Members of the UK Representative Office were treated to the pulsating beat of Reggae Music and the taste of Jamaica cuisine, including sweet potato pudding, in celebration of Reggae Month in February.
Petrian Menzies, marketing, sales and promotions officer, said that each Friday, which was dubbed “Reggae Fridays,” members were treated with the best of Jamaican music and food.
“Our members were nostalgic and appreciative of these treats, which brings back positive memories of when they were in their homeland,” she said.
Mrs Menzies noted that the Representative Office is an ambassador for Jamaica; and uses every opportunity to promote things Jamaica; noting that Reggae Music is loved worldwide.
Last year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation added Reggae Music to its list of cultural treasures worthy of protection and preservation.
The genre joins a list of more than 300 cultural traditions, including numerous musical ones, such as: Dominican Merengue, Slovakian Bagpipe music and Vietnamese Xoan singing.
UNESCO said of reggae, “Its contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity underscores the dynamics of the element, as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual and spiritual. The basic social functions of the music, as a vehicle for social commentary, a cathartic practice, and a means of praising God, have not changed; and the music continues to act as a voice for all.”
