~

Jamaican History~Jamaica's history is divided into six periods. The periods areabout 200 years apart from each other.

Period 1: Columbus arrives in Jamaica in 1494.

Period 2: This time period begins with the Earthquake thatdestroyed Port Royal to the ending of slavery in 1807.

Period 3: This time period begins with the end of slavery tothe Morant Bay rebellion. This rebellion took place in 1865.

Period 4: 1865-1914

Period 5: World War I (August 1, 1914) to August of 1962

Period 6: This period is when Jamaica becomes independent.It began on August 6, 1962 and it continues to the present.

The first people on the island of Jamaica were the Arawaksor Tainos. Some people think these people came fromGuyana, but it wasn't called Guyana back then. The peoplewere very simple. They used materials from the island tomake their homes. Their homes were called little huts. Theirbeds were hammocks, which are like blanket swings, tiedbetween two trees. The people made their seats that they saton out of tree stumps. These people were very goodfishermen. The women were in charge of growing the crops.They made corn, cassava, and sweet potatoes. They used thecotton from the land to make clothing.

Christopher Columbus came there in 1494 when he wastaking his second trip to the New World. This became aninvitation for Spain to rule Jamaica.

Spain told the Arawaks to farm sugar and tobacco. Theyquickly died because they had harsh living conditions. TheArwaks died 100 years after the Spanish rule and that is whythe Africans were imported. The British took the island in1655.

Jamaica became the largest sugar producing country in theworld.

An interview with Robert Crawford

The DVD is divided into 6 chapters (although the first entitled“Beginning” is just an introduction to Robert and the maincontent is repeated in chapter 2 on “Childhood”.) It can beviewed as isolated sections or in its entirety. Theseaccompanying activities are divided into the following:-a) Listening for comprehension…specific questions andanswersb) Compare and Contrast exercise… relating to U.K,discussion and opinionc) Extended activities …research with families, ICT projects,linking with the past, linking with Jamaica

QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 1 & 2 “BEGINNINGS”, “CHILDHOOD & DISCIPINE”

1. Which Jamaican Parish is Robert originally from?

2. Who did he live with in St. Elizabeth?

3. What’s Janga and what did he do with them?

4. What did his father say about staying in bed?

5. What did they cook on?

6. What chores did they have to do before school?

7. How far away was their school?

8. How did they get there?

9. What would happen if they were late for school?

10. What did “Your bottom pay for roast and boil” mean?

11. What was “The Butchery”?

12. What did his father do for his living?

13. What was “Asham”?

14. What were their thoughts on “taking without asking”?

15. What did Robert and siblings do to get some meat?

16. What happened when Robert climbed the tree?

17. What importance was placed on discipline and values?

ANSWERS

CHAPTER 1 & 2 “ BEGINNINGS”, “CHILDHOOD & DISCIPLINE”

1. near Flatbridge, St. Catherine, Jamaica

2. Grandma

3. shrimps…caught them

4. You’ be worthless if you sleep in bed & let the sun rise

5. On a wood fire

6. tethering the cows, feed the animals, cleaning

7. Over a mile

8. Walk

9. A beating

10. spanking

11. The Kitchen

12. Farmer

13. Mixture of corn, peas, yams etc mashed in a mortar

14. Very strong…they must ask from “ A pin to an anchor”

15. heated up knife to secretly cut off bits of meat

16. Branch broke, he fell, & mum hit him for disobeying.

17. Very important in the Community

QUESTIONS

CHAPTER THREE “RESPECT FOR OTHERS”

1. Why did Robert find it difficult to refer to adults in the UK

by their first names?

2. What Happened in Jamaica if a young person did not

say “Good Morning Mr Thomas” when he went by?

3. What is a “Bad Blessin ’ ”?

4. Why can he still not whistle properly to this day?

5. What was a “Cattuh” and where did they put it?

6. Could older children stay out at night?

7. What did Robert have to do with his shoes and what did

they say about clean shoes?

8. What happened if the parents were out and the children

hadn’t been fed?

9. What is the African Proverb that Robert refers to?

ANSWERS

CHAPTER THREE “RESPECT FOR OTHERS”

1. He’d been brought up to respect adults & use Mr/Mrs

2. The adult would go back to his parents and say he had

been disrespectful and he would be beaten

3. A curse on you if you disrespect your elders

4. He was once going up a hill whistling loudly and didn’t

see an adult. The adult told his father he was whistling

so his father beat him with wattle ( a stick)

5. Cloth wrapped on their head so they could carry a vessel

of water on top without it hurting their scalp

6. Only with their parents otherwise they were expected to

go to bed before adults even if they were in their 20’s

7. He had to shine them because “you can tell a man by the

cleanness of his shoes”

8. Neighbours would keep an eye on them and call them in

to feed them

9. “It takes a village to raise a child”

QUESTIONS

CHAPTER FOUR “ SCHOOL DAYS”

1. What did Robert say about his uniform?

2. If teachers gave yo a “good scouring” what would your

parents do?

3. What did it mean when a teacher “trashed your rump”

and why did they do it?

4. Was learning in school a choice?

5. How many pupils were there in a class?

6. What divided the classes?

7. What were the resources like?

8. What are the differences now in the U.K.?

ANSWERS

CHAPTER FOUR “ SCHOOL DAYS”

1. He only had one and it had to be kept spotlessly clean

2. They would beat you as well because the teachers were

never wrong in their eyes

3. They would hit you to make a man of you

4. No, children HAD to learn it was not an option

5. 40-50

6. Big blackboards

7. Not much at all…mainly “chalk and talk”

8. Far more resources, books, school councellors, more

facilities, more awareness of cultural differences, get to

know pupils, allowing them to learn together not just

listening to the teacher at the front

QUESTIONS

CHAPTER FIVE “CHURCH AND ESTEEM”

1. What role did the Church play in his upbringing?

2. Were they taught a lot about other religions at school?

3. Does Robert think there are the same spiritual values

today?

4. What messages would Robert give to young people

today?

5. What were the negative comments of one of his

teachers to him

6. His mother said something to spur him on…what was

it?

7. What does he say about failure?

8. What phrase helps him to make things happen for

himself?

ANSWERS

CHAPTER FIVE “CHURCH AND ESTEEM”

1. Vital to maintain spiritual values & relationship with God

2. No, only taught from The Bible

3. Yes, greater understanding of diversity but some young

people fail to acknowledge the presence of a greater

being. It’s good that other beliefs are shared though.

4. “The sky is the limit”. If you believe in yourself and God

and with hard work you can achieve

5. “You never do nam good. You pick up bottle & push

hand cart”

6. She said “never mind, you’ll be a wonderful person”.

7. If you fail it’s not the end of the world. You can take on

the challenge. Admit your weaknesses & deal with them

8. “If it’s to be it’s up to me!”

QUESTIONS

CHAPTER SIX “WHAT I MISS ABOUT JAMAICA”

1. What does he miss about Jamaica?

ANSWERS

CHAPTER SIX “WHAT I MISS ABOUT JAMAICA”

1. People chatting to each other, sunny weather, fresh

food that you can pick, just walking in to a house &

not having to phone first. Support of others and

‘running about’

What would you miss about your country?

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

ENGLISH

“Today’s children and Young People have greater freedom

in the school environment but less safety and freedom in

our modern society”

• Discuss the above statement with reference to life in

Jamaica as Robert Crawford describes it.

• Imagine you are Howard, aged 10 years. Describe a

typical day.

• Now describe your typical day in this country

DESIGN

• Design a school prospectus cover for the school in

Jamaica that Robert attended as a child. Include an

appropriate logo and motto

• Design an appropriate uniform for a school child in

Jamaica

• Prepare a menu for Christmas in Jamaica. What

games and music would you include?

ART

• Divide into two groups; one to depict Robert as a

boy in Jamaica, the other to depict a child today in

the U.K.

Look at this Jamaican Emblem. Why do you think it has

this motto?

DRAMA

• Imagine you are walking to school and you meet a

grown up…..

• It’s your neighbours funeral, present the weeks

events

• You have been transported back to Jamaica in the

1960’s

ICT

• Send your e-mails to Robert. Tell him you have

seen the video and ask him some questions you

would like answered

• Video conferencing Opportunities.. Is school able

to establish a link?

• Using the same format as the DVD you have seen,

compile your own. Ask someone to film and

interview a young person, a member of your

community, a teacher….com

• pare the answers…produce a film.

MUSIC

• With the help of local musicians, explore the

importance of music in our lives

Suggestions:-

• Rupert McKenzie ( African Caribbean drummer and artist)

• Ben Badoo ( African musician)

• Pete Rossiter ( Musician and drama )

• Michael Roach ( American African singer/guitarist)