Jamaicans are the most diverse people you will meet anywhere in the world. For those who venture abroad, the question ‘what race are Jamaicans?’ comes up too often. More often the question is specifically, ‘are Jamaicans black?’. The question is sometimes ‘are Jamaicans Latino?’ Probably because of the location of the country in the Caribbean Sea.
We are indeed a diverse country. But what of our racial make up? Looking at the statistics further down will give a better idea of our ancestry.
The original inhabitants of Jamaica were Arawaks, also called Tainos. They came from South America over 2500 years ago and made Jamaica their home. The natives of Costa Rica were also Tainos. How cool is that? Since that time, the country has been home to the British, Chinese, East Asians, Irish, South Asians, Germans, and the Spanish, just a name a few. With those inhabitants came their culture, ethnicity, and way of life.
Races in Jamaica
You will find in Jamaica;
- People of African descent represents 76.3% of the population (black people)
- People of Afro-European descent by 15.1%
- 3.4% East Indian and Afro-East Indian people
- 3.2% Caucasian people
- 1.2% Chinese
- 0.8% of other ethnicities.
After checking out those statistics, it is fair to say Jamaican’s can’t be labeled by any specific complexion or race. We are however predominantly of black ancestry. Therefore, 9 out of ten Jamaicans are black.
Out of Many, One People
Let me add that Jamaican is not an ethnicity. There is no Jamaican ethnicity, ‘Jamaican’ is our nationality. One thing is for sure anywhere you meet a Jamaican, whether Chinese Jamaican, Caucasian, or East Indians, you will know them by their ‘sassiness’ and dance moves.
If you are lucky, a Jamaican could invite you over for dinner. Our rich ancestry has helped developed our amazing cuisine. The jerked chicken from our African ancestors, our curried goat from the Indian heritage, and our love for rice could be Chinese!
We are a glorious mix of many cultures, and yes, most of us are definitely black!