Purpose

My purpose for being here in Jamaica was to connect with Yallahs High School and to learn about them and to work and create a documentary. When I first came to Yallahs High School I was very nervous and I was afraid that the people wouldn’t like me. But when I met the kids from Yallahs we had got along well and I made about five new friends that day. My three closes friends from Yallahs are Delton, Anthony, Sheldon; I feel that the four of us are really cool.

The most interesting trips to me were the Bob Marley Museum, Reich Falls Waterfall, and last but not least, the Edna Manley College of Performing Arts.

 I felt that the Bob Marley Museum taught me a lot about Bob Marley that I didn’t know. For an example, I didn’t knew that Bob Marley was a Rasta man, that he had 12 children (on record), and he had a goal which was to get his message through to everyone in the world. His goal was to have everyone stop fighting, as well as, stop the war and, last but not least, stop racism.

Another importing trip was when we went to the Reich Falls Waterfall with the Yallahs students. I felt that I was very lucky and blessed to be at a place like that. Being at the Reich Falls Waterfall, I felt like that was the most specular moment in my life.

 When Sankofa and Yallahs took a trip the Edna Manley College of Performing Arts, I felt that after seeing all of those college students’ art work, I should start putting more effort and dedication into my art work and I should start showing my community, as well as the world, my works of art.

The major impact of working with Yallahs High School to do our documentary was that I found out that when you start to work with new people from a whole different side of the world you come to find that you and the person you are next to or even working with is not so different. You even find out that you both have the same style or even the same dances, same rhythm and the same beat to listen to. I feel that this trip to Jamaica has made me a stronger and wiser man.  In addition, this trip makes me feel blessed about what I have back at home in Philadelphia. I will never forget about Jamaica; Jamaica is a part of me now and hopefully one day I will return here to Kingston, Jamaica, especially St. Thomas.

Good night Jamaica, sweet dreams.

By Tavine Lasswell