Jamacian Music

The songs often express a social protest and sympathy for frustrated young Jamaicans who find it hard to get a job or dropouts of the Jamaican society.
             Reggae is Jamaica's most distinctive musical form. Reggae can be defined as "coming from the people". This type of music has crossed political and racial lines frequently. It has influenced musical artists including the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, The B-52's and Elton John.
             Reggae's earliest roots lie in many types of Safrican music. Rhythms and the body movements of Mento are sometimes used. Rastafricains also played a part in developing Reggae. Bob Marley had the biggest influence on reggae. Although Reggae was quite different from other types of traditional Jamaican music, it quickly became a form of protest and social commentary. The influence of Reggae quickly spread throughout the world. .
             .
             A recent adaptation of Reggae in Soca which is upbeat and less political. Some have been found to say that Reggae makes you think, but Soca makes you dance.
             Literature in Jamaica has recently shifted to native and nationalistic themes. Many Jamaican poets had frequently written about snow and a bitter frost. These were experiences that Jamaicans have never experienced but since they were so influenced by the British they wrote about such things. A man name Edna Manley, a notable wood carver began to influence these writers to write about Jamaican themes, such as droughts. Manley was the editor of Focus, a 1940's anthology of Jamaican writers. This helped him to spread the word of naturalistic poets.
             A novel written by Victor Reed, New Day, was published in 1949. This novel represented a turning point for Jamaican's both historically and artistically. The book spans from 1865 until 1944. This time period included the time from the Mordant Bay Rebellion until the time when the rights of the people were insured by a new constitution, In this novel it is portrayed that Jamaicans have their own identity, they aren't lost children of Africa or Asia, they are their own people.