Jamaica, meaning “Land of Wood and Water” is the third...

Jamaica, meaning â€Å"Land of Wood and Water† is the third largest island with 10,991 square kilometers located in the Caribbean south of Cuba and west of Haiti. It has many rivers and beaches. Mountains are also a major portion of Jamaica’s landscape. The Population of Jamaica is 2.7 million in 2010 (PAHO, 2012). Jamaica’s climate is tropical with temperatures of 72 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit (CON, 2013). Tainos, also referred to as Arawaks are the first people known to settle in Jamaica. Ethnicity of Jamaica is very diverse. Beliefs and customs in Jamaica are also very diverse with the majority of the population coming from many different countries bringing beliefs, and customs with them. The main Language is English. Government in†¦show more content†¦Within fifty years all of the Tianos no longer existed. The cause of there being no more Tainos was the harsh treatment of the Spanish had killed them. The Spanish then replaced the Tainos with slaves from Africa and over time made Jamaica a main trading market for slaves (CNO, 2013). In 1655, the English arrived and captured Jamaica. While ruling Jamaica the English brought many ethnic groups to Jamaica (NLJ, n.d.). After the emancipation of slavery in 1807 the English brought the Irish, Chinese, and Indians to Jamaica to work (NLJ, n.d.). The many ethnic groups of Jamaica today are; African, European, Chinese, and Indian (NLJ, n.d.). Language The official language of Jamaica is English. Jamaicans use a soft mixture of American and British English using an Irish accent (Pillai, 2013). The Majority of Jamaicans use a creole language called Patois, a mixture of English and West African (Pillai, 2013). Another language used in Jamaica is Iyaric a new English dialect created by followers of the religion Rastafari (Pillai, 2013). Religion In the early times of Jamaica, the Tainos religion was based on animism worshiping nature, plants, and animals (Pillai, 2013). Animism had two deities, God Yucahu and Goddess Atabey, Yucahu’s mother (Pillai, 2013). The main religion of Jamaica today is Christianity (CNO, 2013). The religion that was started in the 1920’s and 1930’s in Jamaica is Rastafari (Pillai, 2013). This religion, Rastafari, is a mixtureShow MoreRelatedJamaicas Original Inhabitants Were The Arawak Indians1046 Words   |  5 Pages Jamaica s original inhabitants were the Arawak Indians, who called the island Xaymaca, meaning either â€Å"land of wood and water† or â€Å"land of springs.† Columbus landed on the island in 1494. The Arawaks were decimated within a few decades by European diseases and the harsh life settlers imposed on them. The Spanish occupied the island until 1655, when it was captured and colonized by the English. By the late 17th century, the English had established sugarcane plantations and were importing large numbers