Talk:Culture of Jamaica

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[edit] Arawak (Taino) natives

There is some mention of Arawak (Taino) words that have leaked into the English language, but this doesn't apply to Jamaica. There is very little evidence of any Arawak (Taino) culture in Jamaica since the Arawaks were totally wiped out by the early settlers. The word "barbeque" isn't used in Jamaica, for example; instead, Jamaicans use the word "jerk" as in "jerk chicken" or "jerk pork". Also Jamaicans don't use "hammocks" nor the word "hammock". Any links to "Taino" culture are extremely flimsy, at best. Hoserjoe (talk) 18:03, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Religion

Some contributors refer to the Rastafarian "religion". All dictionaries define religion as "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices", or similar. Religions write down their curriculum and document everything in detail. Relgions can be propagated and repeated indefinitely. They are a managed and organized teaching system. The Rastafarian "religion" doesn't meet this test. In the truest dictionary sense, Rastafarianism is not a "religion". It is a folk cult (i.e. A "faddish devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing"), and varies from person to person, and village to village. Definitions are from dictionary.com Hoserjoe (talk) 18:04, 8 January 2008 (UTC)