Title: Encyclopedia of Jamaican heritage
Author: Olive Senior
Reviewer: Billy Hall
DR. OLIVE Senior is an accomplished writer. She is internationally acclaimed for her fiction writing (short stories and poems) and in non-fiction as well, for she is the author of A-Z Of Jamaica Heritage (1983), which prepared her well for this advanced production, Encyclopedia of Jamaica Heritage.
In prefatory comments she underscores the point that this book is not The Encyclopedia of Jamaica, which she says is "far beyond my scope and ambition." She further clarifies that this work is "not a national biography". Yet, while those points are conceded, this book comes the closest to filling those gaps in the literary history of Jamaica.
So, what kind of book is it? It is exactly what the title says: Encyclopedia of Jamaican Heritage. But what is meant by "Heritage"? Her introduction is focused on responding to that question. She identifies as crucial elements of "heritage" consideration of place, creative activity, history, and rituals and traditions. And she adds for spice, "My own view of our national heritage is holistic". She then proceeds in fine style to explain how extensive is her embrace of
cultural elements.
In that explanation she makes specific mention of geographic and geological developments, environmental features, plants and animals and buildings and sites, heroes, rituals and celebrations, racial and ethnic origins and mix.
Yet, she made no mention, in her extended explanation of heritage concerning religion as a distinct category of heritage.
In the production of such a monumental work some things will get overlooked or some persons will have particular interests they consider ought to have been included, or, if included, ought to have been more extensively treated. One subject that seems lacking in adequate research and treatment in this work is religion.
RELIGION AND HERITAGE
In my understanding of heritage, religion is fundamental.
Noticeably, in scanning the list of specialist persons consulted, there seems to have been no particular concern to get the religious perspective in a work dedicated to an understanding of heritage from a "pluralist perspective".
Of course, this is not to say that religion is ignored.
Religion is given some attention, but one dominates, and that is Rastafari, despite the fact that it is of very recent vintage, especially when Jamaica's long heritage of cultural evolution is considered. Perhaps one reason that Rastafari gets the 'lion's share' of attention is that it is as well a counter-cultural sociological movement, and so interests is spread across cultural dimensions, including particularly music.
Also, the author makes the common error, when religion is discussed in Jamaica, of referring to a denomination of Christianity as a religion. For example, reference is made to the Seventh-Day Adventist church as, "one of the most popular and fastest-growing religions in Jamaica" (p. 440). Also, in the index, under the heading of 'Religious Denomina-tions', is placed the United Congregation of Israelites, a synagogue not a church and so refers correctly to Judaism, a distinct religion, as Christianity and Hinduism.
PHOTOS
Turning to photographs, the book does an excellent job in regard to the arts, but in sports there is justifiable disappointment in not having a photo of Alfred Valentine. In the case of Courtney Walsh, a photo of him bowling rather than batting would have been more appropriate. In boxing, the inclusion of a photograph of Gerald Gray, Jamaica's first welterweight to gain a top 10 world ranking, would have been appropriate.
But perhaps those kinds of errors are like flies in the large jar of refreshing scholarly ointment that is served in this book. In the pioneering of a field, with limited works for reference, and photos available, the task is more difficult than usual. Therefore, when one considers the 'degree of difficulty' faced, the author must be given high marks for research and production.
Many, many facets and aspects of Jamaican life are included, and in all of them, readers are educated. The research shows breadth and depth, and to the credit of the author, many experts on different aspects of Jamaican life were consulted. Yet, her impressively clear and informative writing style is evident.
Some of the entries read like essays beautiful essays.
They are well structured, factual, historical, colloquial, informative, educational, and reflect indeed, a deep knowledge of Jamaican folklore, mores, customs, and culture.
This is not the kind of book to be read-through at one or two sittings, or even several sittings. It is not for reading-through, but certainly for dipping-into, for it is more like a treasure store that is visited, no matter how often, for each time is beneficial. Everytime we 'visit' new things will emerge, for our enjoyment and for our education.
Jamaicans, everywhere, of every social stratum, will find this a treasure of cultural information.
Publisher: Twin Guinep Publishers, St. Andrew, Jamaica 2003
