Jamaican customs and culture!

According to Jamaican customs, etiquette and manners are taken quite seriously. Even though there is a great deal of variation when it comes to individual Jamaican's concern over proper etiquette, you can be sure that most of the Jamaican people will have a more positive first impression of you if you are very polite and respectful.

In Jamaica, manners, etiquette and speech are directly related to the level of upbringing, social class and economic status. Although you will find many who lack manners altogether, the majority of Jamaicans that you will encounter in the major tourist areas are very proper. They wouldn't dream of meeting each other or tourists without a proper greeting ("Good Morning, Good Evening. Using polite phases like "Please and Thank You" show genuine respect! Most educated Jamaicans strongly dissaprove of cussing. As is the case everywhere in the world, there will be other (most likely not as well educated) that could care less and will, in fact, speak quite colorfully and without concern for restraint!

Photgraphing people in Jamaica can be tricky! It is always best to ask before snapping a photo. Don't be suprised when Jamaicans see you with a camera if they ask for a picture (even though they may never see it). When you ask permission, you might be asked for monetary compensation, a copy of the photo or nothing at all!

More of what to expect from Jamaican people can be found througout this website. Thanks for visiting!

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