Colors of Montego Bay - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Reggae life. This is how the aborigines’ way of life can be described. A sedate and unhurried lifestyle, a friendly and hospitable attitude to people, unbelievable love of music and cheerfulness are the main character traits of the indigenous people. The local Rastafari have long become the main attraction not only at the resort, but also in Jamaica in general. You can see smiling people with dreadlocks and in colorful dresses literally everywhere.

Today, this religious movement founded several decades ago has many adherents in other countries of the world. The unusual interpretation of the Bible and the independent outlook on life have made the Rastafari a popular and widespread culture followed by representatives of different races and ideologies.

As mentioned above, one of the main Rastafari features is hairstyle. Waxed hair strands or dreadlocks are an important symbol of the culture, just like colorful yellow, red and green hats. Other features of the Rastafari culture are their addiction to marijuana. Smoking is considered as one of the most important rituals. All adherents of this unusual culture like playing and listening to reggae music. Travelers always aim to see local musicians’ performances. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Rastafari also don’t welcome meat consumption. Most of them are vegetarians. Modern travelers consider the Rastafari culture not as a religion but as a special subculture with an unusual outlook on reality. The most popular gifts are colorful knitted caps, various accessories, clothes with hemp painted on them, and CDs.

The Rastafari have a peculiar attitude to Europeans and call them “pink” because of their skin color. If you hear this statement, don’t surprise or resent, as these words don’t imply something negative. The Rastafari call those who don’t follow their ideology “the others” but still respect them. Without exception, all the locals are honored to initiate foreign travelers into the Rastafari culture and tell them about the most interesting traditions.

It is not surprising that the festival dedicated to reggae, the Sumfestm is held at the famous resort of Jamaica. It takes place in mid-July. At this time of the year, hundreds of reggae, ska, dancehall, or dub fans come to Montego Bay to enjoy music and tranquil life. If you just hear the names of fest headliners, you will be sure that the music event is worth being visited. Some of them are such Jamaica and foreign reggae stars, as Damian Marley, Tony Rebel, and Mighty Diamonds, and such R’n’B stars, as 50 Cent, Sean Paul, Rihanna, and Kanye West. The open-air beach party is held in the territory of the Aqua Sol Theme Park and other events - in the Catherine Hall.

The Pineapple Cup, a wonderful sailing regatta held in early February, attracts as many fans of spectacular festivals as the Sumfest - reggae lovers. The regatta begins in Miami and ends at the Montego Bay Cruise Port. The total length of its distance is 800 km. Without exaggeration, this race is the biggest in the Caribbean Region. Besides the regatta, tourists can take themed tours, see wonderful sailing yachts, and take a boat trip. Then, the winners of the regatta are rewarded at the spectacular ceremony. During the race, world records in sailing are broken.

Not only reggae is popular in Montego Bay. One of the festivals is dedicated to jazz, the father of all modern music genres, including reggae. The Montego Bay Jazz Festival is held in late November and attracts hundreds of thousands of lovers of jazz and its subgenres. The headliners of the fest are always famous musicians but new names also appear. The fest was visited by Chaka Khan, Lionel Richie, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and Julio Iglesias. Another interesting music event is One Love Music Festival that is annually held in early March. It is mostly visited by reggae musicians from all over the world.

Another outstanding event is Miss Jamaica. In September, when the most beautiful girl in the country is chosen, the indigenous people focus exactly on this contest. The end of October is marked by Octoberfest. Just like Germans, the locals love beer, so a lot of themed parties where you can taste special beers are held in restaurants, pubs, and cafes. Every year, the end of November is marked by golf tournaments. They take place in the most popular golf clubs of the resort: White Witch Golf Course and Cinnamon Hill Golf Course.