Do you want to report "Am I a Jamaican ??"
My grand parents from both maternal and paternal are Jamaican born my parents were born in America so does that make me Jamaican American or half ??
Some of my family don’t even have a Jamaican accent on my maternal side they have like a British Jamaican accent since there from the rural area like Portland or St Elizabeth. My father’s side has a very strong accent since a lot of them are from Kingston.
Bredda Jamaican is a state of mind. From yuh haffi ask weh yuh a ask, no.
Also “Jamaican” isn’t an ethnicity. You can’t be half Jamaican. Either you’re Jamaican or you’re not. Your descent has nothing to do with it.
If all 4 of your grandparents are from the same country, thats where your direct bloodline is from, regardless of where your parents were born…Example- if all 4 of your grandparents were born in America, regardless of where your parents were born, they are still considered American citizens, so their child would also be American
I’m similar my dad was first generation born outside of Jamaica, I still consider myself Jamaican, but I just recognize the ways in which I have a disconnect with parts of my heritage and I want to connect and learn more, while also bringing my experiences to a wider tapestry of Jamaican culture and migration around the world
I get where you are coming from outside of my family and friends of family it’s hard for me to connect with other Jamaicans because either they don’t reveal there heritage or hide it or they don’t believe I have Jamaican heritage since I don’t have an accent.
I want to learn more about my culture and the history then I already know now because I’m happy of my Jamaican heritage.
Yeah 100% I grew up in rural New Zealand so my accent is pretty kiwi and british based on the times I’ve gone back to the UK, I’ve really wanted to learn Patois but its been rough trying to work out how to sound things out with an accent where I haven’t heard other people use patois with it.
I think a big part of it is learning how to apply the aspects of Jamaican culture that you’re close with and incorporate them into your daily life. Like for my job I use Patois in my emails or in introductions at work because it makes me feel confident in taking part in my culture and creates spaces where Jamaican culture is seen.
No, Jamaica is a country not race or ethnicity so you cannot be half Lol. If you’re black then your ancestors came from West Africa at some point too. However you can say you’re of Jamaican decent, Third generation Jamaican etc. But you just need to be happy referring to yourself as American
I don’t think you can say half Jamaican since it’s not an ancestry but a nationality. My dad is from Thailand, his whole side of the family is though they are of Chinese ancestry. I was born in America but because I have a strong Thai cultural background I do identify as Thai lol so as everyone else mentioned, Jamaican American for you.
You have American nationality and you are of the black race, therefore you are African American or black American, not Jamaican American.
Jamaican is a nationality not a race or ethnicity, that’s why in Jamaica you have black/African Jamaicans, White Jamaicans and Indian Jamaicans. Culturally in Jamaica we don’t use race/ethnicity as prefix, but from a geopolitical aspect you don’t use nationality to prefix a nationality i.e Jamaican American.
There is an argument to be made that ethnicity and nationality are related (e.g french nationality and french ethnicity), however then American would be your ethnicity, because you are a second generation American, so it still doesn’t make sense to call yourself Jamaican.
You can have ancestry and appreciate it without claiming that title. I am of Chinese descent, Nigerian descent, European descent, Syrian descent, Native descent, yet I am just Jamaican, I appreciate all the cultures that blended to create me, however it would be foolish for me to parade around with any of those other cultural identities.
I’m not ignorant. You are.
Keep it up…. No other country requires prefixes.
You think there’s Jamaicans here telling people they’re British Jamaican? Or African Jamaican? Or Chinese Jamaican? No… when you’re born here you proudly say that you’re Jamaican. Simple.
You and your parents are 100% American. Your grandparents are Jamaican. If you don’t like it… then don’t ask a forum of born Jamaicans to give their opinion.
You have to understand Jamaicans see race and ethnicity very different to Americans. We don’t reach back to our grandparents ethnicities to claim as our own. We are Jamaican full stop. Whether our race is black, white, Indian, Chinese it doesn’t matter. If you go around calling yourself Jamaican, be prepared to be expected to speak fluent patois, know the parishes and history. If you don’t, you will be scorned. We will assume you are just using our ethnicity as a fancy label. If you do research, learn our language and culture, get citizenship, you will be Jamaican…..full stop.
Please stop saying Jamaican American. That’s like saying African American. It’s retarded af. If you’re born in America,…. you’re 100% American.
The whole prefix BS was a way for politicians to know how to cut up states and census people easily with red lining districts and gerrymandering.
Stop letting people use prefixes. It’s just perpetuating the cultural racism.
First of all… based on your heritage, you have no right to say you’re Jamaican anything. You have Jamaican family heritage. Nobody is asking you to ignore or disrespect that. Your grandparents are Jamaican.
You’re just desperate to have something to make yourself feel unique. Lol. You’re an American. Get used to it, and appreciate it.
Italian, Irish and Nigerian American is just as retarded in my opinion. It’s just racism.
Imagine if Baltimore was 100% American? Then the government would have a harder time knowing which cities to abandon and allow it to rot.
You’re just helping the elitists group races together and deal with how they wish. Do as you wish… it’s a free country. Why don’t you look up your great grand parents heritage? Maybe you can add a few more prefixes to your weak self identity.
I think it depends on if you grew up in Jamaican culture. My parents are from Jamaica, I was born in the US then moved to Jamaica until I was 4 then grew up in Jamaican communities in the US. I’ve never felt American, so I think cultural upbringing is the key.
Strictly speaking, you’re American, but you have Jamaican roots and if you’re connected to the culture in that way, be proud of it! My entire family is Jamaican, my mother just happened to be studying in the US when she gave birth to me, so I’m technically American on paper but I consider myself Jamaican from the heart because she sent me over to my grandparents in St. Elizabeth when I was 3 weeks old and I grew up there till I moved away for college.
You are of Jamaican descent, you come from Jamaicans or have a Jamaican heritage. I think then calling yourself Jamaican is up to you. What does your heart say? What culture you feel closest to? You can learn about your culture and so forth. If it’s citizenship then it’s a process you’ll have to go through. But, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with calling yourself Jamaican especially if you grew up with the cultural practices. Welcome to di fabily, yaadie not born here but yaadie nonetheless.
Your American but of Jamaican decent. Your more American than you are Jamaican. And would have experienced and viewed life differently than Jamaicans your age.
If you were to move here …. There wouldn’t be a drastic culture shock. But u would notice it.
You’re nationality is american,unless you become a jamaican either by marrying, naturalization or by applying to become a citizen,your culture is American or jamaican whatever you want to embrace, though we call anyone yaadie meaning if you come here we see you as one of us so by yaadie standards,you’re family
I feel like unless you have faced hardship and know what its like me to grow up in Jamaica u can’t really say u are think about it my grandparents are American can I say I’m American while I’ve only visited the states? No. If you were born here lived here had ur birth “certifikite” nobody can’t tell u otherwise.
