Jamaica, many see the Caribbean country as an island paradise with its luscious beaches, magnificent attractions and the red-hot weather. Yet, beneath this exterior lies the interior of a nation that has a proud and diverse culture.

The culture of Jamaica has been influenced by many other cultures, for instance, the Arawaks (or Taino), who are the original inhabitants of the country, aside from these native peoples, there have been influences from the Spanish, British and predominantly West African slaves. One of the elements of Jamaica that these slaves helped to introduce was the Rastafari religion, a religion that has many followers, called Rastafarians, which currently reside in Jamaica.

Aside from the belief systems that the Rastafari religion have bestowed on the country, such as the belief that a select few attain physical immortality, it also paved the way for one of the first elements of Jamaican that people think of, Reggae music. Since the 1960s Reggae has grown from strength to strength as it is a form of music that has been popularised by the likes of Bob Marley, Damien Marley, UB40 and The Clash, to name just a few protagonists of the genre. Reggae music is often considered to be very simple in its composition, as many songs of the genre tend to have very few chords, at times utilising only two or even one chord in a particular song. In many ways this is a parallel with the culture of Jamaica itself, many outsiders believe that Jamaicans live a bare existence, being a country of people who are always out partying and playing music to their heart’s content. However, Reggae music can, at times, be complex because of the sheer amount of instruments that are used in order to produce the desired sound.

Coupled with the huge part that music plays on the lives of Jamaican is dancing. Dancing in Jamaica dates back to colonial times, when people participated in the act of dancing in order to enhance Christian religious festivals, and the pastime lives on until this day. It is now widely accepted that there are at least thirty distinctive Jamaican dances that people learn and practice. There are plenty of traditional dances that are known in the country, for example, Etu, Quadrille and Maypole, all of African origin, however much of the newer introductions to the dance scene have stemmed from Reggae music because of the steady beat that the music offers up.

Another part of Jamaican culture that plays a very important role for its people is the sport of Cricket, first launched into the Jamaican ethos by the British colonists. It plays such a huge part in their culture has many children play Cricket from a very early age and games of Cricket on the island tend to bring with them a carnival atmosphere that could only be felt in a West Indian cricket ground.

These are just a few of the elements that have shaped the culture of Jamaica today, and from all of this it is clear what the one thing I that truly defines how Jamaicans live their lives. They live their lives filled with fun and anything less would be a stain on everything that the country stands for.