The Spirit of a Nation

Did you guys miss me? Please allow me to explain:

I was home recently… just in time for the IAAF track meet in Moscow. Can I tell you that everyone’s TV everywhere was locked on the event? I went to the local bank to handle some business; I noticed a massive crowd and rolled my eyes in anticipation for the long wait. Turns out the patrons AND the tellers were watching the event. Luckily for me, I was able to sneak in front of all those people to one of the tellers and was in and out in less than ten minutes.

Come on… I’m sure you would have done the same thing.

On the day Jamaica fought for the silver in the men’s 4x400m event in Moscow, I was in the supermarket. Again, this was the exact moment the event was being executed. Unfortunately, everyone was so transfixed on the event that I couldn’t get to squeeze past anyone to get to the front. Even the store managers were busy beating the life out of the counter top… as if sending their cheers through the television screen to the athletes. The anchor pushed from 5^th place at the 100m line to 2^nd place and held his position to the very end. As a result, counter tops, plastic bags, grocery carts and any object that can be pounded or pushed made a rhythmical TAP TAP TAP in celebration of the men’s heroic feat. Ok, I’ll admit… I was kinda celebrating too, but it was pretty generic compared to the screams and shouts from the crowd in the store.

Our spirit… our tradition of celebrating every little thing is one thing the world knows about us! Bronze? No problem, we ago celebrate same way! Silver? No worries, man. We gonna rejoice and make ourselves heard. Gold? Well… this is where everybody can identify us as Jamaicans: We ago lick the pot-covers together like cymbals, scream, block traffic and end up hoarse the next day! We have a spirit of rejoicing! I heard a patron in the supermarket comment that this is the only time that everything stops in Jamaica and I proved her to be correct. Our spirit overflowed into our athletes and we celebrate them with every fibre of our DNA. Well done team Jamaica! You have made us proud!!

 Likkle but we Tallawah! Jamaica: To di Worl'!!!

 

Jodi-Ann is an Environmental Studies major in Nova Scotia, Canada.
** Images acquired from Google, Usain Bolt's Facebook page and "I am a Jamaican" on Facebook