Jamaica & Ghana One Blood -One Language? Kromanti Language of the Jamaican Maroons Similar To Akan
I have always understood that Jamaicans are descendants of enslaved Africans from West Africa & Ghana in particular, but I never realized just how similar our roots run hundreds of years after slavery. As Brazilians in Salvador de Bahia keep the Yoruba roots of tradition & language alive in modern day Brazil, Jamaican Maroons keep the Akan traditions & language alive in modern day Jamaica.
When Jamaica’s native son Marcus Garvey shouted for Global Africans to return to Africa, many chanted Haile Selassie I & found home & Rastafari roots in Ethiopia while many others celebrated Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah & found freedom in Ghana. Today’s Ghana boast a significant Jamaican community brought & empowered by Rita Marley & the memory & foundation of Bob Marley & Marcus Garvey. Jamaicans & native Ghanaian Rastas have created their own governing & financial empowerment council that boasts a credit union called the black star line catering to the financial empowerment needs of Rastafarians in Ghana.
When you walk around Ghana you see Jamaica, from reggae music, to dreadlocks & the culture of Rastafari. I had heard about the Kromanti/Kramanti language in Jamaica which was supposed to sound similar to the Akan languages of Ghana, but I became a true believer when I heard it spoken & found many similar words in Ghanaian Akan languages. Jamaicans like Brazilians have never denied their African roots, but have rather embraced it & used it as a sense of power in knowing who they are & where they came from beyond Jamaica’s sugar cane plantations. With more & more talk amongst African nations about offering our Diasporan brothers & sisters free visas & dual citizenships to come back home to their ancestral roots, perhaps we will all get to learn more about our distant relatives.
Many Africans & Diasporans did not know of Haiti‘s history of successful slave rebellion which led them to independence in 1804 even before slavery was abolished in 1807 until the earthquake that brought Haiti new found global press & historical interest, just as many do not know that Jamaican Maroons had their own successful slave rebellion to freedom 50 years before slavery was abolished & long before Toussaint L’Ouverture brought Saint-Domingue out of the the shackles of the French & renamed the new land of freed slaves,Haiti. The Maroons of Jamaica have been able to keep their identity & autonomy not only from their former slave masters, but also within Jamaica even til today. The Maroons’ largest town Accompong even has a similar name to Ghana’s Akropong-which is home to one of Ghana’s oldest tribes, the Akuapims & both are ironically located in the hills/mountains of their individual nations. We can not wait nor allow others to tell us our history & to give it to us in small increments as they see fit when knowledge is power & information is available if we truly seek to be empowered by knowledge .
“I raved about how much African aesthetic is infused into Jamaican life. You’d think I was visiting the island for the first time, even though I was born here and have barely set foot anywhere else since that sun-hot Wenesday in 1972…The thing is this; African retentions in our culture sometimes get compartmentalized and thought of in ways that seem distant. Yes, over 90% of Jamaicans are black and are direct desendants of the people who came from West Africa, so when we look at each other we see our ancestry…” READ MORE
I remember the first time I went to Jamaica right out of college & met up with two Rasta men who befriended me & took care of me & my friend as community elders do in Ghana. The moment they heard I was from Ghana , I automatically became family & was blessed with eating the best jerk chicken I have ever tasted in my entire life even until today. I have eaten a lot of jerk chicken in Jamaica & other places in the world, but this was hands down the best because from the smell, to the serving of it, to the taste, you could see & feel that it came from the love of family in the way that a home cooked meal outshines even the best highly trained chef.
I did not understand back then why these two grown men were so fascinated with asking me every question possible about Ghana & why their desire to go there was so strong until many years later when I witnessed the Jamaican community & influence in Ghana & saw the love that Ghanaians, particularly the youth gave to Jamaican artists who visited & Jamaican citizens who returned back to Ghana to stay because these Ghanaian youth were just as enamored by them & wanted to know everything possible about them & our mutual ancestral global connection. It was truly as Nas & Damian “Junior Gong” Marley put it, distant relatives reuniting on two sides of the Atlantic & getting to know one another again. From Marley, to Tosh, to Sizzla, to Junior Reid, to Buju, to the new generation Marley, Africa & Ghana in particular has always been in the forefront of their life never to take a backseat in heritage or unity! Akwaaba as we continue to keep it strictly Roots!
Nanny of the Maroons (circa 1700 – 1750), freedom fighter and hero.. READ MORE
We need to stop allowing Voodoo (Voudum) to be interpreted as some sort of “boogie man spirit” any more or less worthy of recognition & respected in its perpetration by humanity in good and evil as the gods and spirits sold in superiority of western worlds and faith. The White man’s reaction to a simplified explanation of voodoo and the laughter of the historian says it all…At some point we must take responsibility for history and the reaction of those who are responsible from spreading it in continuing cycles...
107 Comments
Selikem
October 31, 2010 at 7:42 amI am a Ghanaian of Jamaican descent (by mother’s side) living in Accra, Ghana. I just love this article. What I was told isn’t far from what you have heard about the Kromanti language which some of my relatives still retain. Word’s like “wuti” and “misuo” are found in what they say.
Juliet
April 18, 2011 at 12:15 pmI would like to come to Ghana and I would like to meet some Jamacians.
Regards,
Juliet
Nana Fredua-Agyeman
June 29, 2011 at 8:35 amInteresting article. I enjoyed reading it and the video too. I heard the man (in the second video) mention Abeng… yes I am Ghanaian and I speak Akan and that’s the word for ‘horn’, the type used for making sounds. It can also mean ‘the horn of animals’ because the horn of animals were used to make the sound-making horns (like trumpets etc). Then I heard ‘Oburoni’ and that is the world for anybody who’s not black, mostly from Europe.
Kwabena
July 17, 2011 at 8:47 pmThanks for the Article and the excellent videos.
I am a UK born Ghanaian in his mid 40s who spent a few years in Ghana so i speak Akan.Having lived in London for many, many years i have lots of Jamaican friends including maroons and know the culture very well.I read a lot about the Maroons a few years ago and was fascinated to learn their history.
Many of the Traditions,Dances and words still survive like Obia(witchcraft),Pun(fat)as in “Pun yam”,kete(basket),Ananse(spider).I think they even have an Ashanti stool in the museum in Accompong.
The Name Accompong is most likely due to the way the Europeans wrote down the phrase “Onyankupong”(God).One of the early Europeans wrote that;”They prayed to a being called Accompong”.
The’O’is often silent in the pronunciation of Onyankupong and he probably thought they were praying to a spirit of some sort when they were infact just praying to God the Creator.
He probably wrote it down as he heard it.When Captian Kudjo won the war the people probably just named the town “God”.in honour of their victory .Onyankupong(Acompong).
Some are also confused by the term “Nana” or Nanny as it has become.They say there were so many leaders called Nana.This is because”Nana” does not only mean Chief or leader(male or female leader), to make things more confusing It can also mean a Grandparent and in some Circumstances a person you respect highly.So its hardly surprising there are so many Nana’s in Maroon history!
Their flag black/red with the Abeng in the centre reminds me of some of the Fante flags,with their two colour scheme.
What really got to me though was the thought that my poor Ancestors blew the Abeng thousands of miles away from Asante, in a strange land knowing they would never see home again.It brought tears to my eyes and is doing so now.
I am proud of them all.My fellow Ghanains in the blue Mountains of Jamaica.
nana poku
September 15, 2011 at 12:49 pmi tink, da maroon pple and jamaica are part of ashanti tribe and ghana as a whole, wen i read it it was too much for me i couldnt bear, we should at least grant them visas to come each year for lectures, the language is the same.
as seen on tv flex seal
October 17, 2011 at 3:42 pmThis is an dreadful accident and I am i’m sorry for his demise and his family’s loss.
Donya Celi
December 30, 2011 at 2:00 pmThere is apparently a bundle to know about this. I consider you made various good points in features also.
sex shop women
March 16, 2012 at 9:14 amI believe what you said made a lot of sense. But, what about this? what if you typed a catchier title? I mean, I don’t wish to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added something that makes people desire more? I mean Jamaica & Ghana One Blood -One Language? Kromanti Language of the Jamaican Maroons Similar To Akan Global Fusion Productions Inc is a little plain. You ought to peek at Yahoo’s home page and note how they create article headlines to get people to open the links. You might add a related video or a related pic or two to get people excited about what you’ve written. Just my opinion, it might make your website a little bit more interesting.
entire
March 26, 2012 at 2:25 pmYou’ve brought up some interesting points. I appreciate the title you chose too, Jamaica & Ghana One Blood -One Language? Kromanti Language of the Jamaican Maroons Similar To Akan Global Fusion Productions Inc
Trevor
April 22, 2012 at 3:04 amI’m a Black man of Jamaican decent. I love the article!! Much love to my Ghanians out there..
Much love..
Queenzy
May 20, 2012 at 4:18 amGreetings
I really enjoy this. My grandfather is a Maroon. And all throughout my life I always wondered where i came from. I was born in Canada frm Jamaican parentage and went to GH last year. I can’t explain my experience i just that I was home. And looking to go back again this year and eventually going back to stay one day. I love Ghana! Blessings
Gymfi
November 23, 2012 at 11:12 pmlol….absolute RUBBISH! There is no proof that Jamaicans originate from Ghana. Ghana is not the only country in West Africa that slaves came from; this is just an excuse for the chip-on-shoulder to remain. People (Ghanaians) should stop comparing these violent people to us. I have lived in the UK for some-time and i can tell you that Jamaicans are a very bad people to live with! They hate everyone that does not go along their short-sited culture – very violent & aggressive people indeed! There are many ‘colonial’ people living in the UK and these Jamaicans act like they are the only ones who where enslaved or colonised -if you dont believe me then please ask any other non-white person living in the UK? They should not come to Ghana in any large numbers; we dont need there violent culture there! They have single-handedly ruined Britain and they are just looking for new pastures to take there violent acts and attitude!
NOVIE
December 30, 2012 at 6:44 pmJamaicans are loving and God-fearing people. Please stop bad mouthing Jamaicans.
Shmuela
January 1, 2013 at 5:09 pmGymti you are an idiot…that is all! You must be a descended spirit of a house nigga…sacrificing your people for your own gain. Abomination unworthy of honor or respect.
rosa
January 8, 2013 at 7:30 amBull, Gyamfi…your comment is completely nonsensical! You can’t judge a group of people by the few you have seen. You don’t know a quarter of the Jamaicans in England, much more you don’t know Jamaicans in Jamaica…So please think thoroughly before pouring rubbish all over this page…smh!
Gymfi
January 13, 2013 at 6:24 pmShmuela and Rosa its funny how you did not respond to any of the points i made directly????…….its because the truth hurts.
(Again; I am NOT a Jamaican!!!….so stop comparing your violent culture to mine!!!))
Gymfi
January 13, 2013 at 6:29 pm@Shmuela
Jamaicans themselves are very racist! I have heard several times from other Caribbean peoples that Jamaicans are racist toward them even calling them ‘Smallie’ or something similar to that?…we certainly dont want this breed within our midst. Please stay in your Britain or Jamaica!
NOVIE
January 14, 2013 at 2:54 pm@Gymfi you need to stop because you know nothing about Jamaicans. First of all we don’t have a racist bone in us & whether you like it or not we are descents of Ghana and there is nothing you can do about it. I don’t know where the hell you are from but you are very ignorant. For your information my wonderful husband is a Gahanian and he confirms my research. You are in a dark place and you need to change your ways and be nice to everyone regardless of who they are. Jamaicans are one of the most generous, caring, loving, considerate and God-fearing people you could ever find and I know this because I AM A JAMAICAN AND I AM PROUD OF IT. Because someone is human and made a mistake don’t mean you should stereotype.
Gymfi
January 17, 2013 at 11:14 pm@Novie
I AM A GHANAIAN AND PROUD OF IT so dont speculate where i am from!
There is absolutely no proof that most Jamaicans originate from Ghana – show me the proof!!?? If you are honest Jamaicans are just looking for another place to start their aggression (not that they could do it in Ghana-LOL) since no one in Britain likes them there anymore.
Ghanaians are NOTHING like Jamaicans so please show me the similarities??? Ghanaians are slow-to-anger, Jamaicans are VERY confrontational and quick to use violence, Ghanaians are patient and willing to work while Jamaicans want everything yesterday and steal allot!!
Ofcourse some Jamaicans did originate from Ghana because Ghana is in West Africa!!?? But we all know that the Slaves came from all over Africa and all along the West coast of African especially the Congo; so dont try to educate me on false items. Be honest and say that SOME Jamaicans came from Ghana, Some Nigeria (IGBO-Biafra) and some from other parts. Its very Naive of you so suggest that the British Sepparated the slaves in one homogeneous pack (according to their tribe) and sent sent all to one area??? We know that the British separated people according to their size, skill and even their ability to re-produce (Women).
Stop this popularism about “we all come from Ghana”; Its better to say that ‘we likely came from West Africa’ but we dont know.
COMMON SENSE!!
Gymfi
January 17, 2013 at 11:25 pmand also stop pretending to like us all of a sudden? What happened to the name-calling African-this, African-that???
You pretend to like all of a sudden and expect us to like respond to your favour?
We Africans dont trust you West-Indians
colleen
January 21, 2013 at 4:01 pmIts amazing that in the 21st century we still have people as misinformed as Gymfi. This is the computer age, we can read and research like never before. Jamaicans are from west africa not just from Ghana. The thing is everybody wants to belong. Being children of former slaves we are trying to find our identity, its purely psychological. We identify with Ghana because Jamaicans and Ghanians have so many similarities, eg. food, music, customs and even physical features.
Its not with disrespect we call other caribbean people “smallies” its abbreviated form of saying small island, meaning jamaica being the biggest island in the chain. I am sure you have met violent Jamaica people, but please dont judge all of us. Not to make excuses, but every nation has violent people. For the most part I am sure these must be young disenfranchised people who have their own unique problems. We are not all violent people. We are hardworking, generous and fun loving people. We are quick to anger, I will admit, but we are also quick to forgive, and give you the shirt from our backs. some Jamaicans are racist, and distrustful of other races, and this may be a result of the very slavery we speak of. As to the name calling I have been called photocopy african. Illiterate, misinformed people will do lots of stupid things. but for the most part Jamaicans love and respect Africans in general and Ghanians in particular. As for me I am a Jamaican who loves Nigeria……..so thats the culture I embrace. So until the science of dna is accessible to everyone, cut us some slack. we are all Africans.
Aretha Amma Sarfo
January 21, 2013 at 8:55 pmPlease note and read carefully that in this article I am specifically speaking of the Kromanti people of Jamaica and their specific relations and modern day similarities to Ghana. It’s a shame that Gymfi chose to bring negativity to this post- but he/she does not own Ghana and Ghana in general with the great works of Rita Marley and others have embraced our Jamaican brothers and sisters wholeheartedly. The reality is unfortunately by human nature we will never all just get along- even in Ghana not every tribe gets along as in any nation, but as Alex Hailey said “Find the good and praise it.” 2013:ReClaiming #Humanity.
Dr. Nkrumah who liberated Ghana was a true Pan-Africanist and would be very disappointed in the unnecessary insults of Gymf but all voices are welcomed as we are all free to our opinions. Gymfi represents only Gymfi not Ghana -Remember that and do not be detoured in embracing our history locally and globally -that is what this website is about. Cheers Forward Ever!
colleen
January 21, 2013 at 3:01 amit is sad that in the 21st century there is still so much narrow mindedness. When we listen to the news these days violence is committed all over the world…….its mankind being cruel to each other. To single out Jamaicans as being violent and racist is very sad.In every nation and race there will be always be cruel people.
Five hundred years ago Africans were enslaved by people whose thought process were just like Gymfi. Their thought was a whole race of people were inferior and barbaric and therefore should be used as chattel. As a great Jamaican of African and European ancestry said, we should emancipate ourselves from mental slavery.
Jamaicans will always love and respect Ghanians and all Africans. We identify with you all. One love, always.
Nana
January 22, 2013 at 9:42 amI think this article is true. I have this jamaican friend who told me all that Amma wrote. We Ghanaians will forever welcome any sons of this land. Not only Ghana but the rest of Africa. Akwaaba to u all ma fellow jamaicans. After all we are one pple,one color. Long live Africa.
Gymfi
January 23, 2013 at 7:16 pmApart from Colleen nobody here wants to addres me directly on any of the main points i make? its all excuse driven defending the behaviour i have seen in Britian in all of my 18 years here. But coleen i am not a rasist and i believe in the brother hood of all men. Ofcourse not all Jamaican people are like this some are cool and genuinely like Africans but i am talking about the culture!
As i said before Britain has many people from the former empire living here and for that reason the more we should learn to live with eachother. NOTE: Britain is the REAL test for anybody with opinions about living with another peoples from another land with another culture im sure most of you on here live in Jamaica or America but we here in Britain have to live close to each other unlike America! But when i see the west-indian Jamaican people openly expressing racism andinsulting our Africans about their tribel marks then i am very sorry about this!!
I am only giving you infomation on what i have seen living here in Britian. If you noticed i did not complain about other caribian people on here? From my experience its only the Jamaicans who seam to to be open about their dislike for Africans when it suits them and then they change suddenly – why colleen? please explain this if Jamaicans respect Africans so much?
I know most of you on here think Ghanaians we are a soft touch because we dont say anything but its only because we are thinking about better things.
Aretha Amma you to dont reflect Ghana opinions with this blog of yours?? and you know yourself that open tribalism IS AN ABSOLUTE NO-GO in Africa!!!! if you are half Ghanaian and half jamaican then please tell your jamaican side sit down!!
Indeed one love to all blacks in the world BUT DONT CROSS THE LINE AND INSULT MY PEOPLE OPENLY!!!!
NOVIE
January 27, 2013 at 4:26 pmI think Gmyfi is looking a place to filter his/her hate and darkness and is not freed from mental slavery. I am not living in Britain but I have friends and family who are living there for more than 18 yrs and they have never talked about Africans with disdain especially when it comes to Ghanaians/West Africans with whom they identify themselves. What would be said of me if I start to stereotype all Africans after I watched all these African movies? We should know who we are & believe in who we are and bring love, joy and peace to the table. One Love to all even to you Gmyfi. You truly entitle to your opinion.
Gymfi
January 27, 2013 at 5:54 pm@Novie
lol to your ‘darkness’ theory. Please stop hiding Jamaicans racism and bigotry! You know full well Jamaicans have a reputation for their hatred of all blacks that do not agree with their philosophy. If Jamaicans are so so good people as you say then again why do even the other Caribbean complain about them???? Jamaicans are horrid to their Caribbean brothers and YOU KNOW IT! They call them name after name
me after name! Did not the other Caribbean peoples also go through slavery??? This is not an ‘African’ question this is about Jamaicans accepting that their culture is pretty hard-core and they need to change it! My point is clear! I do not want a bigot-filled hatred culture identified with my culture. Jamaicans need to radically change their culture!!!
Like Colleen just admit that Jamaicans have made an impression that cannot be confused? I wish all Jamaicans had the attitude of the Marley’s; educated, sound foundation and RESPECT for Africans!!!!
And as for you ‘Aretha Amma’ i believe you are either a Jamaincan or one of these American-born Ghanaians. So therefore it is unlikely that you have lived in Ghana for any meaningfull time. This blog was wriiten in East coast America (i can tell from the time zone) so therefore from the comfort of your New York apartment did you find the time to write this unsubstantiated blog. Let me fill you in on what Ghanaians are thinking and they are definatly not thinking about Jamaicans lol; Ghanaians are thinking about improving their quality of life and standard of living.
Aretha Amma Sarfo
January 27, 2013 at 7:32 pmo Gynfi- aba- even on a Sunday your hateful rhetoric finds no rest? You are entitled to hate whomever you like and to have whatever opinion you like- but your foolish insults are getting redundant and are not welcomed. I can choose to block you- but I have a feeling you have no life & you have finally found a place someone will engage you- so even if I have to suffer for it I don’t mind giving you a little life and voice to get thru your misery! As they say misery loves company- but I am not in the business of being company for misery so this will be my last time engaging you.
From the beginning you have been accusing me of being Jamaican and not stating facts ; yet you have not brought any facts to disprove anything I have said because the Maroons are very much related to Ghanaians and in particular those of us from the mountains -whether you like it or not. I am 100% Ghanaian and I have no problems with Jamaicans because I I am smart enough to know that there are good and bad in every culture-even amongst us Ghanaians -I mean look at you and the hate & ignorance you spew. I do live in NY and Ghana, so I am sorry if you are so miserable in England that you envy the comfort of my NY apartment -I know how miserable it can be there in not so merry England especially for the immigrant populations who seem to be always fighting each other because you are all fighting over the same small piece of the pie or crumbs by design. Please find some happiness in your life and don’t worry about what I am doing on my site- because you are welcomed to get off of it and to start your own to have your own voice instead of disturbing our peace here. As you sit there with your invisible brave cyber balls insulting people and generalizing what are you doing for your nation of Ghana- as you try to be on here as a representative for Ghana who is all knowing with just lip service. When was the last time you were even in Ghana? I can tell you that I am very much invested in helping to build up our nation with more than just empty words? If you don’t like what I have to say then be gone -as we say in Ghana “It’s not by force”!
NOVIE
January 30, 2013 at 6:30 amAretha I approve that message!!!!!
Gymfi
January 30, 2013 at 11:46 am@Amma Aretha
so you want to help rebuild our nation by giving Jamaicasns dual citizenship to Ghana? ARE YOU MAD!!! Do you see the gang-turf violence in Jamaica right now and that which has been going on for decades?? You actually are campaigning to bring this Yardie violent mentality to Ghana??? This is why i say you dont really know Ghanaians that well.
Let me teach you P-R-I-N-C-I-P-L-E
IF MAN HATES HIS OWN BROTHER HOW-O-HOW IS HE GOING TO LOVE AN OUTSIDER???????
Let me translate this for you: If Jamaicans hate each other real deeply and they hate their fellow carribians also with deep hatred THEN WHY-O-WHY WOULD THEY SUDDENLY LOVE GHANAIANS/AFRICANS??????
THINK!!!!
Gymfi
January 30, 2013 at 11:47 amPlease do block me; lol!
Yep i live in a council flat and its not the nicest place either;lol!!
Gymfi
January 30, 2013 at 3:57 pmBut Aretha since you don’t like to DIRECTLY answer any of my points and you rather just rant at me let give you another opportunity to answer me DIRECTLY on VERY IMPORTANT POINTs about our country that you don’t seem to care that much about. I m not going to spar with insults to you by playing your game! You use insults to block the REAL points that I have made on here so let me give you more questions and points.
WHEN did Rawlings say anything about dual citezenship to specifically Jamaican people? And if so why did he only stop with Jamaican people when we both know that descendants of Ghana are also in Brazil, Valenzuela, Cuba, America, Trinadad and even Argentina? Wouldn’t it be legitimate to offer citizenship to all decendents???
Presuming that Rawlings did feel that way then WHY did he not put it to the Ghanaian people during his 18-year reign over the country or even hint it at any time???
Have you consulted the Ghanaian people about your desire?
Have you consulted other African governments on if they wish to implement a similar policy or is Ghana the ONLY country to be stupid enough to implement such rubbish in your opinion????
If you love Jamaicans so much then why don’t you go and live there and maybe even change your name to ‘Shaniqua’ ???
I suppose you would like to see some 60MILLION PEOPLE from North and south America claim their heritage is Ghanaian and all come to Ghana for a piece of your family estate claiming you owe them???
Did you know such a STUPID action could lead to war?? To have foreigners occupy in serious numbers our country when they are clearly different people from another country???
You see Aretha when you suggest such nonsense to a people you hit a very PERSONAL nerve because this is my country and my people you are talking about!!
The only reason you have not blocked me is because for the first time in your life you have challenged on this subject and you don’t know how to respond other than with insults. Please try the Ghanaian way and address my points.
Peace!
Aretha Amma Sarfo
January 30, 2013 at 6:23 pmGymfi -you are on his thread insulting a nation of people is telling me that he/she won’t play my game of insults and that I am the one ranting. Thanks for the good laugh. You have been making generalizations and statements that are not in my post from the beginning- from the very first sentence it states that Jamaicans are not only Ghanaian descendants but also other parts of Africa- but you seem to hate them so much that you have basically read this post as if you are a semi-illiterate. Your long post trying to make some point that is so relevant to you but irrelevant to this post is so tiring but I will answer you as DIRECT as you requested.
-Your dual citizenship question is answered in the link-so click on it and educate yourself on the transcript available when Rawlings met with Clinton. This is why I add these links so use it or just. At no time in this post or anywhere else have I said he specifically wanted to give dual citizenship to just Jamaicans- so please stop making things up to make your foolish points. Plus this is not a new concept if you know Ghana’s history since independence and Pan-Africanism. This is not my so called desire or a concept that came from me -so do your own research before acting like you know so much because you obviously don’t. Rawlings had the Joseph Project in place for this purpose and most Ghanaians who are literate and care about these things know about it. If you don’t that’s not my problem -but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Maybe you should learn more about the inner workings of your government and chiefs who have been giving land etc. for Diasporans from Cuba, Jamaica , America etc. for years to come and settle in Ghana -way before I was even born & once again just because you don’t know about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
LOL- the fact that you think any of what you are spewing is of any challenge to me is laughable at best. Where is your proof or research to disprove anything I have said? I am pretty sure you are one of those Ghanaians living in Counsel flats stuck in England and probably have not been to Ghana in years- you can also go home because you are becoming very bitter and angry living in a foreign land. The world and Ghana is changing- you can carry your hate all you want, but it has no significance to anyone but you, and change will happen with or without you. Ghana does not belong to you and yours anymore than it belongs to me and mine as Ghanaians. The rest of what you have said in your long diatribe is just nonsense and not in my pay grade to deal with-so deal with your demons on your own. Bye bye -I have a nice day!
Gymfi
January 31, 2013 at 6:22 pmby the way it ‘aaba’ not ‘aba’
lol!! (‘Ghanaian Lady’ LOL!)
checking out!
All the best!
Gymfi
February 8, 2013 at 3:36 pmLol! Its funny how she deleted my last post? But anyway let me express my self again.
As for you Areatha I really am starting to believe that you have been heavily influenced by your AMERICANA-NEO-LIBRALISTIC environment and don’t really know nothing about the Ghanaian people and the republic at large. You have spent much time in American looking into Ghana from your FANTACIST HOLYWOOD perspective. You seem to secretly hate Ghana (and maybe Africa) and blame them for slavery hence the APLLOGETICNESS that you want to express through giving mass citizenship to Foreigners who don’t have ‘Ghana the republic’ at heart and would not die for the country since it is not their country????
You really do want to apologize for slavery on behalf of Ghana by importing mass peoples into our lands; not that this would happen because I know my people and how NATIONALISTC they are!
You are probably one of these sponsored neo-liberalistic people trying their hardest to promote Homosexuality in Ghana because it is …errm…’liberal’ and’’’’’err….’friendly’ to have such a curse in our country??? I would not be surprised if you were one of these people???
But it is good to see my people are fighting back on this curse LOL! Im very happy!!
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=215196
But let me get back to the issue:
Aretha; Again, Jamaicans are Jamaicans; not Ghanaians???
Of-course ALL black peoples share similarities! And of-course all black peoples, especially the descendants of slaves should exchange cultural ties and trade. Its good to see the West Indians and Black Americans finding out about their ancestral past and learning about different African cultures; after all they are essentially Africans. Yes some of them have similar features and attributes to Ghanaians since SOME of them do descend from modern day Ghana, but Aretha sweety, they have a very different experience and recent history to us. We Ghanaians don’t share a DIRECT slave descendants like them and therefore this affects the way we do things and think to the way they do things and think. I know you hate to admit is but Jamaicans and Ghanaians are thinking totally different things. Ghanaians and Africans don’t think about issues such as reparations like the black Americans do. As I said above, Ghanaians continuously think about raising their quality of life; NOT about slaver or even colonialism LOL???? We are similar but still fundamentally different. Would you ask Irish Americans to be given Irish citizenship??? Again I know you are trying to make some small reparations of your own but sweety this cannot be done by you and also this is not the way to do it. The Jamaican people like all the decedent’s of slave need proper reparations from the former slave colonies. Also they need freedom from the Western/American economic hegemony and cultivate economic development of their own.
Since you deleted my post above I will tell you again; Jamaica IS A COUNTRY, IT HAS A CONSTITUTION AND IS A REPUBLIC, NOT ALL JAMAICANS DECENT FROM GHAMA, SOME DECND EVEN FROM CHINA AND INDIA, IT IS AN INTERNATIONLALLY RECOGISED PEOPLE, DON’T ASSUME ALL JAMAICANS ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING TO THE PAST!
Aretha you need to understand the NEO-LIBERALISTIC EXTREME LEFT-IST nature of what you are asking here and KNOW that these things lead to social unrest, MORE HATRED AND DIVISION, economic strain, and yes, even WAR!
Your crazy idea could have ANYONE claim that they are descendants from Ghana???? 60MILLION people could claim this??? Since about 60million black live in the Americans and Caribbean.
YES, exchange cultural ties bit you are CRAZY to assume giving dual citizenship to forigners that are not Ghanaians!!!!
carol Levy
February 16, 2013 at 1:48 pmOne Love!! Africa Ghana!! Jamaican is not a race or ethincity it is an imposed nationality we were stolen from our homes and brought there. so we fight for our rights. Some have gone off the deep end and harm people and themselves. It is a shame still. I can say Jamaica is empoverished and that affects the mentality of people differently. please lets not pretend Gahnaians are not capeable of crimes or dont commit them. foolishness. Maroons are predominantly Ashanti that is our tradition before this conversation and the modern advent of the criminal activities in the UK. It is not just today somone just figured this out stop being silly. The sad thing is that the actions of a few are the burdens of the many. Most jamaican expatriates are quite sucessful in their endeavour outside of the island and this has nothing to do with the criminal element.
carol Levy
February 16, 2013 at 1:48 pmJamaican immigration
Jamaicans are the largest West Indian immigrant group in Canada and the third largest in the United States, behind Puerto Ricans and Cubans. In the U.S. census of 2000 and the Canadian census of 2001, 736,513 Americans and 211,720 Canadians claimed Jamaican descent. The majority of Jamaicans in the United States live in New York City and other urban communities of the Northeast, though a significant number also live in Florida. Toronto is by far the preferred destination of Jamaicans in Canada.
The island of Jamaica occupies 4,200 square miles in the Caribbean Sea. Its nearest neighbors are Cuba to the north and Haiti to the east. In 2002, the population was estimated at 2,665,636. The people are 90 percent black, descended from slaves brought to Jamaica by the British during the 17th and 18th centuries. About 61 percent of the population is Protestant and 4 percent Roman Catholic. More than a third of Jamaicans are members of other religious groups, many of which teach African revivalist doctrines. The best-known Afro-Caribbean religion is Rastafarianism, which venerates Haile Selassie, who before becoming emperor of Ethiopia was named Ras Tafari, as a god. It was made internationally famous by the reggae musician Bob Marley in the 1970s, who sang about its belief in the eventual redemption and return of blacks to Africa. Jamaica was inhabited by Arawak peoples until Columbus visited the island in 1494 and brought European diseases that soon wiped out the native population. The island was occupied by Britain in the 1650s, becoming its principal sugar-producing island in the Caribbean. Jamaica won its independence in 1962. Socialist governments throughout the 1970s frequently clashed with the United States and Canada over bauxite mining interests and cold war ideology, leading to considerable political unrest in Jamaica. During the 1980s, Jamaican politics became more conservative, and relations with the North American mainland improved.
Prior to the 1960s, both the United States and Canada treated immigrants from Caribbean Basin dependencies and countries, in various combinations, as a single immigrant unit known as “West Indians,” making it impossible to determine exactly how many Jamaicans were among them. Before 1965, however, Jamaican immigrants clearly predominated, and English-speaking immigrants generally far outstripped others. Between 1900 and 1924, about 100,000 West Indians immigrated to the United States, many of them from the middle classes. The restrictive Johnson-Reed Act (1924) and economic depression in the 1930s virtually halted their immigration, but some 40,000 had already established a cultural base in New York City, particularly in Harlem and Brooklyn. About 41,000 West Indians were recruited for war work after 1941, but most returned to their homes after World War II. Isolationist policies of the 1950s and relatively open access to Britain kept immigration to the United States low until passage of the Immigration Act of 1965, which shifted the basis of immigration from country of origin to family reunification. The McCarran-Walter Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 had established an annual quota of only 800 for all British territories in the West Indies. When Jamaica became independent, however, the country qualified for increased immigration quotas. Between 1992 and 2002, an average of more than 16,000 Jamaicans immigrated to the United States annually.
Many Jamaicans in both the United States and Canada were well educated and enjoyed greater economic success than other Americans of African descent. Their political influence in the United States was proportionally greater than their numbers would suggest, leading to tension between West Indians generally and African Americans. Jamaican political activist Marcus Garvey, who came to the United States in 1916, and U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell, son of Jamaican immigrants, brought considerable attention to the Jamaican immigrant community during the 20th century.
West Indian immigration to Canada remained small throughout the 20th century. Following restrictive legislation enacted in 1923, it is estimated that only 250 West Indians were admitted during the entire decade of the 1920s. By the mid 1960s, only 25,000 West Indians lived there. Canadian regulations after World War II (1939–45) prohibited most black immigration, and special programs, such as the 1955 domestic workers’ campaign, allowed only a few hundred well-qualified West Indians into the country each year until 1967, when the point system was introduced for determining immigrant qualifications. Jamaica nevertheless maintained the largest source of Caribbean immigrants. Of Canada’s 120,000 Jamaican immigrants in 2001, more than 100,000 came after 1970.
See also West Indian immigration.
carol Levy
February 16, 2013 at 1:51 pmAll That to say dont judge the many by the few
carol Levy
February 16, 2013 at 2:17 pmMore than 1 million slaves are estimated to have been transported directly from Africa to Jamaica during the period of slavery; of these, 200,000 were reexported to other places in the Americas. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Akan, Ga, and Adangbe from the northwestern coastal region known as the Gold Coast (around modern Ghana) dominated the slave trade to the island. Not until 1776 did slaves imported from other parts of Africa-Igbos from the Bight of Biafra (southern modern Nigeria) and Kongos from Central Africa-outnumber slaves from the Gold Coast. But slaves from these regions represented 46 percent of the total number of slaves. The demand for slaves required about 10,000 to be imported annually. Thus slaves born in Africa far outnumbered those who were born in Jamaica; on average they constituted more than 80 percent of the slave population until Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807. When Britain abolished the institution of slavery in 1834, Jamaica had a population of more than 311,000 slaves and only about 16,700 whites.
NOVIE
February 18, 2013 at 3:02 pmDo you have a response to what Carol Bitter Gymfi?
NOVIE
February 18, 2013 at 3:04 pmDo you have a response to what Carol saidBitter Gymfi?
Aretha Amma Sarfo
February 18, 2013 at 5:04 pmThank You Carol for your constructive contribution to the post and conversation.
Novie -why invite more hate into the conversation. There is no amount of evidence and rationalization that will rid Gymfi of the irrational hatred he beholds towards Jamaicans so let him have it and continue with the ignorance because I am assuming it serves him well to hold on to such hate as a life support.
NOVIE
February 18, 2013 at 2:52 amYou are so right, Aretha I will behave myself. And yes Carol I do appreciate this informative piece of historic information. God Bless!!!!!!!!
Gymfi
February 23, 2013 at 6:08 pm@ Carol
NO! it was a little over 1 million slaves????; try 60 MILLION SLAVES??? 1/3 died on the way! i dont know HOW you came up with the 1 million figure??
Your history is totally wrong!!! so on that basis alone you are invalid.
But anyway the point on here is not the amount of slave or what happened because we know what happened. we are talking about Areatha’s silly dreams of referring the Jamaican to Ghanaians and saying how we are all the same; thats why i cannot believe she is Ghanaian?? She wants to swamp us all in one and just because i refuse to be moulded into a ‘Yardie-Jamaican’ image she and her followers on here are angry. but why would i be surprised at this? we all know that how the Jamaican culture is; if it does not get its way it results to violence and name-calling; this is what we are used-to in Britain.
AGAIN! Jamaicans need to CHANGE! and become more acceptable to all blacks and stop bashing other blacks because they are not as ‘angry’ as they are??
Gymfi
February 23, 2013 at 6:14 pm@Carol….she said
‘we were stolen from our homes and brought there. so we fight for our rights. Some have gone off the deep end and harm people and themselves. It is a shame still. I can say Jamaica is empoverished and that affects the mentality of people differently’
THIS IS THE EXCUSE CULTURE AND CHIP-ON-SHOULDER MENTALITY I KEEP REFERRING TO!!!!!
CAROL PLEASE ANSWER ME! IS NOT IMPOVERISHMENT IN AFRICA??????
EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE!!!!
Gymfi
February 23, 2013 at 6:33 pm@carol
also please done cut n’ paste your information!?its not organic – from yourself. We all know that there is allot of biased information out there like Wikipedia for one.
Also carol since you know so much please tell me WHY Jamaicans have so much anger toward other blacks!!???? What have the other blacks done to Jamaicans AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT HAVE THE OTHER CARRIBIANS DONE TO JAMAICANS!!!
STOP YOUR EXCUSE CULTURE AND TELL YOUR PEOPLE TO CHANGE!!!!!
Kobby
February 27, 2013 at 5:38 pmi’m starting to wonder whether this “Gymfi” is actually Ghanaian.
first of all it’s Gyamfi* .
It’s quite obvious the Maroons language have similar words as Ghana if you claim to be Ghanaian?
suzanne
March 12, 2013 at 7:50 pmI am a Jamaican. Very proud of my island’s achievement; however, I must agree to a large extent to what Gymfi has to say. He is correct in indicating that Jamaicans are not all from Ghana. I have traced my roots to Nigeria, Ireland and the Mediterranean. I have also observed Jamaicans throughout the world and they ARE aggressive and condescending. They tend to be like the past Germans of Europe who thought they were the superior race. Jamaicans entertain the idea that they are the best in the Caribbean and should be concerned about embracing all cultures (including Haitians) into their circle. I have also taught for 10 years and it is a constant that Jamaicans will always initiate separatism…It is a shame how we consume other cultures….Yes, we are “BIG and Broad” as they say…and so what?
Aretha Amma Sarfo
March 12, 2013 at 9:19 pmI honestly do not know how Gymfi and others read this article and made all these assumptions that what was said was that ALL Jamaicans are from Ghana or that I was suggesting that Jamaicans should have Ghanaian citizenship and all the other outrageous accusations and personal interpretations loosely being thrown for personal purposes. The first sentence alone debunks that assumption. I have been so confused by all these assumptions and accusations that I had to re-read it again to see where I may have made mis-statements and I have come to realize that reading is not fundamental for all and that people will interpret things as they choose to serve their agendas and point. This was not an an indictment about the good nor bad character of ALL Or even some Jamaicans -just a write up for those who care to know to see some of our similarities particularly in language that has survived centuries from 1 continent to the other. I stand by all I have said and anyone who does not agree is entitled not to- but facts are facts and those who thrive on negativity & divisiveness can continue, but you are not welcomed here because we are about celebrating our Global Fusion in relation to our 1 Africa!To each his own- but Many of us still remain our brother and sister’s keeper no matter how near or far.
Sparkle
March 22, 2013 at 8:47 pmI am British of Jamaican and Sierra Leonean descent. GYmfi is right. As much as I love being of Jamaican descent, In Britain, Jamaicans have influenced other cultures in a bad way. We have had a LOT of the rabble of Jamaica as immigrants in the last twenty years. The men walk and impregnate women of ANY nationality. Jamaican men do not tend to have respect for women and children. Instead they, like ANY old slave master think that they have OWNERSHIP rights over women and children, treating them any how. As dark skinned as a Jamaican may be, they are quick to mention what is NON black about them. Many “new wave” Jamaicans are anti education. Has anybody noticed how Jamaicans have even degenerated their own music ? Jamaicans are now what is referred to as “follow fashion”. It is a trend in Britain for too many Jamaican men to live off of women on welfare or hard working women whilst impregnating others. Jamaicans are generally FRIGHTENED of white people and mask this in aggression. Jamaicans have a superiority complex as to their immigration status in Britain. LOTS of my elder jamaican relatives HATE “immigrants” more than the traditional white people in this country and will openly chat their opinions as if they are bargain bucket Socrates’. They do not realise that a lot of people only check for them because of Dancehall, spicy food, the presumed sexual prowess. Thus they are now attracting the low grades of all the other races into their midst. A jamaican in Britain is quick to sell out another jamaican. Now we all know that there are good jamaicans out there. However, Jamaicans are shy to talk about the high levels of personality disorders that they and their descendants exhibit. Narcissism being one of them . Too much fundamentalism and too little education is not a good mix. If any Jamaican or Jamaican descendant is being honest with themselves, they know that we have have problems with ourselves that no amount of money can cure. It will take honesty, a clear look at what passes for “culture”, the lack of true pride, the poisonous jealousy even amongst relatives of those who have “made it”, the sense of entitlement for other people’s things , and yes, our anti Africanism. I have had cheap, white women who on looking at me , presume that I have only Jamaican ancestry talk about AFRICANS in a derogatory manner and yet they have Black Jamaican men as partners. That is how low some Jamaican men are in Britain. No white person could get away with talking about any set of black people in a bad way in my presence! The “good” Jamaicans talk about the rubbish Jamaicans all the time, however this tends to stray into “anti black” territory. I remember a time when Jamaicans assumed that Bajans were the Uncle Toms of the West Indies. NO other set of Black people are as ingrained anti black as jamaicans. It is an open secret. Why we deny it must be a symptom of the personality disorders too many of us suffer from. A mad person doesn’t know that they are mad! Now we white people in Britain who think nothing of telling a righteous black person to “suck dem mumma”. That’s what they promiscuity of the average Jamaican man in Britain has gotten us. No pride, defensive nationalism, anti education, promiscuity, absent fathers, drugs selling, prostitution, anti gay (yet so sexually deviant and down low bi sexual). I know not why so many on here dispute this when it is one of the top topics of conversation amongst “good” Jamaicans!
Without us looking clearly and honestly at our degeneration and hypocrisy and acknowledging that too many of us are poorly socialised (hence the high number of incest, paedophilia, woman beating, broken families, religious fundamentalism and religious hypocrisy) we have no RIGHT to think that we can pack a grip and go ANYWHERE much less Africa where if Jamaicans think they are bad, go to Africa and chuck unnuh badness and see haow far unnuh fet wid dat! I say this somebody who thinks that being African Jamaican with an extra dose of African on top is brilliant. I am proud of Jamaica, but I will not condone the slackness, defensiveness, materialism , mental illness that we talk about amongst ourselves ( yet get prickly when others do) ANYMORE. Due to Jamaicans being flash when they are bad or good, decent people of Jamaican descent now have to tolerate the rubbish from other races and cultures who follow behind the lower aspects of our “culture”. If that is how low Jamaican and Jamaican descent self esteem has become that we love ANYBODY who claims to love Jamaica/ Jamaicans without checking them out, I feel sorry for Jamaica. As a working class woman, I find it appalling that trashy white women can get a boost from a Jamaican man that he wouldn’t give to a hard working, virtuous black woman who has the mind to even mention the degeneration of Jamaican culture. That is how low self esteemed a lot of Jamaican men in Britain are. Tribalism is not culture. It is just defensiveness. Sorry about my rant. Brilliant blog!
Gabby
March 26, 2013 at 3:00 pmI’m a Ghanain but i’m always feels like a Jamaican. The same as Rita Marley feels like a Ghanian and she has even taken Ghanian name which is Nana Akua and she is the Queen mother at the town she is now. One thing she said was that, she sees everything in Ghana similar to that in Jamaica so we’re all the same
Jamaicangirl
April 4, 2013 at 3:57 am@Gymfi Why do you hate all Jamaicans so much,what have we taken from you or eaten from you? Enough now, you sound as if you would kill us if you see us in Ghana.Well let me tell you this, we will go anywhere in this world we feel like going.We are citizens of this world,and there is nothing you or anyone who share your views can do about it, so go stand on the train line and wait for the next train.
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April 21, 2013 at 8:03 pmsmh gymfi is the the type to turn down a next black person but would let white people come to ghana and they’re the ones that kidnapped alot of ghanaians for slaves. my father is jamaican and plans to go out to ghana to help people in need. have you guys met every jamaican in the world? uk isnt the only place with jamaicans, you assuming all jamaicans act a certain way is like me saying all nigerians are scammers or all ghanaians have gaps in they’re tooth. you sound foolish and shouldnt even dare speak on jamaicans. you act as if ghanaian or anybody else for that matter is perfect. if any of you feel like how gymfi feel then ADD ME ON FB SO I CAN SHOW EVERYONE HOW IGNORANT YOU ARE.
tony
April 21, 2013 at 8:03 pmFB TONY MILLS
Gymfi
May 17, 2013 at 2:19 pmThe bottom line is this: Jamaicans need to change!…..STOP that ‘yARDIE’ thing and act civilised. Most Ghanaians hate that ‘Yardie’ mentality because it has nothing to do with us! and its also a form of bigatory as i said above. What no Jamaican on here or in real life likes to address is why that THEY FEAR WHITE PEOPLE SO MUCH?????….why dont you take your aggression to the people that enslaved you and took you to the Americas?? why when it comes to white people you act so nice and understanding but when it comes to your fellow blacks you are quick to correct them?
As for Areatha she is so so amazing! I think she needs to get out of the fantasy ‘Hollywood-Americana’ and go home to live among her people for the first time in her life. She has this ‘Hollywood’ fantsy mindset of Ghanaians probably because she grew-up in the USA.
Gymfi
June 11, 2013 at 9:38 amAreatha yes you did imply that all Jamaicans to should be given Ghanaian dual citizenship!! so dont try to deny that now. Its beacuse you have seen your fundamental short-sightedness so now you are trying to back-track. But i think its not your fault because even though I do believe that you are Ghanaian i think your are the ‘Americanised version’. I think you were born and mostly bread on American culture so therefore you have an ‘Americana-fantasy’ thinking about Aficans and not a realistic version because judging from what you wrote you dont talk like a Ghanaian but rather like a Black American? Im sure you have done some reseach and found out that the many many troubles of the Jamaican people and how they violently live and what their culture is REALLY actually about!This is why i asked you to come live in Britiain just for a couple of years to see how the Jamaican culture is because i dont think yo can get a realistic view of it in America; America is just too big. But rather came to Britain and live UP-CLOSE and you will see that the Jamaican culture has a long way to go to develop themselves and to be able to live in a scociety with with people who dont share their lifestyle. Also to rid themselves from blaming the past for their troubles today. Are you aware of how many Ghanaians in Britian that have been directly murdered by Jamaicans?? Please research this dear Areatha. Let me make it extra clear to you honey; I definatly speak for Ghanaians when i say we dont owe anything to any Jamaicans or any other people for that matter! Jamiacans are a fundamentally different people from us and we are certainly not ‘one-blood’ as i said above. Stop trying to be ‘nice’ and be realistic! Stop listening to your ‘yardie’ friends – they dont like you!
let me ask you something: what if ALL black behaved like Jamaicans regarding using past experiences as an excuse??? we probably would still be under colonialism and slavery and this is what the Jamaicans on this blog do want to address.
Areatha let me give you an alternative outlook on life that involves you directly;
Why dont you help the 64% of Ghanaian women who still cannot read and write adequately?
Why dont you help in the fight against the alarming numbers of still-born babies in Ghana/Africa and help in womans health overall?
Why dont you do something to help the alaraming number of unemployed people back home
Remove the head-wrap from your head for the first time in a long time and let the oxygen flow to your brain so you can THINK like a Ghanaian-proper and DIRECT YOUR ENERGIES TO YOU OWN PEOPLE BACK HOME!!!!
tony mills
July 23, 2013 at 5:34 pmwho says i act nice to white people?ghanaians use to enslave their own people so what are you talking about? jamaicans werent taken to america dumbass, i could see you’re not educated. and not every jamaican is a yardie. are all nigerians scammers? no, do all asains eat dog? no so stop stereotyping you fool. there was a ghanaian doctor who use to rape his victims should i assume all of you are like that? and you have nooo clue what jamaican culture is if you think our culture is how the jamaicans act in uk, smarten up fool. add me on fb TONY MILLS dont try and hide, bout you speak for all ghanaians.
tony mills
July 23, 2013 at 5:38 pmsee i told gmfyi how my dathers going to ghana to help people and he couldnt say nothing back, its idiots like him that keep black people seprated, theres idiots in every race and until you go to jamaica, meet all there jamaicans there, all the ones in uk america and canada then you can talk, until then stop stereotyping, you’re no different from a racist white.
Gymfi
July 29, 2013 at 2:37 pmLOL!…silly guy tony! WHAT ‘HELP’ ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??…….GO AND HELP YOUR OWN PEOPLE IN JAMAICA WHO ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE YARDIE TURF WAR GOING ON THERE?
we never asked for any help from Jamaicans……ARE YOU MAD???
LOL!!
tony mills
July 29, 2013 at 11:16 pmbro who said you guys asked? and tons of ppl volnteer to go ghana to help ppl might wanna look that up goof are you mad??? and no ones suffering from no war you idiot, yardies arnt only jamaicans, they’re in ghana and ethiopia and else where you fool. why is it doctors in ghana are raping women? LMAOOO clown i swear. last time i checked you down own ghana so we could come if we want.
joe adu gyamfi
September 7, 2013 at 3:47 pmI’m quite sad today. A very great piece which is suppose to unite us- now dividing us. The jamaicans have their roots in ghanaian but dont expect them to hav the same cultural values as ghanaians. Any time section of people move away from home to elsewhere, they change cos they come into contact with others. Also they go thru certain experiences which then define what they become later. Even the Baule people of cote d’voire,originally ashantis or akans now seem quite different from ghanaians now. they are just bordering ghana and yet….so why then bother jamaicans. time for change!!!!!!!!!one love!
Prince
September 23, 2013 at 12:49 pm@Gymfi.
I’m Originally from West Africa (Nigeria) and am proud of it…. I live US and here i have lots of jamaican friends and fellow african friends as well. Jamaicans & Ghanian people are wonderful people to be with..Gymfi I pray that God open your eyes, make you wise in thinking and deliver you from darkness and bondage u’re… You are on this page not to contribute positively and put smiles on other people face but just to bringout your anger and cos controversies. This is happy people page for people that wanna learn & Love not, for hater like you. If you have issue in your home, Mentally sick or whatever problems u’re facing just try to fix it yourself, ain’t nobody gonna share frm it, don’t bring your issues to this page. You’re a racist, an attention seeker, sick ass gymfi……….One love to all my black bro & sis out there. ONE BLOOD, ONE COLOUR, SAME BLOOD RUNS IN OUR VAIN.. love you all.
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Gymfi
December 4, 2013 at 12:38 pmGymfi = FOOLISH
BornGhania
December 7, 2013 at 10:33 pmTony Mills stop acting up with this FOOL Gymfi, he is not a true ghania but a Nigerian. The NIGERIANS have been going from websites to websites pretending to be everybody else, trying to create war and strife between Jamaicans and ghanians because they ARE JEALOUS of our relationship.
BornGhana
December 7, 2013 at 10:41 pmGYMFI THE Nigerian EQUALS JEALOUSY! MY GOD NIGERIANS ARE JEALOUS OF ALL AFRICANS. Their country has a bad reputation for scamming and if you let the Nigerians in Jamaica they will teach the young ones how to scam people. Nigerians use to flock to Ghana and within just a few years our youths start learn how to scam people, after we got rid of them our name has been redeemed! anywhere or country you let Nigerians in they will turn its citizens into scammers! Jamaicans stay clear of Nigerians if you want your country to be rid of scammers. They go around recruiting young black people from broken homes and teach them how to scam.
BornGhana
December 7, 2013 at 10:48 pmIm tired of Nigerians the WOLVES in SHEEPS clothing pretending to be ghanians go away Nigerians leave us ghanians alone, leave us in peace to find our ancestors around the globe, keep out of our faces with your DIRTY SLIMEY STINKING WAR AND STRIFE every where you go. Nigerians are the worst Africans god ever created. it made me wonder if they’re from god or the devil. Gymfi the war mongering Nigerian GO AWAY and leave us peaceful Ghanaians alone.
BornGhana
December 7, 2013 at 10:56 pmWe should start to play spot the Nigerians, ghanians do not act nor talk like gymfi the jealous envious fool. Don’t let the Nigerians fool you.
Hello
December 7, 2013 at 11:25 pmI agree with you one hundred percent BornGhana Im from Ghana and when I read this my first instinct was I knew it, Im going to read the lovely comments then I came across Gymfi’s comments and thought that this person sound raher strange, how can someone pays you such a nice compliment and the only thing you do is go into attack mode, it just didn’t make any sense. I agree the Nigerians are warisome and tricky, they are on youtube starting fights between lots of people, lets ignore them and get on with peace and love towards our true ghanians and distant relatives.
Cromantin
February 13, 2014 at 9:23 pmI can’t believe some of the ignorant crap being posted here. To quote Kwame Nkrumah: “All people of African Descent, whether they live in North or South America, the Caribbean, or in any part of the world are Africans and belong to the African nation.”
To quote John Henrik Clarke: It’s time for black people to stop playing the separating game of geography, of where the slave ship put us down. We must concentrate on where the slave ship picked us up”.
A word to the wise is enough …
Gymfi
February 14, 2014 at 4:58 pmhey people! long time.
Oh well, to the Nigerians on here im wondering why? Ghanians and Nigerians have historic differences so its not you im aiming against. I can cope with our local battles because its a local West-African rivalry – a healthy one. But in any case I would like the Nigerians on here to answer a simple question: If Areatha was a Nigerian and she suggested that Jamaicans be given dual citizen ship with the Nigerien state how would you react?
I CAN JUST IMAGINE THE NEGATIVE FEROCIOUS RESPONSE BY NIGERIANS???
You see we Ghanains are regarded as a softtouch by most and we seldom express ourselves to others outwardly BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE DO NOT MEAN BUSINESS its just that we would rather deal with more important issues at the time. The Nigerians on here would know that Africa is being attacked. Attacked by this new brand of Western NEO-LIBERALISM LEFTISM (e.g. the homosexual promotion). I attacked Areatha to put her right! Put her on a right track back to her roots and to steer her away from her extreme NEO-LIBERAL agenda to take our beloved Ghana to hell!! And this is why i suspect her of being a neo-leftist lesbian because only such a person would even hint at such an absurd topic as that. Forget the Jamaicans on here – lol, I would not expect them to have Ghana’s best interest at heart, But she, I know, has not been trained the traditional Ghanaian way of discipline. She is of an Americana-Holywood angel. I wish some of you non-Jamaicans on here would stick to the line and ask her WHY, HOW AND WHAT STATE OF MIND SHE IS IN to even hint and such a sick policy to give Jamaicans, of all people, dual-citizenship with such a peaceful country like Ghana??? Please put this question to her to even give this blog any kind of legitimacy!!?
Gymfi
February 14, 2014 at 5:15 pmIM WAITING FOR SOME ANSWERS ON HERE REGARDING THE DUAL CITIZENSHIP THING?? You can attack me thats fine but at least give me some feedback ON THE ACTUAL ISSUE HERE!!
LETS STICK TO THE ISSUE AND STOP THE SMOKE AND MIRRORS.
Michael
March 5, 2014 at 11:47 pmI have read through this blogg with a furrowed brow. @Gymfi, I’m not sure of your motives and do not fully understand what has antagonised you. But your point of view is very limited. It is clear to see that your views are born of pure ignorance. But this is not an excuse. You obviously do not know any Jamaicans and as such have formed an opinion based on what you believe to be a reality. Once again, this is not an excuse! I would possibly suggest you open your eyes to more than what you see in the bars of Osu and truly open your eyes to the fact that people are all different and cannot all be looked at through such squinted eyes. for if you squint too much you will never see the sun!
Let me give you some small facts. You obviously are not aware of.
1. Yardies are not representative of all Jamaicans. But lets not attack people based on there circumstance. Good and Bad in every creed and colour. Simple as that.
2.Jamaicans are no more responsible for killing Ghanians than Asians, Nigerians, Whites or any other nationality. What a ridiculous statement to make! And I do live in London and bfore you ask i am Ghanaian.
3. @ tony mills. You are just as uninformed as our friend Gymfi. Do you really believe Ghanians enslaved people? really! I have heard this before and can answer the question but would rather you did some more research into this issue. Another example of someone not really understanding Ghanian/African culture. But go read some books and enlighten yourself!
4. You cannot just say to someone/a nation stop hating white people etc… who are you to say such a thing. Unfortunately thats historical anger finds its way into DNA and passes down generations, have you not heard of the Willie Lynch Theory!? you cannot understand this because you and your ancestors were fortunate enough not to have been enslaved so please save your opinions!
I have more to say but I would like to see how you respond to what I have said so far!
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March 20, 2014 at 7:16 pmIM HALF JAMACIAN AND GHANIAN GYMFI CAN’T TALK TO ME.. I KNOW MORE. HIS KNOWLEDGE AND VIEW IS OUT DATED AND UNEDUCATED… HE REQUIRES ALOT MORE STUDYING AND NEEDS TO STOP SPEAKING FROM HIS MIND BECAUSE THATS ALL OPINION BASED COMMENTS WITH NOT ONE FACT TO BACK UP ANY OF HIS STATETMENTS… ITS LIKE NOT STOP RAMBLING AND NO FOUNDATION NO FACTS NO QUOTES NOTHING… LSTEN WEST AFRICA IS THE HOME OF ALL OF THE SLAVE DESCENDANTS BLACK AMERICANS, BRAZILIANS, LATIN AMERICA, WEST INDIES…JAMAICAN PATIO OR KROMANTI LANGUANGE DERIVES FROM AKAN LANGUAGE… LET ME STOP.
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December 27, 2014 at 7:51 ami have spent sometime trying to understand the relationship and the similarities between Ghana and Jamaica, i am a Ghanaian by birth and by everything all my parents are Ghanians, what i will say to Jamaicans who will love to know Much about Ghana is that, they will have no gret ever seeing their root as Ghanaians, Ghana has developed to understand the right of everyone and had always welcome people whose DNA have roots from Ghana, Ghana is a very welcoming Country and Ghana has always welcome it citizens. it is really a nice place to be, with good beaches, good roads, nice shopping malls, great restaurants, and most of all very peaceful, you can go out at what ever time you wish and get back to your respective homes at your own preferred time without fears or intimidation’s, of course there are bad sides of Ghana, but the bad sides are not too bad to even make living uncomfortable for you. Ghana is always comfortable and will always be comfortable, thanks to the wonderful Ghanaian who have always tried hard to make Ghana a great place to leave, in short Jamaicans are always welcome to Ghana. but no smoking of Weed cause it is illegal and drugs, lol. Welcome once again.
Keith Stokes
January 19, 2015 at 9:01 pmThe historical connections between Ghana and Jamaica should also include the early African history of New England, particularly my home of Newport, Rhode Island. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Newport slave ships transported many Africans from the Gold Coast of West Africa to Jamaica and then back to Newport. Today, Newport has one of the oldest and largest enslaved and free African cemeteries in America with many of the markers with African day names that are common with the Akan people. My own direct ancestors can be traced directly back to Jamaica and Ghana.
FuckAfricans
January 25, 2015 at 10:25 amFuck all you stinking ass Afreekans
Borketey
February 13, 2015 at 10:20 amam a Ghanaian and i love Jamaicans. stay blessed all Jamaicans
Unitedindervisity
March 12, 2015 at 12:04 amO I see your ignorance, would be wasting time here .Anyway an old post. Stop the division Gymfi, the black race should see themselves as one. You don’t like Nigerians its your choice. We have many Jamaicans living in Nigeria and we don’t even know they are Jamaicans except they tell you. So stop this fool fool as Jamaicans will say, try to unite the brothers instead of separating them with your ignorance.
donia
May 20, 2015 at 12:38 ami wish i was the president of Ghana, i would have made straight path from Ghana to Jamaican, with no visa nor plane ticket just to show the Jamaicans how much we love and need them,,, i also need a rasta gorgon to teach me more of rasta life….0232699774
donia
May 20, 2015 at 12:42 amwuh di bumbu claat pussy blood claat rasclaaat bwaii is? im ah wah ?
Abena Afari
August 15, 2015 at 8:24 ami thought i was the only one interested about finding my origin, but as for today i have reliesed am not the only one. but something is mixed up,is through migration that our ancestes came to settle in Ghana,yeah ok.Now my question is : are some Ghanaians origin from Ethopia? or is Ethopian origin from Ghana? which is which i want to know.
Erverh
August 31, 2015 at 4:03 amI am Nationally Haitian but ethnically of Yoruba and Ewe background. How do I know lol? Its a long story. As you know, Haiti had the most Dahomeans in which were Yoruba, ewe, and fon brought to the island during the diaspora in addition to Kongo-Lemba people in which was the majority. As a matter of fact, the town of my parents (Gonaives) has a shrine dedicated to the Nago/Yoruba ancestors that goes back 300 years as well as a Dahomean shrine. Not many people know this because they believe that we are solely Kongo descendants and so, single us out. I would love to visit Ghana one day and reconnect with my ancestors! The Ewe, Ga, Adangbe, Yoruba, Fon and Adja have an oral history that states that they came from Northeast Africa. When I took an autosomal DNA test, I found to have ancestry in Egypt and Saudi Arabia in which was shocking!
W. Henry Eccleston
October 28, 2015 at 10:24 pmI am a Jamaican from the Cockpit country of Trelawny. I found myself gravitating to people from Ghana and so I made many friends with a few whom I become accustom to. I find it so easy in speaking with them and have an open relationship with some. I always felt a closeness to them and a warm relationship like family.
Ann Wilson
October 28, 2015 at 12:20 amGymfi I can see that you stand alone and fights your own battle against Jamaicans and from what i am reading you are not a ghanian how stupid do you look.
TAOofJAZ
October 29, 2015 at 9:24 pmThis article is very informational! Not from Ghana or JA. Just have an affinity for the culture. Bless
clive Currie
February 22, 2016 at 7:53 pmWere I’m from I’m jamaican
Jollette
April 8, 2016 at 11:04 pmthis article is quite enlightening! I am Jamaican and I remember attending conference in the US a couple of years ago whee a lady from another West African country approached me and asked if I was Ghanian. She mentioned that my dancing and mannerism reminded her of a friend who lives in Ghana.
Yaw
August 25, 2016 at 7:58 amInteresting read. I got to know this when I was gathering information for my Akan teaching/learning blog LearnAkan. I’m a Ghanaian and would definitely love to visit Jamaica in the not-too-distant future. Thank you for this nice piece
Pablo
February 4, 2017 at 6:52 pmI’m from Jamaica, and I know that not all blacks from Gahana/west Africa are originally from there. Personally my people – so-called negroes even though they came here on slave ships they’re originally from Israel. Which is why the original map of the world calls Gahana and that region “the land of Judah.” I’d love to visit Gahana, Africa yes, but I’m not trying to move there…
Diana
March 16, 2017 at 1:57 pmWow!!! I started reading the comments, and found them quite interesting. Individuals like Gymfie should be ignored, there’s no point in responding to hate. One love!!!!
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