Jamaicans united over kindred Kamala
Donald Harris holding Kamala Harris. Facebook
Caribbean Life, August 21-27, 2020 11
Jamaicans at home and
abroad are jubilant and enthusiastic
that Democrat and
former Vice President Joe Biden
chose a descendant from their
island as his partner to win
back the White House from
Republican occupation.
That a seed germinated
to bloom the California Sen.
Kamala Harris sprouted from
roots nurtured in the small
Browns Town community in
the parish of St. Ann adds to
the mysticism of the acclaimed
Garden parish which spawned
Pan-African leader Marcus
Mosiah Garvey, the island’s first
national hero, Robert Nesta
Marley, the revered first Third
World superstar, Harry Belafonte,
the first Grammy winner,
Burning Spear, a Grammywinning
reggae recorder and
other world influencers.
Minutes after last week’s
anticipated political announcement,
a multitude of repatriated
expats residing in Ghana,
Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Senegal,
The Gambia, and Ethiopia
expressed “One Love” sentiments
with renewed pride in
their homeland.
Charles Abakah sent kudos
from Accra, Ghana.
Edward Asomaning promoted
“African love” from Kumasi,
Ghana.
And from the seaport city of
Cape Coast, Ghana, an entire
village acknowledged the
groundbreaking news.
It was as if the Africa Union
had ordained a transplanted
child of immigrant parents
to be named the first Black
woman to share a Democratic
Party presidential ticket.
Desta Meghoo, a Jamaican
who has been living in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia since 2005
offered: “We lickle but we tallawah!”
a local saying that boasts
the might of the people despite
the size of the island.
The Rastafarian advocate
punctuated her statement adding
another local phrase which
relates to the relentless presence
of citizens — “If ah egg
we inna di red!”
From Abu Dhabi, Dubai
and temporary and permanent
destinations Jamaicans have
inhabited other familiar idioms
spoke volumes about the united
approval of the Democratic
Party’s new leading lady and
vice presidential designate.
Some residing in China,
Brazil and Australia posted
memes on Facebook with symbols
of blazing fire, red, gold
and green hearts, One Love
symbols, black gold and green
colors of Jamaica’s flag, motion
powered GIFs of the senator
dancing to a rhythm and without
words sent kudos to the
candidate already defined in a
myriad of hyphenated identifiers
– Black-American, African-
America, Indian-American,
Jamaican-American as the presumptive
best candidate for a
winning ticket to claim victory
on Nov. 3.
A vast majority of immigrants
to Canada and England
echoed similar sentiments with
a few decidedly confident that
a Jamaican with roots from
the island would be the most
sensible fixer to the perceived
colossal debacle Americans are
facing.
“It had to be either Susan
Rice or Kamala,” Paul Smith, a
Toronto-based Jamaican said.
From Montreal to Mississaugua,
Saskatchewan to Quebec
Jamaicans living on North
America boasted early assumption
of the symbolic decision.
“We run tings, tings nuh run
we” registered another braggadoccious
comment.
Catch You On The Inside
Inside Life
By Vinette K. Pryce
AndrewSorrentinofuneralservice.com
/AndrewSorrentinofuneralservice.com
