Jamaica Consulate Panama

Did you know that a new movie about Bob Marley is coming out in January 2024? “Bob Marley: One Love” is a biographical drama musical about the life of Bob Marley. It is produced by his son Ziggy, daughter Cedella, and widow Rita.

Jimmy Cliff’s 1969 hit “Many Rivers to Cross” is an iconic Jamaican reggae ballad. The record has since been covered by many musicians such as John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Cher, and UB40. Cliff was inspired to write the song about his struggles becoming a successful artist at the beginning of his career. It has since made the Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Did you know that Jamaica is the only Caribbean country to make it to the Top 10 of the World Athletics Championship medal tally? Jamaica came in fourth-place in the final medal standings that were recently concluded in Budapest. One standout star was Antonio Watson, who became the first Jamaican athlete since Bert Cameron in 1983 to claim gold in the men’s 400m competition.

Today we are celebrating the Jamaican football team making it through to the last 16 teams playing in the Women’s World Cup. On Wednesday, Jamaica beat Brazil in the qualifying matches. This is the first time that a Caribbean nation has headed to the Women’s World Cup knockout stage, and the first time the men’s-or-women’s Jamaican team has done so.

Did you know that reggae month is celebrated every year in February because the “king of reggae” Bob Marley and Dennis Brown were both born during it? Reggae Month was first celebrated in 2010.

Did you know that the meaning behind one of Bob Marley’s most famous songs, “Three Little Birds” is disputed? While some believe the birds are a metaphor relating to the growth of cannabis, many believe Marley was inspired by the canary birds that lived by his home. Marley’s lifelong friend believes this, saying he “got inspired by a lot of things around him, he observed life.”

Did you know that Jamaica is home to four major mountain ranges? The mountain ranges are called the Blue, John Crow, Don Figuero, and Cockpit Country. Tourists are advised to visit Jamaica’s beautiful mountains and enjoy their views as well as visit its beaches.

Did you know that Marcia Griffiths has the highest-selling single by a female reggae singer of all time? Griffiths was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She was a part of several reggae groups before releasing singles in the 1970s. Her most successful single, “Electric Boogie” reached number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and made the “Electric Slide” an international dance craze.

Did you know that it is believed the word reggae comes from the Jamaican slang term “rege-rege”? Rege-rege means ragged, because of the different music styles being combined. However some believe that the word actually comes from the Latin word regi, which translates to the king.

Tilmann Otto, or Gentleman, is a German reggae musician. Despite not having ties to Jamaica, he grew up listening to Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Dennis Brown. At 17 he began visiting Jamaica regularly and was inspired to create his own music. His reggae album, Confidence, was number one on the German album charts in 2004.

Did you know that Jamaica was originally named Xaymaca by its first inhabitants, the Tainos? This translates to “the land of wood and water”. They called it this because of Jamaica’s rich vegetation and impressive rivers and coasts. The island’s name was changed to Jamaica after it was captured by the British in 1655.

Gregory Isaacs was called the “most exquisite vocalist in reggae” by the New York Times. The Kingston artist’s music incorporates elements of different genres such as reggae, lovers rock, and roots reggae. During the late 1970s he was one of the biggest reggae performers, with hits such as Night Nurse, Mr Cop, My Only Lover, and Tune In. The artist released 73 studio albums and 500 remix albums before his death in 2010.