beyond the image of paradise
JAMAICA UNCUT
About Jamaica Uncut
For decades Jamaica has been internationally associated with tropical “paradise”, a moniker inherited from the country’s colonial past. Colonial ideology has long shaped the country’s identity and has subsequently been a tool utilized by the country’s tourism industry to attract its predominantly western visitors. However, the lack of representation of the island’s omnipresent creole culture in tourism campaigns and media has begged the question, “What is life like for the residents of paradise?”.
Jamaica Uncut thus challenges the postcolonial mindset and stereotypes that limits Jamaica’s pursuit of a cohesive national and global identity; ultimately unmasking the nuanced realities of its people.
FEATURED CONTENT
Inna Di Videolight
(Video Series)
“Inna Di Videolight” is a video series that introduces Jamaicans from differing backgrounds within the Jamaican cultural and creative industries.
Each video offers a snapshot into the individual’s craft but also highlights and reveals their perspectives on broader topics relevant to the Jamaican culture through the lens of music and the arts.
Ole Time Sinting
(Mini Docu Series)
“The “real” Jamaica would not be contained, reduced or narrated for the benefit and pleasure of outsiders” but instead would focus on “exposing Jamaicans themselves to different facets of Jamaican life.”
– Moji Anderson & Erin MacLeod
‘Ole Time Sinting’, a colloquial way of saying “old time something” in Jamaica’s dialect, patois, aims to unearth memories of both old and young Jamaicans alike. This experiment takes the form of a mini documentary series and intends to reveal frequently overlooked memories of Jamaican childhood; memories that may not have been highlighted as being a part of the shared Jamaican experience in modern media.
Mawnin' Radio
(Audiovisual)
An often overlooked ritual in Jamaican culture is listening to morning-time radio. Each morning it’s customary to hear radios blaring from households and vehicles as each person gets a kick-start to their day. Adults and children alike consume these radio programs which ultimately help to form the Jamaican narrative.
Pon Di Rise
(Interview Series)
Music in Jamaica is as important as breath is to life. It represents a large part of the Jamaican identity, lending a voice to its people. In the ‘Pon Di Rise Interview Series’, we interview new upcoming artistes within the Jamaican music industry.
