National Returned Citizens Association

The main Christian denominations of Jamaica reflect strong protestant tradition with deep-rooted African influence in active worship. Join St. Mary Chapter amateur dramatics group in their humorous depiction of preaching & worship. But, ‘mine yuh belly buss’. Enjoy the assembly, captivated by a passionate leader's interpretation of biblical stories that link experiences of ‘Hurricane Melissa’ with scripture, for a belly-full of laughs.

A folk song of daily life tells of ‘Elena’, a country girl who could not correctly identify cerasee - a bitter herb steeped to cleanse the body of harmful toxins. Her mother (har muma) sent Elena from the food-garden to boil cerasee to ease her stomach pains; but found Elena boiling poisonous vine instead.

See if you can read Verse 4, as printed in ‘A Paradise Island In The Sun’.

Gal a wha dis yuh boil fi yuh belly?
Gal a poison yuh boil fi yuh belly!
Fram you born come a worl’, yuh nuh know cerasee?
Gal yuh foolish! Yuh foolish! Yuh foolish!

Bask in the humour of a Jamaican giving directions. Laughter that derives from the fluidity of communication in giving directions that often draws on landmarks, such as the ‘Julie Mango’ tree. Not forgetting the patty rivalry between the two most popular brands and the quality debate that is a firm part of the Jamaica culture.

The poem of the “Banana Man" lifts the hard work of a small Jamaican farmer from the scorn of a tourist, to a place worthy of respect. With cultural pride the repeated announcement, "I will live and die a banana man”, confronts societal prejudice, celebrates the Jamaican landscape of Portland, and agricultural life.

The video uses the first line of the satirical
song entitled ‘One More Dance’, together with ‘Steeling Love’ to dramatise a triangle of love and human insincerity - Jamaican, “Mi nuh care” attitude.

A humorous, children's folk song, dramatised dialogue between Liza - needing water, and Henry with a leaky bucket. The song's recurring nature creates an endless deadlock situation, where each solution creates a new problem that blocks the solution to fetch a bucket of water.

“Mi puppa dead and gaan” is a Jamaican expression meaning, "My father is dead and gone". The story tells of the demise of a father leaving only a meager cow inheritance for the children.