YAADI CULTURE, FIMI STYLE MAGAZINE Volume 1, Issue 5
August 2012
Special Issue Jamaican Youths and their exposure to violence pg. 6 . The Influence of the flashy lifestyle of dancehall artistes on school children today pg. 13 Teenage Pregnancy in Jamaica
PG. 2.
JAMAICA; WE LIKKLE BUT WE TALLAWAH!!!
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YAADI CULTURE, FIMI STYLE MAGAZINE Teenage pregnancy in Jamaica By Adrian Duncan
Teenage pregnancy is an issue which has been the focal point of
the message to ‗hit home‘ as
their partner and unborn
in some cases the phrase ―it
child resulting from an early
probably will not happen to
pregnancy while young
me‖ may be ready on the
women need to comprehend
tongue.
the risks they put themThere are many
many a discussion, seminar and
reasons why a teen may
programme in Jamaica.
become pregnant. Some
How-
selves at and the potential endangerment of their
ever, in trying to rectify the prob-
reasons for unintended teen
lem we must begin with reaching
pregnancies are out of their
the youth from a more relatable
control such as cases of rape
perspective. Teenagers may hear
or incest, but for those per-
from their parents, family, church,
sons who make the decision
and community members how
to have unprotected sex, it
difficult, it is to raise children, but
must be understood that
what must be acknowledged is that
pregnancy does not just
children‘s life.
many individuals, youth especially,
happen to girls who sleep
at times believe they are immune to
around. Having a child in
the consequences of risky
one‘s teenage years can be a
behaviors. It must therefore be
challenging experience for
clearly explained to teens how
new mothers and fathers.
every aspect of their lives will
However, the medical risks
change with an early unintended
are ones that only the mother
pregnancy. Simply saying ―abstain
and child suffer. Young men
from sex‖ will not be enough for
need to understand the risk to
Rates of teenage pregnancy in Jamaica are among the highest in the Caribbean, with the birth rate for 15-19 year olds at 108 births per 1,000 women. Forty-five percent of all Jamaican women who are 15 to 24 years old have been pregnant by 19 years of age,
Cont’d on pg. 16
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Feature: From a Bird’s view Jamaica Land Of Beauty, We Promise Faithfully “Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” -Betty Friedan
With Jamaica so high in the ―mix‖, preparing for its grand finale of its 50th anniversary, let us take the time to investigate some of the fibers that are responsible for constructing its culture, heritage, nation and people. Firstly the nation as we know is a Pepper Pot soup of many nations, a concoction only few can boast of. Every nationality that can be combined, genetically and socially, has been, in this sweet land of wood and water. And thus Jamaica boasts ethnicities such as\― afro-Chinese‖ and Indicaucasiafricans‖, just to name a few, that would not have been as perfect if they were formulated in a genetics lab‘s test tube. This nation was built on a foundation of genocide, by building blocks of slavery, exploration, migration, hard work, sweat, blood, tears and many more elements of ambivalence. Yet with all that said, for every bad blood infused, there is a good bone to hold on to.
The culture, people, and heritage: these are what make Jamaicans, Jamaicans. The third coolest set of people in the world, must have earned such a reputation from somewhere, doing something. Where else can one go and there are as many churches as there are rum bars or equivalently there are as many parties as there are days in the
year (or maybe a few more parties)? Jamaicans know how to have a great time; one of the people‘s dogmas is to make a little light of everything. Yes, violence and hard times still exist in large percentages, yet all this and more are transcended for the sake of ―Goodtimes‖, or Reggae Sumfest, or even a session near the football field just because it‘s Friday and dominoes have to be played until the bar closes and the sound system shuts down.
Jamaica‘s culture isn‘t just its music, or style, or fashion or any such related elements. It is also behavior, the tradition of ―work hard, party harder‖; its people‘s love for life and whatever these joys entail, the food and the multitude of things that can be done with items such as cassava, or sweet potatoes, or some parrot fish. For such a place, culture is how strangers are entertained, how they are shown good vibes and have them truly believe in the term ―Jamaica, no problem‖. It is the jargons created, not just the patois but words that are associated with certain behaviors, items and situations; or even the phrases or words that society for periods of time disassociate themselves from. From the naming of a new dance, to the new phrase for a certain behavior, Jamaica always ―a shell‖. Jamrock‘s past is essential in shaping today, as today will tomorrow. The people it cultivates, the talents it nurtures and the lifestyles promoted are all fundamental in the growth from zero to fifty, and as of now, even beyond. I‘m no Humming Bird, I am a swan of the lake, a falcon of the sky; but I too am proud to be Jamaican. The people who pride themselves in being as ―Tallawah‖ as they come, taking on the biggest, brightest, fastest, ―hypest‖, ―swaggest‖ and not falling short, slow, dumb or dull.
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Ole Time People did say…by Georgette McGlashen
Uol Taim Piipl Yuuz Tu Se
Believe Kill and believe cure
Having recently experienced the dreadful joy
of giving birth to my baby Zaiyan, I unknowingly opened myself to a plethora of Jamaican oldwives tale about baby care; and dare I say baby culture. Needless to say there is no one cure for any ailment that may occur. However, there are as many cures as there are advisers; and yes the cures differ, as well as contradict each other and the medical doctor in some cases. This does not stop many mothers from swearing by the home made remedies and concoction that gave them results. If it works for one, it should work for all. Simpler than that, if it works, it should just work. Being a ‘new day or modern’ mother as I am being referred to, I am very sceptic to most of the suggested remedies. However I found out, that biliiv kil an biliiv kuor.
Case of the Hiccups
When my baby made her first hiccough, I smiled. Body parts are working well. Then afterwards, I thought that she may need some water; that’s what I was taught. Then I recalled the doctor saying only breast milk at this stage. So I quickly supplied milk to cure this violent shake that seemed a threat to dislocate the heart. A few times afterwards, I noticed the hiccoughs occurred after feeding and burping. I got very annoyed,
as I did not want to overfeed the baby. At that point I remembered persons saying, that hiccoughs in baby is a sign that the baby is growing. So I thought to myself, ‘ but I hicccp and I’m not growing still’. But I did notice that the basinet in which the baby sleeps was getting small only after 2 weeks, or the baby was growing. But logic got the better of me and I realized; of course the baby will grow, especially if I overfeed and eventually anyway.
Another occasion daddy recommended that I get a piece of thread, wet it with saliva and place it on the baby’s forehead.
Facts you should know:
Hansle Parchment is the first Jamaican in history to medal in the 110m hurdles at an Olympic Game.
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Jamaican Youths and their exposure to violence...Adrian Duncan witnessed severe acts of physical violence, 8% had been stabbed, and over one third had had a family member or close friend murdered. amaica has a high and rising rate of Additionally, increased unemployment and povhomicide. In 1970, the homicide rate was 8.1 per erty are influential factors for the development 100 000; by 2002, it had risen to 40 per 100 of numerous gangs, although it is said that gang 000 people. Jamaica now has the world's third members are generally not the poorest or least highest homicide rate behind South Africa and educated, to them it is about reColombia. Jamaican youth gangs tend to be spect. As the common saying goes overshadowed by the more notorious, violent ‗no gun, no girl‘ or ‗girls always and drug-dealing criminals. A reviewed study love bad man‘ shows that this is outlines that youth gangs remains an integral more of a hype flashy lifestyle component of the violence landscape in Jamaica. choice as opposed to a ‗forced on issue‖. These groups of youngsters, most times 12 – 17 Our nation‘s capital; Kingston, in particular, years, are well armed and often fight amongst themselves and more often, the armed forces of has historically been the locus of Jamaica‗s highest the country contributing to the increasingly high violent crime rates. In 2008, Kingston‗s homicide local homicide rate. So bad has the problem be- rate stood at a nerve-racking 96.2 per 100,000. These figures, however, belie the high levels of income that three students were killed at school tentional homicides in some Kingston communities, during the academic year of 2003 and there were which can exceed 1,000 per 100,000, especially in several other incidents of attacks on both stuthe poorest areas. dents and teachers, resulting in least 25 cases of Consistent with global trends, the primary injuries, according to a report prepared by the perpetrators and victims of violent crimes in these Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA). communities tend to be our young men. In 2005, Additionally in 2004, four young men ranging majority of violent crimes was committed by young from 13 – 16 were shot and injured while sitting men under 25, with persons in this category repreon a nearby wall. senting 43 per cent of murder suspects and 48 per Jamaica has had a rapidly rising homicent of shooting suspects. cide rate for over 30 years. Over time, Jamaica Likewise, between 1998 and and Jamaicans alike have developed a culture of 2002, most murder victims were violence. The violence problem in Jamaica is men (89 per cent) and between particularly acute in Kingston and other urban 15 and 44 years of age (80 per areas. A study of high school students in the cent). The murder rate for these country capital found that almost 80% had 15–44-year-old men was 121 witnessed violence in their communities, and per 100,000—almost 10 times 45% in their homes. A study of 11–12 year olds the rate of similarly aged in Jamaican urban areas found that a quarter had women.
J
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Jamaican Youths and their exposure to violence...Adrian Duncan ICTs and its inclusion in the Jamaica Education System Cont’d from pg. 2
Our Jamaican society needs sustainable Many of these young men apparently perpetrate these crimes as members of gangs. Indeed, gangs have increasingly contributed to violent crime rates in Jamaica. Official statistics suggest that gang-related murders increased from three per cent of murders in 1983 to 52 per cent in 2009. Government officials further maintain that the true proportion of murders that are gang-related is even higher. Firearms, like gangs, are increasingly associated with major crimes in Jamaica. Between 1990 and 2009, the per cent of reported murders involving firearms rose from 50 per cent to 77 per cent. The proportion of reported robberies involving firearms also rose from 57 per cent to 68 per cent in this time period. Over the past decade, variations in gun murders have accounted for almost all fluctuations in total murder rates.
efforts to support the prevention of violence among and by our young people. This can be done by fostering non�violent approaches to dispute resolution and anger management. A national peace education curriculum could be developed and pertinent methods borrowed from projects such as the Hague Appeal for Peace. As homicide victimization increases greatly after adolescence, teaching conflict resolution skills in the schools at an early age would be useful for breaking the cycle of violence. The justice system can also be strengthened and access to conflict mediation services improved. Jamaica is one of the most violent countries in the world and the impact of this problem on the Jamaican youths should be instructive for all concerned with the issue of Juvenile violence. It is often said that experiences and perceptions of violent actions often fosters similar behaviour among numerous males. Young males in the Jamaican society are particularly at risk of homicide victimization. Increasing protective factors for our boys is vital. There should be the conceptualization of programs geared at young males could lead to more positive social behaviour and lower the risk of involvement in violence.
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Wear a condom……...always...
2 1 3
4
5 6
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Ole Time People did say…by Georgette McGlashen Before my brain kicked in with rationality and science, I was firstly repulsed at the thought of putting spit on my baby, whether mine or anyone’s. How does spit on a thread, on the forehead, stop hiccough in the stomach? Of course I ignored that. Yet again, the hiccoughs returned. This time, I was advised to place a stick of unlit match in the baby’s hair at the front and centre. Okay, really? To me this one was even more ridiculous than the thread. But look at this! When I left the baby with my sister, she did it and she claimed that the hiccough stopped! This last strategy and recommendation I was willing to try. For one, it seemed fun, and it involved no foreign objects being placed on the head or body. Scaring or frightening the child out of the hiccough with a small ‘boo’ or any other word of choice. Time the hiccough and shout a quick short sharp ‘boo’ on the hiccough. Needless to say, that did not work either. The 2 remedies that work for me, where consuming liquid and waiting until the hiccoughs stopped. Many times we see advertisements that show products that offer solutions to desperate problems that we may be experiencing. We rush out and purchase, but to no avail, the solution does not come. In our spiritual lives, we may have a greater challenge, especially when it is working for others. But more than often we will find out that you may only get results for what you practice and what you believe. Until next time, walk good and remember Oudi an Tengki No Brok No Skwier.
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Feature: From a Bird’s view By Deidre Douglas
And with that caliber that has been set, our greatest competition is now ourselves, knowing only too well that Jamaicans are not too keen at playing second place to no-one, but another well loved countryman/woman. The ones who put the ―p‖ and ―d‖ in proud, Jamaicans are most definitely the authors and finishers. The
uniqueness of Jamaican puts us in topnotch positions, our relaxed aura makes it so easy for us to sit and have a laugh about serious issues of our land, like debt and death, storms, crime, taxes and politicians who insult our intelligences but regard our wit. Then we find a way to benefit from these jokes. Write a play, build a tune, we are truly Jamaican. And if the sports we love, have sleepless nights over and bet all our monies on, start to disappoint, we will ―unlove‖ it, Sabina Park and West Indies Cricket are not the only victims of the wrath of the Jamaican sport fans, ask the Reggae Boyz. But we do come around, especially if the team or athletes redeem themselves. Jamaica is a work of art, a force that cannot be reckoned with, one that cannot be duplicated. Our island is a beauty and so are our people, both in faces and features. Every day is a possible day in this country, which at 50 is still bursting at its seams with potential, opportunity and potential opportunities. It is high time we take the time to stop playing dolly pot with all we have here and make the most of a place and people like this.
Big up the Jamaican Athletes on their accomplishments in the Landon 2012 Olympic Games ………..you all have made us tremendously PROUD!!
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The influence of the flashy lifestyle of dancehall artistes on school children By Deidre Douglas How do famous people and their exorbitant portrayed lifestyle influence the young people socially, economically and psychologically? As an undergrad with an array of interesting courses available to me as electives, this pelican tried out a few. One of the most memorable was SY27D, ―Identity and Conduct in the Dancehalll Culture‖. What Dr. Stewart established and engraved in my curious bird brain, was that ―anything experienced in the dancehall can be assumed to be both literal and figurative (symbolic)‖. And as a Jamaican exposed to a wide range of lifestyles, this has been tried and proven. From colors to costs, dancehall culture, even at this our 50th year of independence is one that many will love to watch and fail to live up to. Closer to our hearts and homes are our brooding next generation and some personalities many of them have grown to admire dancehall figures. From their postures to their choices of food, all influenced by one man or another woman. The dancehall platform, just as many other areas in society and other societies worldwide, has a great level of influence on the young in age, heart and mind. The quantities of certain items are of such extravagance and the minds of the young are as sponges, just ready to absorb that ―all they see is as real in the show they watch‖.
old owl once said that ―one‘s talent, whatever it is, may be the key to his riches, even if stealing is his talent‖. So for many, it is their voices, or the lyrics they spit, yet for some it‘s their feet, and how fast they can run, or their brain and how well they can use the 10% we‘re so allotted to use. There is also that stroke of luck that pushes the envelope for a fortunate few, making that mere human extraordinary. Yet I did read somewhere that, "The mint makes it first, it is up to you to make it last." - Evan Esar. Many have fallen lower than they were after gaining riches and losing it all. An
"Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like." - Will Smith
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Cont’d on pg. 16
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YAADI CULTURE, FIMI STYLE MAGAZINE The influence of the flashy lifestyle of dancehall artistes on school children By Deidre Douglas
“How does this all affect our youths?‖ one may ask. In our ―Land We Love‖, dancehall is king. Dancehall is a dominant force, like church or maybe even greater. It infiltrates all aspects of life in our island in the sun, and our schools and households are only two. Its impact is evident with a flick of the remote control to the local television or radio stations, a step outside the average doors, or a conversation with the average child. The reality is, as advanced as learning has become, and as supersonic as our children‘s minds seem to be, the average youth may not understand the behind the scenes of such a lifestyle. All they see is their icons, going on tours, creating hits and spending the money they have, seemingly in abundance.
So for many, they start ―building tunes‖ and ―turning up their swag‖ and using the jargons of their role models, in a bid to become just like them. This may rob them from something they would be better at doing, like Math or Economics or Physics. So many potentials are dampened by societal influence, yet so many are discovered by same. It is a great trade off that many of our youths end up never recovering from. Not many have the opportunity to experiment with three or four options in life before finding themselves. We jus‘ nuh stay suh, and our economy jus nuh have it like dat. So some walk the plank and find gold at the end while some end up struggling after facing the harsh reality of the demands of the lifestyle.
Still even at younger ages, of pre-teens and teenagers, dancehall is significant. Dress codes are made in dancehall, the latest trends, and we can depend on our very young people to incorporate this with their much uniformed attire that they must wear five days for the week. It has a lot of parents in deep expense especially during this back to school season, when most school items are purchased. Pants need taking in, tunics need hemming, cross bags have to be bought, though they cannot hold three composition books. Some want Clarks, some want Converses, and some don‘t have the parents who are having any of it. So some end up spending their own, or going out of their ways to be in with what‘s happening. It happens in every society, a dominant social force having great influence on the young people. And for the most part, it costs to make their fantasy a reality. We may need more social programs to counteract all that these warped minds have encountered, it is already too late for some. But as sure as the sun rises in the east, everyday there will be more babies, and more influences that parents will try to combat. Any change that will happen in our society will require crucial investments. And as Sarah Bernhardt once said, ―Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.‖ So we know, that to reap real rewards from the great potential our
youths possess, we must take the time out to teach, wholesome lessons, that will feed minds, wholesome thoughts.
Cont’d from pg. 13
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Teenage pregnancy in Jamaica By Adrian Duncan results in fewer years in the reproductive cycle and thus, potentially, fewer children.
There are a number of consequences to teenage pregnancy in Jamaica. First of all, the education of the adolescent mother is disrupted and often completely ended. Indeed, only 36% of teenage mothers complete more than four years of secondary school, compared to 50% of girls who never become pregnant. The mother,
The socio-economic situation of the Jamaican mother also often leads to child shifting, where a child is sent to live with other family members or other families, away from the mother. Studies have shown that 1 out of 5 Jamaican children did not live with either their mother or father; very often the shifted child will be placed in a negative environment.
W
hat Jamaican society is
then, is severely limited in her job opportuni-
beginning to realize is that the negative effects
ties.
of teenage pregnancy in Jamaica are not felt
Delaying childbirth can allows young
solely by the adolescent mother or her child.
women and men to further their formal educa-
poor labor force due to so many young girls
tion and find employment without the pressures
being uneducated and because the resources of
of being provider for their family.
the country must be funneled into welfare
Delaying pregnancy can also result in smaller
programs for teenage mothers.
families and financial benefits for the expecting young couple as
putting off the pregnancy
Cont’d from pg. 2
The Jamaican economy suffers because of a
‘A life is not live unless it is lived for others’
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Yaadi Culture, Fimi Style Magazine is a socially endorsed magazine that tackles social, economical, political and technical issues affecting the country. Yaadi Culture, Fimi Style will through, scholastic research, aid in the sparking of debates, implementation of policies as well as help to foster developmental changes in the Jamaican Diaspora. Yaadi Culture, Fimi Style Magazine will be analyzing issues, from a pin to an anchor, in all fields of development; Technology, Governance, Policy Making, Librarianship, Sports, Entertainment, Telecommunications as well as politics, Science and Religion. The chief audience for the Yaadi Culture, Fimi Style will be movers and shakers, the average "Joe" and "Jane" of the Jamaican Society as well as the intellectually empowered students of the Jamaican Diaspora. Furthermore, the Yaadi Culture, Fimi Style Magazine will be aiding in the fight for ICT's to be integrated within the Jamaican Society and will be utilizing the services of its Website, Face Book Fan page, Twitter Account, LinkedIn, BlackBerry Messenger and Blog for the dissemination of on time information to its valued readers. ©
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