Am I part Jamaican?

Question

My one of my great grandfathers was born in Jamaica, but his family came from England/Great Britain. So am I part Jamaican?

Answer 1

if you want to be.

Answer 2

You question shows a bigger problem....exemplified by the question "What is Jamaican?"

Well, the original inhabitants were the Tiano people from South America. (right there, are you Jamacan or South American). But these people were pretty much wiped out upon European arrival. They are gone! This was in the late 1500s, early 1600s.

Even today, 90% of the people in Jamaica are of West African descent. EVERYONE THERE IS AN IMMIGRANT FROM SOMEWHERE in the last 400 years. So are you Jamaican? Or west african? Or maybe you were one of the white plantation owners or staff from Spain, Great Britain, etc. But Jamaican?

In most cases, ethnicity has more to do with cultural aspects, or religioius aspects moreso than "some ancestor came from there". Once a person loses the cultural/religious aspects of a region, they really are "that". Certainly they have ancestors from that region, but they aren't say Jamaican ethnicity because they no longer hold any cultural associations to the region.

After slavery was abolished, many africans were "left" on the island. And in the hundreds of years that followed, a very distinct, wonderful culture evolved. THAT is Jamaican in my opinion. If you exhibit that culture in your life, then no matter where you live or for how long (or how many generations) you could say you are Jamaican. But if you just have an ancestor from there (even a parent) but exhibit no cultural ties whatsoever, then I would argue you aren't Jamaican. Though your ancestors certainly came from there.

Answer 3

No. Jamaica was colonized by the British. If you had been raised there you might have been a Jamaican citizen or have acquired Jamaican cultural traits, but since that is not the case, you are not Jamaican simply because your family took advantage of British colonization of the Island for a while.

Answer 4

Depends on how you are defining being "from" Jamaica. Usually it would mean your ancestor who lived in Jamaica woudl have had to marry & have children with someone who was a native born Jamaican and then you came from that bloodline.

if he was just born there and never lived there for any period of time, then no, you are not Jamaican.

Answer 5

No, that g-grandfather is ethnically English, he was just born in Jamaica. You're not part Jamaican but if you want to be that's another matter.

Answer 6

No ur are unfortunally not part Jamaican but u can pretend to be. Even i he was BORN in jamaica if he doesn't have any relatives that have jamaican roots in them. Thank you. x

Answer 7

Yes, and if you wanted to represent Jamaica in a sport then you could, but once you decide between Jamaica or England it hard to swap about again.

Answer 8

No, you're part English but not Jamaican.

Answer 9

Heritage, and blood line are different. he was only Jamaican by birth, but by heritage he is English/British.

Answer 10

Sorry boo.... no u aint part Jamaican

Answer 11

Not really - but you are free to define yourself in any way you choose