My Jamaica Your Jamaica

THE WEEKLY GLEANER | DECEMBER 10 - DEC EMBER 16, 2020 | www.ja ma ica-gleaner.com | I Claudia Gardner/ Gleaner Writer O NE OF the most histori- cally rich, but off-the-beat- en-path communities in Westmoreland, is SeafordTown, com- monly called‘GermanTown’, because of the strong presence of German descendants there. Located approximately 25 miles away from the tourism capital, Montego Bay, Seaford Town was es- tablished by disbanded soldiers who came to Jamaica as indentured work- ers, after their period of conscription to the German armies ended, historical records show. Their arrival also coincided with the aftermath of the Sam Sharpe Rebellion, in 1831, during which many of the sugar estates within western Jamaica were decimated. With a labour-shortage looming, many colonial masters were also look- ing outside of the Caribbean for work- ers, and even considered importing people from Germany to settle, as a means of solving what they considered a grave problem. Thus the genesis of the mountainous community of Seaford Town. And so, these ex-soldiers became a part of the approximately 1,000 Germans who set sail to Jamaica, not just for work, but with the promise of being outfitted with house and land and the other niceties of life. Landowner Lord Seaford, after whom the community was named, and who also held properties in Montpelier Estate and Shettlewood Pen in neigh- bouring St James, donated 500 acres of land towards the settlement of the im- migrants, at the urging of two German brothers who had previously settled in St Ann. However, when the German ex-soldiers arrived at Reading Wharf in Montego Bay, not only did they have to hack their way through thick woodlands to get to SeafordTown, but, unfortunately for them, they never benefited from the wealth they were anticipating. Today, Seaford Town remains a predominantly farming community,\ and is considered one of the best Seaford Town The Seaford Town community sign. FILE A view of the Seaford Town Catholic Church and the cemetery. FILE Charese England with her daughter Samantha. Both are of German ancestry. CONTRIBUTED Some of the students of the Seaford Town Basic School with their teachers Janice Graham (at left) and Dian Williams. CONTRIBUTED pineapple farming areas in Jamaica. It is also home to a special type of pepper called ‘DashWeh Yuh Pot’, said to be so hot that, if not used with dis- cretion, could turn your meal into a total disaster, meaning it would have to be dumped because the fire that would scorch the eater’s mouth. The German culture, though, was lost overtime as the immigrants and their descendants assimilated to that of Jamaica. The speaking of the German language yielded to Patois and English, with only a handful of German words remaining. There are, however, numerous German artefacts which were preserved in the museum in the community. The key reminder, though, of the German immigrants’ presence lies in their descendants who still reside in the community, some of whom appear to be full Euro-Jamaicans, as well as many lighter-skinned or bi-racial resi- dents, resulting from inter-racial unions over the years. Architecturally rich, Seaford Town boasts several beautifully preserved buildings which have retained vary- ing aspects of German architecture. In terms of religion, while a Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been built there, the Catholic faith is the predominant faith. Seaford Town has been very popular with German visitors to Jamaica, and has been a‘must-visit’for all the respec- tive German ambassadors to Jamaica. n the past, it was a staple place on the itineraries of many tour bus operators, particularly those operating out of the Negril resort area. The community of Seaford Town is a beautiful and blissful place, with friendly, awesome people. A day trip to the community would be well worth your while. The German culture, though, was lost overtime as the immigrants and their descendants assimilated to that of Jamaica. – Off the beaten track OUR JAMAIC A, MY JAMAICA 24 THE WEEKLY GLEANER | DEC MBE 10 - JANUARY 9, 2020 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | MY JAMAICA, YOUR MAI A THE WEEKLY GLEANER | DEC MBER 10, 2020 - JANUARY 9, 2 21 | ww.j m ica-gleaner.c om | MY J M I A, YOUR J MAICA