadeloupe, while the Dutch laid claim to Saba, Sint Eustatius and St-Martin/Sint Maarten.

Over the next 200 years the Europeans fought like children over these islands, and possession changed hands so often that a sort of hybridized culture developed; some islands, like St-Martin/Sint Maarten and St Kitts, were split between two colonial powers.

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The Caribbean colonial story is largely one of giant agricultural interests – most notably sugar, but also tobacco, cattle and bananas – fueled by greed and slavery that promoted power struggles between landowners, politicians and the pirates who robbed them. The Bahamas, with hundreds of cays, complex shoals and channels, provided the perfect base for pirates such as Henry Jennings and ‘Blackbeard’ (Edward Teach) who ambushed treasure-laden boats headed for Europe. On the home front, Britain, Spain and France were embroiled in tiffs, scuffles and all-out war that allowed colonial holdings to change hands frequently. The English took Jamaica in 1655 and held Cuba momentarily in 1762, while the Spanish and French agreed to divide Hispaniola in 1731, creating the Dominican Republic and Haiti of today. The legacies of this period – Santo Domingo’s Fortaleza Ozama, the fortresses of Old San Juan

glory (sbst): ære fertile (adj): frugtbar bountiful (adj): frodig, bugnende forcibly (adv): med magt pliant (adj): eftergivende conquistador (sbst): erobrer exploit (vb): udnytte pillage (vb): plyndre, røve domino-effect (sbst): dominoeffekt. Det at en handling medfører en række efterfølgende handlinger, som i et dominospil, hvor det at en brik falder gør, at en masse andre brikker falder claim (vb) gøre krav på hybridized (adj): hybridiseret, sammensat af flere forskellige ting, her kulturer agriculture (sbst): landbrug cay (sbst): koralrev shoal (sbst): sandbanke ambush (vb): overfalde embroil (vb): inddrage tiff (sbst): lille skænderi scuffle (sbst): slagsmål holding (sbst): andel legacy (sbst): arv

THE HISTORY OF THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

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CHAPTER 1

vibrant (adj): pulserende, livlig captivating (adj): fængslende, medrivende overseer (sbst): forvalter, opsynsmand protectorate (sbst): protektorat statehood (sbst): status som stat plebiscite (sbst): folkeafstemning tenuous (adj): spinkel autonomous (adj): uafhængig, selvstændig federation (sbst): føderation, forbundsstat charter (sbst): vedtægt stipulate (vb): fastlægge lag (sbst): forsinkelse monocrop (sbst): afgrøde, hvor der kun dyrkes en ting nutmeg (sbst): muskatnød fluctuation (sbst): udsving polarize (vb): polarisere, dele

and Havana and the vibrant mix of cultures – are among the most captivating attractions for travelers.

Except for the Eastern Caribbean, which has historically been more laid-back and easily controlled by its European overseers, colonial infighting had locals plotting rebellion and independence. Haiti was way in front of the curve in declaring independence in 1804, followed by the Dominican Republic in 1844 and Cuba in 1902. For some smaller islands – such as St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbuda and Antigua – the solution has been to band together. Other islands have opted to maintain strong neocolonial ties to the parent country, as is the case with the French protectorates of St-Barthélemy, Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the commonwealth situation between Puerto Rico and the US. Independence on the one hand and statehood on the other has always had its champions in Puerto Rico, with statehood narrowly losing plebiscites in 1993 and 1998.

A different, but tenuous, alternative was forged by the Dutch holdings of Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba. In 1954 these holdings became an autonomous federation under Dutch rule known as the Netherlands Antilles, though the charter stipulated that each was to eventually become independent.

After a long lag since Aruba split first in 1986, the others are doing that now.

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A rum-punch future The last 100 years have been a mixed bag for the region. US intervention in countries seen as geostrategically important, particularly Haiti and Cuba, usually does more harm than good. Furthermore, monocrop agriculture – bananas in Jamaica, nutmeg in Grenada – means the islands are at the mercy of heavy weather and market fluctuations. At the same time, it polarizes societies into the rich who own the land and the poor who work it. This inevitably fosters socialist tendencies, including Fidel Castro, but also Maurice Bishop in Grenada (1979–83). Economic instability, especially, has given rise to dictators such as Rafael Leonidas Trujillo for 31 years in the Dominican Republic and the Duvaliers (Papa and Baby Doc) for 29 years in Haiti.

One thing all the islands have in common is tourism, which began taking hold when other sectors of the islands’ economies began to

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CHAPTER 1

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crumble, particularly agriculture. Crop-leveling hurricanes (eg Gilbert in 1988, Hugo in 1989) spurred some islands to develop tourism industries, while the 1997 World Trade Organization ruling favoring Central American bananas over Caribbean ones forced St Vincent and Martinique to look at diversifying. Far from a panacea, unfettered tourism can wreak havoc on the environment or give rise to societal woes like prostitution in Cuba. But overall the perception that tourism is a good source of jobs and revenue is widespread. In a recent poll, people in places as diverse as Trinidad and Barbados overwhelmingly said they not only liked tourists but said their presence made everybody’s life better. Of course that poll may have been taken when Brobdingnagian cruise hips weren’t in port.

But like a sacking of an agrarian village by pirates, this summary makes short work of the Caribbean’s complex story. Each island’s particular history is more complex and nuanced; see individual chapters for the full scoop.

From www.lonelyplanet.com

crumble (vb): smuldre hurricane (sbst): orkan spur (vb): anspore diversify: gøre afvekslende panacea (sbst): patentløsning, universalløsning, en løsning, der løser alle problemer unfettered (adj): uhæmmet, uden begrænsninger wreak (vb): forvolde, gøre havoc (sbst): kaos, ravage societal (adj): samfundsmæssig perception (sbst): opfattelse source (sbst): kilde revenue (sbst): indtægt poll (sbst): meningsmåling presence (sbst): tilstedeværelse brobdingnagian: kæmpestor, gigantisk sack (sbst): plyndring agrarian village: landsby på landet

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CHAPTER 1

Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands: History

POST-READING Why? • To get a basic idea of the history of the Caribbean islands • To practise using the communication model In pairs or groups 5. Discuss what makes a subheading for a paragraph work well.

6. Present your subheadings to each other and create the ideal subheadings together, taking the best from each of your presentations.

7. Sum up the most important information you have about the Caribbean islands. Write down the keywords and phrases into the document: “New Subheadings in a History of the Caribbean Islands”.

In class 8. Share some of your keywords in class. You can do this as a class discussion or share your keywords and phrases through www.todaysmeet.com, Google Docs or another backchannel.

In pairs 1. Insert the text into the communication model. Prepare a detailed analysis where you include all of the aspects of the communication model and support your arguments with quotes from the text. For instance, if you believe the tone in the text is humorous, you should give an example from the text. The communication model can be found on the website www.lru.dk/westindies.

2. Share the information you found about the sender and find the places in the text where it is possible to see the imprint of the sender.

In class 3. Discuss your analysis of the text in class and consider whether the text succeeds in communicating its message to the target group in the best possible way. Do you think the existing subheadings strengthen or weaken the communication?

4. Consider the pros and cons of using the communication model as an analytical tool.

What are the strengths and limitations of the model?

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WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands: History

CHAPTER 1

CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT Why? • To practise doing research on a particular topic • To write a paragraph with a particular focus Individually 1. The article “Caribbean Islands: History” presents the history of the Caribbean islands, but a lot of information is missing. Write a section with additional information about the Caribbean. You are assigned one of the following topics: culture, food, geography or sport. Research your topic and use at least three different sources. Find a good subheading for your section and remember to proofread as well.

In groups 2. Take turns at presenting your section. Read it aloud and share it with the rest of the group. When you are all done, choose the best section in the group.

In class 3. Listen to the sections chosen by the groups. Discuss what is good about the sections that have been chosen.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST Why? • To be able to compare different representations of Caribbean history • To focus on note technique In class/individually 1. You are going to watch a documentary about the Caribbean. You can find the documentary on YouTube. Search for “Working Title Media Caribbean history parts 1, 2, 3.”

2. Take good notes on a piece of paper while you watch. Write your notes individually, but write them in a way so that they will be useful for others. Be aware that your notes will later be used for an exhibition of notes, but you should not write your name on the paper.

3. Hang your notes on the walls in the classroom so you have an exhibition of notes.

4. Walk around in class and read each other’s notes. Each note sheet should be graded in the following way: CBI = Could be Improved, P = Passable, VDI = Very Detailed and Informative.

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CHAPTER 1

Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands: History

5. Get your notes and read the grades you have been given. Discuss afterwards what it takes to write good notes.

6. Sum up the information you were given about the Caribbean in the documentary and compare it with the article from Lonely Planet. What things are included and excluded?

7. The documentary is produced by a commercial outlet. Is it possible to see this and is it problematic or not?

CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT Why? • To draw parallels between the Caribbean and Denmark • To practise the presentation of a topic and use of innovative skills In groups 1. Many people tend to forget that Denmark was involved in the slave trade as the colonisers of the group of islands known as the Danish West Indies. Your job is to do some research and find out more about Denmark’s troubling past, and then make a campaign in which you apologise for the system of slavery in the West Indies. Your campaign could be designed as a poster, a collage, a movie, a poem or something else.

Your first step will be to get a basic idea of the history of the Danish West Indies.

To do this, you should consult the following website: http://www.virgin-islands-history.dk/eng/vi_hist.asp.

2. Finding information about slaves can be difficult because they were not treated as human beings, but rather as a commodity. However, when the slaves ran away from their master, they had to be described. In the newspapers they could be found under the headline “Run away”. Look at the West Indian newspapers yourself. Find the headline “Run away” to read about the slaves. A selection of newspapers can be found on the website www.lru.dk/westindies. Here, you can also find a link to an article in Danish that examines how slaves were depicted in the West Indian newspapers.

In class 3. The groups present their products and their thoughts behind the campaign. Sum up by discussing why it is important to remember that Denmark was involved in slavery in the Caribbean.

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WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands: History

CHAPTER 1

Individually 1. Write the story of one of the slaves who is described in the newspapers. Length: 1-2 pages.

In groups 2. Take turns at reading your stories and choose the most convincing story.

In class 3. Hear the stories in class and discuss the difference between the way the slaves are depicted in the newspapers and the way you presented the people in your stories.

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CHAPTER 1

SYNTHESIS Why? • To sum up what you learned in this chapter Individually 1. Write a summary of 200-250 words about the topic: The History of the Caribbean Islands.

In pairs 2. Read your summaries aloud to each other and decide on the most important points to include in a summary.

3. Working together, re-write your two summaries into one perfect summary.

4. Post your summaries on an online platform where your classmates can see it, for instance a blog, or a shared document in Google.

Individually 5. Read the perfect summaries produced in pairs and decide on the best one. You may not choose your own.

In class 6. Cast your vote on the best summary. Discuss what is great about the summary with the most votes.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT Individually 1. Write your own History of the Caribbean Islands. Your history should include a paragraph about the Danish West Indies. Length: 600-800 words.

2. Remember to do some research and use your own words instead of copying the language of the sources you use. Copying directly from other sources without showing it through quotes with references will disqualify your article.

3. The sources you have used (websites or books) should be listed at the end of the article.

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WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

CHAPTER 2:

JAMAICA

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Focus of Chapter 2

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n this chapter you will read different types of texts that all focus on Jamaica. You will learn

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about the history of the country, the tensions between rich and poor and the heritage of slavery.

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You will also be introduced to the country’s most significant musician, Bob Marley, and its most famous sportsman, Usain Bolt.

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he aim of this chapter is to give you diverse knowledge of the culture and history of

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Jamaica that can be applied in the reading of Jamaican texts. You should be able to analyse 25

different types of texts, both fiction and non-fiction, in order to focus on different representations of Jamaica. You should also be able to draw parallels

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between the texts, and discuss some of the most important themes in Jamaican history and culture.

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CHAPTER 2

Early B: History of Jamaica

PRE-READING

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Why? • To practise research on the internet • To get basic information about Jamaica Individually 1. Answer the Jamaica Questions. The questions can be found on the website

www.lru.dk/westindies. Links to suggested sources can be found on the website as well.

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Changing pairs 2. Meet up with a partner and check each other’s answers for the first question. When you have finished, move on to a new partner. There are 12 different questions so you have to speak with 12 different partners.

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In class 3. Talk about the information you gathered in class and clarify any uncertainties together.

Discuss the use of sources as well. Which sources did you choose and why? Which were the best and most reliable?

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READING INSTRUCTIONS 25

Why? • To practise understanding a text (reading and re-reading) • To practise research on the internet Individually 1. Find the song on www.youtube.com by typing “Early B History of Jamaica” into the search

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field. Read the lyrics while you listen. Then read the lyrics a second time without music.

2. Find the references to people in the text. Do some research on the internet and write a note on every person that explains who he/she is. Use the sheet “Gallery of People in the History of Jamaica”. The sheet can be found on the website www.lru.dk/westindies.

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THE HISTORY OF THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS JAMAICA

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CHAPTER 2

Early B: History of Jamaica

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(1984) song lyrics latitude (sbst): breddegrad square miles (sbst): kvadratmeter peak (sbst): bjergtop treasury (sbst): skatkammer, statskassen treaty (sbst): traktat foot (sbst): fod (her længdeenhed)

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Wooo! Lord, know ‘bout yu country You ‘affi know ‘bout yu country Early B say yu ‘affi know ‘bout yu country Well hear mi now Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean Sea Between latitude seventeen and eighteen A seven hundred miles south of Miami A four thousand square miles of property The hardest part fi reach that a blue mountain peak I tell yu that a seven thousand four hundred feet Well I Early B, yur mic MC A tell yu ‘bout the ting called Jamaican history

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Say Columbus leaves Spain 1493 Say one year after made a discovery The Penn and Venables captures the country Port Royal became the world richest city A dis where Henry Morgan come and hide the treasury In 1833 dem abolish slavery The English fight the maroons and them sign a treaty The first politician was Busta’ and Manley The first great cricketer a George Headley ‘62 was independence fi all Jamaicans The first festival song was What A Bam Bam It done by the triple Toots & The Maytals You ‘affi know ‘bout yu country You ‘affi know ‘bout yu country Well hear me now Me say outa 21 and now at 22 Twenty two years of ages our likkle island Thanks to all heroes, all politicians Me say all sportsmen and all musicians

WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

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CHAPTER 2

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All factory workers and all farmers ‘pon the land Say 1962 a big celebration Say black, gold and green flag, the Queen of England Eternal Father we national song Say ackee and salt fish, banana and yam Say 1966 with Toots to the festival song That this year Selassie visits our island When you want know history, me say check I-man Me name Early B di born doctor-man And know me come like a history and love mi God

dread (sbst): dreadlocks. Reference til den jamaicanske Rastafari-bevægelse, hvis medlemmer går med dreadlocks. eerie/irie (adj): uhyggelig, her slang for at være sej/god til noget

You ‘affi know ‘bout yu country You ‘affi know ‘bout yu country, irrribibang!

Mek we talk ‘bout Jamaica Lord mi God, a dis ya sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet Jamaica ‘Cause me say, Jamaica, the land a weh we love We love it ‘pon the low and deh we love it from above So mek we talk ‘bout we country Say Early B say mek we talk ‘bout we country Yo hear me, Dread Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean Sea Between latitude seventeen and eighteen A seven hundred miles south of Miami A four thousand square miles of property The hardest part fi reach that a blue mountain peak I tell you that a seven thousand four hundred feet Well I Early B, your mic MC A tell you ‘bout the ting called Jamaican history So we talk about we country Lord, mi God we ‘affi talk ‘bout we country I know we free, I know we nice, I know we irie Around the microphone this is the doctor Early B I know we a talk ‘bout the good history About our country in the Caribbean Sea

JAMAICA

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CHAPTER 2

Early B: History of Jamaica

POST-READING Why? • To get information about Jamaican history • To discuss the representation of Jamaican identity

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In pairs or groups 3. Take turns at presenting your notes to the “Gallery of People in the History of Jamaica”.

Improve your notes by adding information from the other presentations.

4. Discuss the choice of characters. Why do you think that Early B has chosen exactly these characters? What do they represent?

5. Find the information you have been given about Jamaica. What have you been told about the country, including its geography, food, culture, politics, history and the character traits of the people?

6. Fact-check the information that you get in the song. Is it correct?

7. How is Jamaica represented in the song? How would you sum up the image that is given of the country in the song? Is it a fair representation? What is left out?

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In class 8. Discuss the image that is given of Jamaica and the Jamaican people in the song.

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STYLE AND LANGUAGE Why? • To practise the description of language and style in a text

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Individually 1. Read about the characteristics of spoken language. The document “Characteristics of Spoken Language” can be found on the website www.lru.dk/westindies.

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In class 2. Sum up the characteristics of spoken language and discuss the difference between spoken and written language.

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In pairs or groups 3. Find examples of spoken language in the text.

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WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE

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Early B: History of Jamaica

CHAPTER 2

4. Translate the following sentences into standard written English (correct grammar, correct spelling etc.).

A. Early B say yu ‘affi know ‘bout yu country.

B. The hardest part fi reach that a blue mountain peak / I tell yu that a seven thousand four hundred feet.

C. A tell yu ‘bout the ting called Jamaican history.

D. The Penn and Venables captures the country.

E. A dis where Henry Morgan come and hide the treasury.

F. The first politician was Busta’ and Manley.

G. Eternal Father we national song.

H. Me name Early B di born doctor-man.

In class 5. Sum up the characteristics of Early B’s language and discuss what is lost when you translate Jamaican dialect into standard English.

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JAMAICA

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CHAPTER 2

Roger Mais: Blackout

PRE-READING Why? • To practise discussion of a particular topic In pairs 1. Your teacher will hand out sheets that have a discussion of prejudice on them.

The discussion can be found on the website www.lru.dk/westindies.

2. Take turns at asking each other questions.

READING INSTRUCTIONS

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Why? • To practise characterisation by using adjectives Individually 1. Read the story and find the adjectives that are used to describe the man and the woman in the story. These are adjectives you find directly in the text. Based on the way they behave, you should also think of three adjectives for each person that you would use to describe him/her. These adjectives are not stated directly in the text. You can find a link to a list with adjectives to describe a person on the website www.lru.dk/westindies.

2. Find two quotes: one that says something about the male character and one that says something about the female character. Be prepared to explain the situation of each quote (where are we in the story and what is going on?) and comment on what the quote tells us about the character.

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WEST INDIES: THE RHYTHM AND STRUGGLE OF LIFE