Jammin in Jamaica 2018
Before we change pace and enter the Fall season, I’d like to dedicate this blog to my time in Jamaica earlier this summer.
Growing up, I would always see TV commercials encouraging tourism to Jamaica. The commercials displayed the island’s white sands and blue waters, while playing Bob Marley’s “One Love” in the background. Each one would end with the slogan “come to Jamaica and feel alright.”
I’ve been hooked on the idea of Jamaica since then. I remember waking up on many Saturday mornings to my parents playing Bob Marley and the Wailers. I also can’t forget mama Kumi buying freshly baked bread from the Jamaican Bakery on West Green Road in Tottenham, London. Even some of my best friends at Welbourne Primary School were Jamaican. As far as I can remember, the food, people and music have always had a presence in my life.
In 2012, me and Neek took our first trip together outside of the U.S. to none other than, you guessed it, Jamaica! We spent half our trip at the Grand Palladium Resort and the other in Auntie Gwen’s (Neek’s Grandma) beautiful home in Farm Heights, Montego Bay. I experienced two different versions of Jamaica during this trip. The Grand Palladium Resort reinforced the side of Jamaica I saw in commercials as a kid - a paradise curated for tourists. Staying with Auntie Gwen proved to be the more rewarding experience, allowing us to live as locals do. We indulged in home cooked meals, interacted with local vendors and still found time to relax and enjoy beaches. I remember the trip being a perfect balance of relaxation and exploration crammed into 6 days. I knew back then that we still had so much of Jamaica left to explore.
6 years later, we found ourselves back on the island. This time to conduct research for Neek's thesis about informal settlement housing in Trench Town. A bit of background: In the 1960s, the Jamaican government developed Trench Town in response to the expansion of nearby slums. Since then, due to a lack of government presence and planning, residents have reverted back to randomized self constructed housing. Neek’s thesis will provide a framework for the poor residents of Trench Town to expand their housing conditions sustainably.
Fun fact: Trench Town is known for numerous Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae music musicians, including most notably the great Bob Marley.
We hit the road like the Wild Thornberrys and trekked from Montego Bay to Kingston. On the way we made countless stops in Negril, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio. Scroll through the photos below and join us in our exploration of the beautiful Caribbean island.
All photos were captured with vintage 35mm film cameras (Olympus XA -1986 / Canon Sureshot 1996). I used the following film throughout the trip: Kodak Portra 400 / Kodak Ektar 100 / Kodak Gold 200.
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