Running head: THE LEGACY OF THE SPANISH TO THE JAMAICAN CULTURE

THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE CARIBBEAN

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Introduction to Spanish SPA 101

Submitted by
MIGUEL WILSON
I.D.: 20151031
September 14, 2015
LECTURER: MS. SHERRELL WILSON

Research the legacy of the Spanish to the Jamaican Culture

History
Like many Caribbean Islands, Jamaica has a long history of colonization and
slavery. The island was first colonized by the Spanish in the late 1400s then captured by the
British in the mid-1600s and was a British colony since then. Christopher Columbus
initial intention was to get to the East Indies by traveling west and thereby proving his
theory that the world was circular, he however landed in the Caribbean. The discovery of
the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean served as a form of encouragement for Columbus
to explore and find more islands. He then discovered the island of Cuba and it was there
on that island that he learnt from the indigenous people of an island just south of them that
was filled with gold and called 'Xamayca' now known as Jamaica. Jamaica was inhabited
by Arawak Indians when Columbus explored it in 1494 and named it St. Jago. It remained
under Spanish rule until 1655, when it became a British possession.
Legacy
In 1509 Juan de Esquivel founded the first permanent European settlement, the town
of Sevilla la Nueva (New Seville), on the north coast. In 1534 the capital was moved to
Villa de la Vega (later Santiago de la Vega), now called Spanish Town. As Jamaicas capital
city from 1534 to 1872, Spanish Town was the focal point of the islands social, economic
and political life. During this time, the town witnessed the evolution of modern Jamaica. It
welcomed the Spanish when they fled Sevilla La Nueva and observed as they developed its
land. It watched the English invasion and subsequent occupation of the island, and later,
listened while the governor read the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves, in its
Plaza Mayora. In its prime, Spanish Town was a magnificent and impressive metropolis

with stately red brick homes and grand monuments. Today, it is Jamaicas third largest
urban center with a population of approximately 87,000 people.

Places with names derived from the Spanish:

Auracabeza Aura, air or breeze. Cabeza, head or high land. (This is now
Oracabessa in St. Mary); Los Angelos The Angels. (Angels in St. Catherine was
the first terminus of the railway.); Rio Cobre Copper River or Cobra Port, Snake
River. (still known as Rio Cobre); Diablo Monte Devils Mount. Now called
Mount Diablo; Lacovia Quasi Lago-Via, or the way by the lake? (A village in St.
Elizabeth.); Liguanea Lia-white-guana, the name of an animal, probably one
frequent in that part of the island. (That part of Lower St. Andrew, bordered by the
Long Mountain, St. Andrew Mountains and the Red Hills.); Moneque, or Monesca
Savannah Savannah of monkeys. (Now confined to the village of Moneague. This
word is Arawak but was perhaps brought by the Spaniards from Cuba where
manique still means thicket; Ocho Rios Oor Tehi Rios, said to mean eight
rivers. (In St. Ann, it was more commonly called Chareira) As late as 1841 William
Rob wrote "Ocho Rios, called to this day by the old inhabitants Cheireras its early
and appropriate name the Bay of Waterfalls, but has now gone back to Ocho
Rios"; Yalos Frosts (whence, perhaps corruptly, Yallahs) the high white cliffs
having the appearance of a frosty covering. (Now called Yallahs.); Luidas Perhaps
from Luzida; gay, fine or from Lluvias rains? (Lluidas Vale is in St. Catherine.);
Martha Brea Martha- a womans name; Brea, tar; perhaps a nickname of some
Spanish sailors Dulcinea like the English vulgar appellation of Jack Tar. (Martha

Brea Village and river are in Trelawny.); Bog Walk is supposed to be the Spanish
Boca de Agua, for which there is no early authority; the old English name was
Sixteen Mile Walk and the Walk of Bog Walk must have been suggested by the
older Spanish name which may have been bogua and the same name as Bogue.
Porus is probably called after some well sunk there, or from the porus nature of
the soul "pitted with holes". El Caovana Black River, meaning the Mahogany
River.

Food with Spanish Influence

The Spanish were responsible for importing many of the plants for which Jamaica is
now known, such as sugar cane, lemons, limes, and coconuts trees and fruits such as
the Seville and Valencia oranges, lime, lemon, tamarind, ginger, pomegranate, date
palm, plantain, coconuts, grapes, figs, sugar and bananas. Our famous escoveitched
fish and bammies are from a combination of two cultures, escoveitched fish from
the Spaniards and bammy from the Tainos. The Spaniards also left with us hot
country style chocolate made from roasted ground, spiced cocoa beans, gizzadas
and the soaking of fruits in wine for Christmas pudding. They also imported pigs,
cattle, and goats. The Spanish turned to trading slaves from Africa's West Coast for
labor. The slaves brought with them ackee (a tropical tree with edible fruit, now the

national fruit of Jamaica), okra, peanuts, and a variety of peas and beans, all
considered staples in the modern-day Jamaica.