ON SUNDAY afternoon, thousands of Jamaicans took their idealism and patriotism off the shelves, dusted them off, ironed them (some people needed a bit of washing), donned them and came out to the Independence Street Jam in New Kingston.
By the end of the night, the event more than reflected its name because Knutsford Boulevard was indeed jammed, or better yet 'ram-jam' (and not from the 'blinging' cars of Asylum patrons).
While many patrons waited for the show to begin before they came out, several others took advantage of the numerous stalls that were set up on the neighbouring streets to do some spur of the moment shopping, while some simply browsed. One thing was evident, they had come to reclaim the Independence celebrations, to bring 'festival time' back to what it was - a time for reflection and looking to the future, but most importantly, a time to share a good day with family, friends and strangers. A day to really bring some carnival, without the carnal, to the streets.
The streets of New Kingston came to life (and not the manner of night life most of us associate with it). There was an explosion of colour, more from the persons present and the wares being offered, as the decorations were sparse. The feature which most clearly decorated the event, was a feeling of good will. A feeling that it was safe to come out on the streets and have a good time without meeting with 'bodderation'.
Craftsmen and women and other entrepreneurs, large and small, came from all over the island in the time-honoured Jamaican tradition of trying to 'eat a food'. The items on sale were separated into villages for food, craft and clothing. The craft village featured many of the usual fare you can find at craft fairs.
The village featured paintings, sculptures and leather craft. The items which were prominent, however, were ceramics and jewellery.
The fashion village mainly featured 'tropical wear' in the form of loose fitting dresses, usually in floral prints, suits and sarongs. There were also T-shirts and shoes, which helped to break the monotony of what was being offered. Additionally, the fashion village featured two fashion shows, which took place throughout the day.
The food took central position, being located at the upper end of Knutsford Boulevard. Almost everything that one could desire, from cooked meals to popcorn, were offered. Additionally, there were several mobile vendors on hand. These tended to be willing to take essentials such as water, into the heat of the crowd, after the concert segment had begun, and movement was verging on the impossible.
One feature which served to take the Independence Street Jam, outside of the realm of the regular fare, was the presence of a cyber village. This area, though small, featured car radios, computers and telephones.
The concert, when it began, was divided into three segments. It began with the 'Thanks and Praises' segment, which featured Kevin and Robin, Prodigal Son and Noreta Lewis. This was followed by the 'Cultural Section' (a title which makes one wonder what was featured in the rest of the show) and the show was finished off by 'Star Time'. This segment featured Roy Rayon, The Progression Posse, Peter Lloyd, Tess-Ann Chin, Stevie Face, Donovan Dacres, Abijah, Lloyd Lovindeer, Leroy Sibbles, and Tony Rebel.
With the exception of a few glitches it had been a more than worthwhile effort. To top it off, people from Portmore, did not have to worry about how they would get home after all the merriment, because the JUTC provided transportation from New Kingston to all Portmore routes.
The New Kingston Indepen-dence Street Jam seems to be poised on becoming a really grand street festival, though it will take greater logistics than were evidenced.
