Today 6 August marks 61 years of Independence for Jamaica, the island was first settled by settlers from Yucatan and then the Taino people before being belatedly ‘discovered’ by Christopher Columbus in 1494. The Tainos’ way of life was rudely interrupted in 1509 when Juan de Esquivel began 146 years of Spanish rule, introducing slavery and other ‘benefits’ of European civilisation.
English soldiers and sailors arrived on 10 May 1655, causing the Spanish to surrender the very next day. Slavery continued, but those who escaped joined runaway Tainos in Maroon territory. Remarkably, the five towns of this area, known as the Cockpit Country, were granted semi-autonomy, until an unsuccessful rebellion led to many of them being deported in 1796, first to Nova Scotia and then to Sierra Leone.
In the post-slavery era, notable leaders were Black nationalist and leader of the Back-to-Africa movement Marcus Garvey, trades unionist Alexander Bustamente, founder of the Jamaica Labour Party, and Bustamente’s cousin Norman Manley, who set up the People’s National Party.
Dissatisfaction with the increasing wealth divide and post-war moves to decolonisation led to progressively to independence. The British flag was lowered on 6 August 1962 and Princess Margaret did the honours by opening the first session of the country’s parliament. By this time, Jamaica had pulled out of the West Indies Federation, which had been set up in 1958 with the aim of bringing together the former British territories under unified rule. After Jamaica’s exit, the Federation collapsed, much to the frustration of some of the other members.
Jamaica may have gained its independence but it lost the Cayman Islands, which had been a self-governing territory run from Jamaica. The islands now came under direct rule from London.
Jamaica today remains a member of the Commonwealth and still recognises King Charles III as King of Jamaica, though there are increasingly insistent calls for the country to become a republic.
We wish all Jamaicans a Happy 61st Year of Independence.
