IslandGoSeek: Being Jamaican

Now it should be obvious how invested I personally am in showcasing Jamaica and its cultural gifts to the globe. With BACKAYARD, as a vehicle, it has been automatically geared towards a particular side of the Jamaican life that we are world renowned for, ie, the music, the events and of course the marijuana. However, there are many other things about Jamaican life that I find myself wanting visitors to the island to experience. A bit off the beaten path as historically Jamaica was on the forefront revolutionizing tourism when in the 1970s, the Issa family was inspired by the strength of all-inclusive cruises and Club Med Villages even in difficult economic times.

The family’s patriarch John Issa established Negril Beach Village with one ultimate goal: no hidden costs. Perfect for some of the larger Anglophone countries the Jamaican staff spoke English, activities were more flexible, dress codes were less formal, and mealtimes were longer. The resort had a piano bar that opened at 11:00 p.m. and stayed open until the final guest left for the night. Activities included free horseback riding, sailing, cycling, and evening entertainment. While at first these resorts were for singles only, couples and then families eventually followed, and so began the modern all-inclusive as we know it today. This led to a clear boom for tourism in Jamaica in the subsequent decades that unfortunately also isolated many tourists from what makes Jamaica more than just another place with sun, sand and sea – the people. Now there might be an argument that this “sanitization” was done in effort to protect their investments by sequestering guests to island from its most undesirable elements however hotel chains, who by and large are owned by multinational conglomerates, by keeping tourists away from the populace could be seen as defeating the main goals of any country to welcome people to their shores – the chance to earn, and utilize, foreign exchange. But what I feel needs to be done more of is to highlight and promote community tourism. Give both guests and residents a chance to learn about each other’s culture and increase the opportunity to create long lasting bonds between the groups. I wasn’t always of this mind however, as when I was asked by the, then, proprietors of Hotel Mockingbird Hill to conceptualize an experience for their guests that flew into Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston and would then have to wait for a few hours to drive to the neighbouring parish of Portland.

Fortunately, I decided to gather my contacts and create “Pressing Tunes” which became “Making Jamaica Music” and now “Kingston Guided”. Every step of the way we have had guests – both overseas and local – enjoying their collective time learning and engaging with residents and the environment they inhabit. In the past few years, it has become commonplace to engage with others who have tried their hand at showcasing the best of Jamaica’s culture and natural beauty. One such person is Teika Samuda, consultant at Being Jamaican. Being Jamaican is a tour company that specializes in promoting and sharing organic experiences. Their curated packages are full service and can include transportation, accommodations and special excursions. But why try to get into an industry that most from the outside would see as over saturated? And where has this budding company been to on the island and where does it plan to go? Please read on to find out just what Being Jamaican is all about.

How did the idea for running a tour company come to you?

The process was a very organic one and that, I believe, is what makes it so special. A friend reached out asking for recommendations of where she could take someone visiting from abroad. Normally I would make a recommendation and leave it there, but this time I opted to develop a full presentation and offer to take them too. She loved the proposal. We explored the art covered walls of Fleet Street, dined on delicious seafood at Hellshire beach, traveled to the north eastern part of the island to explore Monkey island, swim at San San beach and dive into the Blue lagoon. That was the first Being Jamaican experience in 2018 and it has been a beautiful journey since! Images from that very first tour can still be found on our Instagram page today @Being Jamaican .

How hectic was organizing your first tour?

Exhilarating, fun and satisfying are words I’d choose to describe the process of curating Being Jamaican’s first tour. I am a traveler and explorer at heart and would often take weekends and holidays to find and enjoy new attractions and destinations. I had developed an arsenal of top picks and had relationships with the persons in the communities. I pulled on these existing resources, while taking into consideration my friend, turned client’s interests, selecting what I believed would be best fit.

What was the most memorable location you have been to?

It’s an eco-attraction nestled in the hills of the John Crow mountain range. It is known for its majestic, cascading waterfall that descends into a refreshing fresh water pool. I particularly enjoy walking upstream, following the course of the river to an area called the rabbit hole. It is called Reach falls!

Where would you like to take a tour group that you haven’t been to as of yet?

There are so many beautiful hidden gems in the parish of Westmoreland. Sweet river is one I’d like to take a group to enjoy.