Likkle Tallawah Paradise

“We likkle but we tallawah.”

This has been a phrase I heard for as long as I can remember amongst my family. Four-year-old Chantia simply adored the sound of the phrase and even though at the time I did not have a clue what tallawah meant, I knew for sure I fit the category of “likkle.” I would go around telling everyone I was “likkle but tallawah,” flaunting it because the phrase had such a ring to it. My parents found amusement in it, and my friends would look at me in confusion about what I was even saying, but I knew inside of me there was power to that phrase.

After a while of constantly saying this phrase without knowing the meaning wholistically, my parents decided to explain it to me. “We likkle but we tallawah” is a Jamaican proverb used to describe Jamaica and its people. While Jamaica is a small island, it runs deep in culture, beauty, history, riches, and so much more. Jamaicans are strong, mighty people who can do and conquer anything. Once they explained this to me, I fell in love with the phrase even more. All along, while I kept chanting this proverb, it was an affirmation without me knowing. From then on, it was my favorite thing to say and it brought me so much excitement to answer the many questions of “what does that even mean.” It always followed with a tangent of how amazing Jamaica is which makes me inherently amazing. Then, of course, I get the “you Jamaicans are so conceited” but I take it as a compliment because with a land so amazing how could we not be?

Jamaica is a land of endless diversity, so culturally rich. Let’s take the music for starters, Jamaica gave birth to two beautiful genres known as Reggae and Dancehall. Reggae is a smooth rhythm you can just rock and bounce to while feeling good vibrations. I look up to a lot of Reggae artists as their music and lyrics carry so much power and life lessons. Chronixx and the legendary Bob Marley are two of my favorites, especially with my dad being Rastafarian because every song they have released carries a deeper message of embracing the skin we are in, emancipating ourselves from mental slavery, and spreading love and kindness. Listening to their music helps me take on every day with a positive mind and soul. Dancehall now, is a more upbeat style of music to dance to and free up yourself while a DJ drops their lyric over the sound. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm into Dancehall like books in a library. I love everything about it. I fell in love with “Dancehall Queen” and “It’s a Dancehall Ting,” two fabulous and classic movies, from a young age. Then, watching Caribbean International New’s music choice videos every weekend with my family introduced me to some icons of Dancehall music. From the moment I first saw Elephant Man “give dem a run” and gully creep then Ding Dong bad man forward, bad man pull up, I made it my mission to become a Ravers, whether officially or unofficially. The feeling of just moving your body to the beat and releasing your problems to the music is so refreshing; the vibe of going out to a Jamaican party and joining strangers in choreography as if it was practiced is unmatched; the undeniable happiness Dancehall music brings people is a beauty to see. Aside from the dance and top-tier sounds, another reason behind my love for Dancehall is my favorite artist, Vybz Kartel. Kartel is my fave, not just because of his intelligence or how lyrically inclined he is but because of the way he demonstrates unity and uplifts others, especially in the music, a business which can be so competitive. He built an empire, not just for himself but for other talented individuals and younger artists to climb the mountain of success with him, helping to give popular artists like Popcaan, Spice, Shenseea, and the list goes on their big break. Truly a star. I share the same viewpoint when it come to success and moving up the ladder. It feels a lot better to know I can take others with me to the top. In everything I do, I think about ways I can help Black people, Jamaican people, and anyone who shares my markers of identity elevate and better themselves along my journey.

Food is another factor of Jamaica’s rich and diverse culture. Simply talking about fruits, when it comes to mangos alone, you can find up to 20 different kinds of mangos in Jamaica (Julie and East Indian are the best in case you were wondering) and that’s ONE fruit. Now zoom out of that microscopic view and you will find that Jamaica’s soil is rich with delicious fruits and vegetables from ackee to apples (and I’m talking Jamaican apples) to June plums, soursops, guineps, jelly, jackfruit, and an abundance more. Step away from the fruits and into some seasoning and Jamaica is full of delectable spices as well. I don’t know who the first person was to say “I wonder how this chicken would taste if I jerked it” but thank God for them. Jamaican jerk and curry are both a blast of undeniable flavor in their own way and the versatility of foods that can be jerked or curried is astonishing. You can have jerk chicken, curry chicken, jerk lobster, curry lobster, jerk salmon, curry cauliflower, you name it. I also love that curry is a seasoning sacred to many Caribbean islands outside of just Jamaica and Indian cultures as it often becomes a point of unity between us through that commonality. To add to Jamaica’s broad palette when it comes to cuisine, there is even diversity in where you can go in Jamaica to enjoy different delicacies. You can get well-seasoned jerk chicken in Yallas, St. Thomas, fresh seafood from Boston, Portland, sweet ice cream from Devon House in Kingston, or even a savory curry goat patty from their bakery, and you can’t forget about Jamaican (clear distinction from American) KFC by Norman Manley, and the list is endless. My love and passion for Jamaican food pushed me to start a food business with my mom called “BellyFull Bites” to share the mouth-water taste of our culture, especially since everyone that has tried my mother’s food raves about it. I took my passion for food and my mother’s passion for cooking and made it into not just a business, but a way to spread the goodness of our culture. My love for Jamaican food runs so deep that my friends even call me Scotch Bonnet because I can’t eat my food if the spice isn’t right. I have an obsession with pepper that was birthed from my mom’s constant use of Jamaican spices. Even my co-workers know that I travel everywhere with my Grace Kennedy Hot Pepper Sauce. But just like I love the phrase “likkle and tallawah,” I grew to love my nickname, Scotch Bonnet, and I grew to find joy in everyone’s amazement that I do, in fact, always have hot sauce in my bag. Beyoncé never lied.

I can’t talk about the music, dances, and food, and not spend some time on what truly makes Jamaican a stellar, diverse, rich, likkle but tallawah land—the people! Jamaicans are full of liveliness, pure talent, and good vibes. We have comedians like Oliver Samuels, Jnel, Deno Crazy, and Prince Pine who can make you laugh until you bawl. Our track team is untouchable thanks to stars like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann, and Elaine Thompson. When it comes to fashion? Oh please don’t play with Jamaicans. I’ve seen my family members go from, as my mother would say, “degeh degeh” clothing and yard clothes and do a 360 into a whole new Bad Gal RiRi like no one’s business and even put a banging outfit together in literal seconds. Not to mention, we have talented designers like Edvin Thompson, Cedella Marley, and the late great Ivy Ralph making big moves in the fashion industry globally. Our dancers? Immaculate. Style upon style upon style, so groovy and creative with every new move that comes about, and with the flexibility of these Dancehall Queens, it’s a wonder as to why we have no gymnastic team in the Olympics. Jamaicans surpass any category we enter into. Knowing, the success and aptitude of my people constantly reminds me to never think of myself as small. Anything I put my head to, I know I will achieve because failure is nowhere in my blood or culture. I use my people as motivation as many of the names I mention are the names of people who made a whole lot out of nothing. If they can do it, I’d be silly to second-guess myself.

Jamaica may be likkle in size, at just 4,411 square miles but as the saying says, it is extremely tallawah. Jamaica has an impact like no other. The music, food, people, and everything I brought up transcends beyond the Caribbean Sea, influencing the world. Reggae gave birth to Reggaeton, Dancehall gave birth to TriniBad, and both Reggae and Dancehall influenced Hip-Hop and Rap. Jamaican food can be found and is in high demand globally from the United States to the United Kingdom and all around. Our dance moves are taking over platforms like TikTok and Instagram, with endless reels and videos of people stirfrying and riffle-walking. Our fashion and style influence the fashion scene tremendously, which we can see with designers such as Brandon Blackwood, whose sales have been on fire with his gorgeous bags. And when it comes to Jamaican people, we can be found anywhere in the world without the need to fit in because we know the power of standing out. I don’t know where I would be without my Jamaican heritage or even who I would be but I’m glad that is not something I have to worry about. Jamaica and I are tallawah from now till forever.