African Roots Shape Jamaican Music and Culture

The Jamaica Music Museum will host its Grounation public education series in February 2026. The series, titled “African to Jamaican: Music and Creolised Black Culture,” will explore the influence of African heritage on Jamaican sociocultural identity.

The series will be held over four Sundays at the Institute of Jamaica, aiming to highlight Africa’s importance in Caribbean cultural memory and examining the Middle Passage as a transition rather than a complete separation.

Series Overview

Grounation 2026 will focus on the shared values and principles that shape Jamaican society, emphasizing the nation’s African heritage and the legacy of overcoming slavery and colonialism. The sessions will investigate the retention of African traditions within Jamaican cultural life.

Session Topics

The series comprises four sessions: Africa Calls/Jamaica Answers: Reuniting the African Nation, African Roots, Jamaican Fruits: From Folk Traditions to Cultural Arts, Pan-Africanism, Nyabinghi, and Ska: The Foundation of Black Consciousness, and Jamaican to the World: Reggae, Rastafari, and Jamaican Popular Culture. These sessions will cover topics ranging from folk traditions like Kumina, Revivalism, and Mento, to the development of Pan-African consciousness, Nyabinghi rhythms, ska, and reggae. The sessions will also consider Jamaica’s global cultural impact and the influence of Rastafari and Jamaican music on spiritual, political, and popular culture worldwide.

Presenters and Performers

Presenters for the series include Professor Rosalea Hamilton, Salwa Halloway, and Basil ‘Bagga’ Wilson. Performances will be provided by the JaMM Orchestra, L’Acadco: A United Caribbean Dance Force, and the Supersad Drummers.

Museum Perspective

The Jamaica Music Museum views music and the arts as vital sources of historical, sociological, and anthropological knowledge. Museum officials state that these artistic expressions portray the journey of a culture and contribute significantly to identity formation.

Hurricane Relief Efforts

Despite challenges presented by the devastation from Category Five Hurricane Melissa, the Jamaica Music Museum is committed to maintaining the quality of Grounation. The museum is also encouraging attendees to support the Institute of Jamaica’s Hurricane Relief Drive through donations of non-perishable food items or cash contributions.

Event Details

Grounation is open to the public and will take place at the Institute of Jamaica Lecture Hall, located at 10–16 East Street, Kingston, on Sundays, February 1, 8, 15, and 22.