| Jamaicans in the Diaspora |
| By Charles H E Campbell Observer writer Sunday, September 18, 2005 |
In Jamaica, I am brown. I get by because I am easy on the eye. In Toronto, Canada, I am black. Shee! Don't say that too loud now, even though I am.a proud black man that is.
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| Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley's tune Welcome To Jamrock was all the rave while I was in Toronto |
My family migrated to Canada between 1968 and 1971, because my parents and seven sisters surmised that Canada had an excellent public and welfare system, especially in the areas of education, health and retirement benefits. I have been visiting Canada from time to time since then.
I witnessed and participated in early protests and demonstrations against racism, but found Canada's breed of racism a little more subtle than the Americans- maybe because the country has always had genuine liberal (enlightened) leadership.
I watched the first two waves of Jamaican émigrés (1960s and 1970s) educate themselves and integrate (almost) completely in their various professions and communities. My father for instance, a priest, served in the Anglican Church in various parts of Toronto and Owensound, Even after he retired, he was given a tremendous memorial service in May when he passed away.
My mother became quite popular for baking wedding cakes, Easter buns and her special brand of pimento liqueur, for which, each year, I had to buy and export to her the ripe berries.
My mother's mother was a mixture of Portland Maroons (Taino/African interbred) and Irish settlers, while her father was a famous black pharmacist in Port Antonio, Charles Buckley. She married my father A C Campbell who was a mixture of Scottish and East Indian. She bore him eight children, encompassing a kaleidoscope of black/brown shades. Her family had the 'class'. She says quite proudly, "my mother only allowed me to marry him because of his colour".
In Canada, my father's profession allowed people to choose what colour he was- he could pass. Neither my mother nor my sisters could, so they worked doubly hard to gain promotions, saved all they could so as to buy nice homes, live comfortably and educate their children up to university level.
They all fraternised with other Jamaicans and West Indians in their community- if those Jamaicans and West Indians had arrived before 1980. There are so many other Jamaicans I know who have done well in their professions and have contributed to the uplifting of others in the society.
The new governor general designate for Canada is a black Haitian émigré. While I was there, our own Alvin Curling, former speaker of the Ontario legislature, was named Canada's new ambassador to the Dominican Republic. Also, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange's mother and stepfather, Raphaelith and Gifford Walker, were honoured for 43 years of service to the Jamaican Canadian Association.
The social and racial landscape in Toronto has however changed quite significantly over the decades. What with an influx of Asians (Pakistanis and Indians) in the 1980s, Pacifica Islanders and Chinese in the 1990s (Toronto now uniquely has two active China Towns), the whole racial mix has become quite complex- no longer straight black and white. Ironically, the only experience of racial prejudice I encountered while there visiting recently, was displayed by a Pakistani store clerk.
When I related the incident to Martin Mordecai, he informed me that my experience was not uncommon. "In fact", he said, "for blacks in similar encounters, the Pakistani make you feel as if your money is dirty or of lesser value. I have never been racist, but my recent business transactions with Pakistanis have provoked that reaction."
Social scientist, Joseph Mensch in his book, Black Canadians: History, Experience And Social Conditions, said, "many Canadians are reluctant to admit that racial oppression and inferiorisation persists in this country.
As Canadians, we have a tendency not just to ignore our racist past, but also to dismiss any contemporary racial incidence as nothing but an aberration in an essentially peaceful, tolerant, charitable and egalitarian nation."
Toronto's newspapers refer to this summer as 'the summer of the gun'. It was called 'one of the worst crime waves in the city's history'. Citizens were appalled by the violence and shootings. So far 15 people have been murdered. Last weekend alone, 12 people were killed here in Jamaica, but that is relative.
They say much of the brutal gun violence is gang related. The incident most reported on and discussed was the daylight killing on Thursday, August 25 of a Jamaican-Canadian, 41 year-old Delroy George Daring, as he stood surrounded by 20 neighbours and children on a Scarborough basketball court. This sparked a sudden flurry of political activity.
Read the ensuing for echoes of our local scene. The Saturday Star of August 27 said, 'there are two versions of Delroy George Daring, the father of 10 children with three women. The people who know him say that 'he was a good man, who pulled a troubled life together to organise 'No Drugs, No Violence' summer barbeques for low income kids. The group called themselves, the 'Out-Of-Pocket Club' because no one would help them raise money".
Meantime Toronto police detectives have a different take on the unemployed furniture mover who emigrated from Kingston 20 years ago. "I have reason to believe that the idea he was, say, a completely upstanding person, promoting non-violence, non-drugs and non-guns is not fair", said detective John Biggerstaff. Sounding familiar already? Well there is the rub.
The culture of the Jamaicans who migrated to Canada after 1980 is completely alien to the earlier immigrants and they do not harmonise or relate at all. These latter émigrés are more apt to depend on the state for dole and to reside in public housing schemes.
A Star newspaper reporter investigating the killing reports, "Yesterday, the building's stairways were littered with burnt newspapers and garbage.
They smelled of urine and, in the hallways, light fixtures dangled and carpets were stained with cigarette butts. Locks on the building's doors were broken and mice and roaches scurried about. Out front, young men milled about the entrance smoking, listening to music and watching passersby".
More shades of Jamaica? Read on. Some time ago, the Ontario government eliminated employment equity that sought to balance historical workforce injustice, cut welfare rates that provided a buffer against joblessness and cut social programmes that help the struggling.
The men at the building told the reporter that Daring was trying to make a difference- he organised barbeques (read dances) which began four years ago and which offered kids a day of bliss with 'bouncey-houses' for them to play, along with raffles, soccer and dance contests.
No need for anyone to pinch you. I am not talking about Jamaica here, but surely this is our donmanship exported- manipulating the real needs of the people whom the state has forsaken as a prerequisite of this new global economic "s(hit)stem" as Peter Tosh called it.
Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley's tune Welcome To Jamrock was all the rave while I was in Toronto. I heard the song playing frequently on car stereos, in restaurants and everyone was singing.
Amazingly it is mostly disillusioned white kids who are all caught up in the red, gold and green and other visible signs and habits of Rasta culture. To my dismay I have come home to find that there is controversy locally about the video images displayed. Don't worry Junior, you never created the social conditions that you rap about.
Those that are upset should set about ameliorating them immediately.
I wish to congratulate the team of artists, artisans and workers who must have created some kind of world record in constructing 10 major floats, four minor floats, 14 effigies and four costumed groups in five working days, two of which were almost totally lost to rain, to successfully stage the National Independence Day Float Parade this year.
Jamaicans from all walks of life came out in their numbers and showed their appreciation. Don't worry about the arm chair critics who are belittling our efforts- achievers are too busy doing what must be done, those who can't play, coach.
Larry Watson is a brilliant artist and gifted builder who lead the team with wisdom, humility, passion and non-ending energy and perseverance. His story and accomplishments are certainly deserving of public exposure and honour.
Get well soon Mama!
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