In the mountainous area of Westmoreland in an area called German Town in Jamaica you will find remnants of a group of Germans who came to Jamaica. Reports indicate that over one thousand Germans came here in the 1830s. In my research I found that there are not a lot of historical records that point to how this group of Germans came to Jamaica, The remaining Germans in Jamaica are believed to be remnants of German indentured helpers who were brought in to work on plantations right her in Jamaica. The Germans were thought to be used as substitutes after the Jamaican emancipation period to assist the slave labour that drove the island’s economy during that era.
I am led to believe that the original Germans that made their way to this
region of Jamaica were thought to be prisoners on the run from former military
battered after the Napoleonic wars. Some believe they could have come to
Jamaica seeking a better life to escape poverty and hardships in their home
lands.
The German language is no longer used on the island, but some German words
have entered the Jamaican vernacular. I have seen some Jamaicans
who carry European features such as blue eyes, blond hair, freckles, and
white skin, which is a result of the German genetic influences. Although I
have not personally spoken to any of these Germans I am told that many people
in German Town are proud to be Jamaicans and love this country and the culture.
However, some people at the same time have a sense of separate identity. In my
opinion this lack of understanding and the lack of German culture being passed
down have left many of them with a sense of anxiety and maybe a lack of
identity.
Do you know any of these German remnants. Please comment. http.//www.paradisepalmsjamaicavilla.com #jamaica #germansinjamaica #jamaicaculture #jamaicaheritage #jamaicanhistories
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