THE EDITOR, Sir:
JAMAICA IS indeed a highly celebrated country and as we say "likkle but tallawah".Just to follow up on the letter 'Cool Runnings' still hot! published on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 by Necola Brown from Australia, I would like to add that we sometimes make ourselves believe all is lost.
I have been residing in Japan for the past three years and there is not a week that I am not amazed at the impact we have had on this nation.
I work as a teacher of English Language in Junior high schools here. Surprisingly, even though the students might not understand English nor where to locate Jamaica on a map, they all have been exposed to the said film, "Cool Runnings". In addition, Jamaica's "Reggae Boyz" are still a popular point of conversation.
I must admit to my shame, that I have been exposed to many old reggae, ska and even mento classics by the Japanese media and friends. I bet most of us did not even know that songs such as "Hill an' Gully Ride" and "Go Dung A 'Manuel Road" have been recorded on compact discs? I have only come to such knowledge since being here.
There are many positive sides to our island home and we are stronger than we think.
I am, etc.,
AUDLEY GREEN
paunacia@hotmail.com
Kochi City, Japan
