Patois Power - A Curation
Unraveling Jamaican Identity Through Language
This week, I’m trying something new—a curation.
Those following the Forever Foreign series know I release a new story every Tuesday with a related cultural psychology or sociopolitical article every Saturday.
Instead of an article, I’ve gone through various papers, journals, and articles (some from other Substack writers) related to last week’s story, “Marrying a Stranger, Papers, and Pens.” Feel free to add your own in the comments.
Academic Articles
The researchers’ mission is to understand how identity forms in new societies, focusing on the historical development of Creole speech communities. They analyze data from two sets of Creole groups. One group, London Jamaican youth, fits the original acts of identity concept. However, another group, urban mesolectal Jamaicans in Kingston, doesn't fit the traditional mould.
They propose categorizing linguistic identity work into three types: identity development, identity shift, and identity modification. These are based on age, developmental processes, and the extent of change. It's a way to understand how people shape their identities through language in different ways.
Patrick, P. L. (2003). Creole, Community, Identity. AAA: Arbeiten Aus Anglistik Und Amerikanistik, 28(2), 249–277. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43025703
This study dives into the lives of Jamaican immigrants in the United States who navigate three different cultural worlds daily: Jamaican, European-American mainstream, and African-American. The research, involving 80 middle-aged Jamaican immigrants, looks at their ethnic identity, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being.
The results confirm the concept of "3D acculturation," showing that many participants deeply engage in three distinct cultures. Interestingly, the search for ethnic identity played a more significant role in their acculturation and psychological well-being compared to a strong commitment to a particular identity.
However, these "triculturals” also reported some psychological distress. These findings aren't just interesting from a theoretical standpoint; they also have practical implications for Jamaicans and other minority immigrants globally navigating multiple cultural influences.
Ferguson, G. M., Iturbide, M. I., & Gordon, B. P. (2014, October 1). Tridimensional (3D) Acculturation: Ethnic Identity and Psychological Functioning of Tricultural Jamaican Immigrants. International Perspectives in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000019
Functions of Rasta Talk in a Jamaican Creole Healing Narrative: "A Bigfoot Dem Gi' Mi"
People's personal stories are powerful spaces where cultural and language norms are discussed and shaped. Mainly, stories of healing can transform physical struggles into broader social and spiritual conflicts. In this context, the researchers explore a narrative of supernatural illness and recovery told in Rasta Talk.
This narrative also serves as a way to critique the historical impact of colonialism and racism on the healthcare system. By sharing stories in Rasta Talk, individuals can reshape their experiences verbally, relieving themselves from suffering and stigma. This creative expression within the genre of illness narratives not only reflects the evolution of speech styles like Rasta Talk but also strategically expands their social functions.
Ferguson, G. M., Iturbide, M. I., & Gordon, B. P. (2014, October 1). Tridimensional (3D) Acculturation: Ethnic Identity and Psychological Functioning of Tricultural Jamaican Immigrants. International Perspectives in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000019
Women as Heads of Households in the Caribbean: Family Structures and Feminine Status
Dating back to the days of slavery, legal marriages were elusive for slaves, and Christian unions fucked with the oppressive slave code, leaving families vulnerable to separation.
Data challenges the perception of male marginality, revealing that young slave women often formed childless unions or lived in extended family arrangements. As they entered prime reproductive years, many lived with a mate and children, adapting their households as children established independence.
Mortality patterns and demographic factors during slavery influenced the prevalence of women-headed households, with data suggesting a range from 14% in Jamaica to 29% in Trinidad and Tobago. Notably, the significance lies not only in the dominance of females but in acknowledging their role as household heads by all members. The roots of this phenomenon, explored within the context of a woman's life cycle, reveal economic insecurities and the marginality of low-income groups within the broader economic system.
The nuanced exploration challenges conventional beliefs about West Indian family structures, inviting readers to reconsider the intricate interplay of history, culture, and social dynamics.
Scharf, B. R., & Massiah, J. (1984, November). Women as Heads of Households in the Caribbean: Family Structures and Feminine Status. Population Studies, 38(3), 519. https://doi.org/10.2307/2174145
Gender and Risk in a Matrifocal Caribbean Community: A View from Behavioral Ecology.
This study delves into the roots of matrifocality, suggesting that daughter-biased parental care plays a crucial role. While traditional parental investment theory anticipates sex-biased care, this research explores factors favouring daughters without clear specifications.
The investigation, conducted in rural Dominica, reveals gender differences, indicating that men are more prone to poverty and alcoholism and less likely to migrate or attend high school compared to women. Educational outcomes follow the Trivers-Willard effect, where boys from challenging family environments are less likely to receive secondary education. The study proposes that unpredictable hazards for sons may lead parents to prioritize daughters, contributing to the unique matrifocal structure observed in Caribbean communities.
This essay blends elements of sex differences, poverty, ethnography, demography, and evolutionary ecology, offering a fascinating insight into the dynamics of family life in the region.
QUINLAN, R. J. (2006, September). Gender and Risk in a Matrifocal Caribbean Community: A View from Behavioral Ecology. American Anthropologist, 108(3), 464–479. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.2006.108.3.464
Caribbean Mothers: Identity and Experience in the UK.
The African-Caribbean family structure, often labelled as matriarchal, has faced criticism from sociologists and policymakers who deem it dysfunctional and attribute various socioeconomic issues to it. In other words, mansplaining.
Caribbean mothers bear the brunt of this critique, depicted negatively as 'welfare queens' or 'superwomen' in mainstream discourse. Author Reynolds challenges these perspectives, emphasizing the racialized nature of motherhood, particularly for black Caribbean women in the UK. Through 40 interviews, Reynolds amplifies the voices of diverse Caribbean mothers, shedding light on their struggles in a racialized society.
While race remains a unifying factor, Reynolds explores the roles of gender identity, social class, and generational differences in shaping their experiences. Despite expressing reservations about Caribbean men, the mothers in Reynolds' study challenge stereotypes of Black male marginality, highlighting their active participation in crucial family roles.
The study disrupts the myths surrounding the matriarchal Caribbean family, emphasizing the significance of black men's diverse contributions to family life, even if they don't conform to traditional Western ideals of fatherhood.
Jones, C. (2008, June). Book Review: Caribbean Mothers: Identity and Experience in the UK. Feminist Review, 89(1), 144–147. https://doi.org/10.1057/fr.2008.13
Can you make the connection to last week’s story?
Substack Articles
Political lessons from Jamaican Patois: Linguistic innovation is for insiders, broad communication requires simplicity by
Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Timothy Otte on Linton Kwesi Johnson by
If you believe my work has value and enjoy reading on a platform that doesn’t steal your attention with ads, please consider becoming a paid subscriber and sharing my work with your family and friends.
Catch up on Forever Foreign.
Stories are the only inheritance I need.
Six dates—that’s all it took for my parents to elope in Jamaica. Since then, they wandered amid CIA shadows and sticky red tape, celebrated with the Sandanistas, dwelled on a monkey-ridden island with a beat-loving recluse, rose to the top of Tenerife’s tourist sector, dodged the draft, smuggled—
They unshackle the chains of conformity.