“Jamaican Women Holding Up More Than Half the Sky”

Sunny skies, falls and beaches, friendly people, rich culture and music rooted in history and reality resonates not just with tourists and local islanders, but warms the hearts of those living within the diaspora as well. To bring a taste of home to East Asia, the Embassy of Jamaica in Tokyo, Japan has decided to join in on Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence with an exciting year-long celebration.

Ambassador of Jamaica to Japan, Shorna-Kay Richards, explained that it was important to extend the celebrations overseas because the diaspora stands as contributors and integral pillars to the country’s development as a nation. “In every sphere of human endeavour, they also continue to serve as ambassadors, cultural or otherwise, of this great nation. As we celebrate 60 years, we want all Jamaicans far and near to be a part of these jubilee moments because they, too, are behind our successes, she told The Gleaner, noting, “Jamaica 60 is yet another avenue to mobilise the diaspora and ignite the spirit of patriotism that is part and parcel of our nation’s journey to sustainable development.”

Each month will feature a different event. And Japan has already kicked off the January jubilee with Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day. The Embassy of Jamaica in Tokyo partnered with the Association of Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee (AJIJC) and Connect Worldwide (CWW) Japan and hosted the ultimate VIP media event in conjunction with the fourth anniversary of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee (JBMC) Day. Because the JBMC Day event was the first official activity for 2022, the team doubled its efforts, capitalising on the media’s presence to launch the celebrations in Japan to mark Jamaica’s 60th Anniversary of Independence. Close to 30 Japanese writers, influencers and other media representatives who specialise in culinary, travel and lifestyle trends were in attendance. “Based on the feedback from the guests, we can proudly say that the event was a success,” Richards shared.

Although every month promises to be an awakening and exciting experience, the ambassador was able to share a few of her favourite months to come. High on her must-attend list is this February’s Reggae Month. “Reggae music plays a big part in why Jamaica is renowned in the Asia-Pacific region, and we want to celebrate this,” she highlighted. She also made special mention of March, which will honour the widely celebrated International Women’s Day and ‘Culture Yaad’ in August, created to unite Jamaicans from all across Japan. Richards is particularly excited about the summer event because she has only been able to host virtual events since starting her tenure in the global pandemic. So she looks forward to what she describes as the authentic moment of the Jamaican Fs: food, fun and fellowship.

From there, all roads lead to September, observed and reserved as the National Day Reception. This will give Jamaicans living in Japan the opportunity to celebrate this monumental milestone with the Japanese government officials, the business community, the Diplomatic Corps, and friends and well-wishers of Jamaica in Japan. The main purpose of this year’s host of activities is to acknowledge and honour Jamaica’s accomplishment as well as continue on the path to strengthening the bilateral partnership between the two nations.

“Jamaica is still a young nation and a developing country, but there is much to celebrate when we think about our impact on the world stage. I am therefore excited to celebrate our achievements through the broad spectrum of activities that will be under way,” Richards revealed. Keith-Alexander Sharpe, a Jamaican living in Japan, is happy that the celebrations are brought to his door. “I have lived away from Jamaica for many years, so it is a good opportunity to be reminded of our slang, music, dance moves, and trends. The Jamaican community in Japan is small, so it is good to be around other Jamaicans. These celebrations will help to keep the community close-knit.”

Sandie Heron, a fellow Jamaican residing in Japan, is incredibly excited about the celebrations lined up for this year. “It is a breath of fresh air, especially as we are still navigating our way through the pandemic. It is good that we have so many wonderful activities to look forward to this year as a community,” she said. COVID-19 continues to govern the state of social gatherings. But the aim is to have as many events as possible in person. The hybrid formats may be implemented to expand the diasporic reach.