JAMAICA ARISE: THE 75 YEAR HISTORY OF THE PNP (1938-2013)

1. What was the role that the People's National Party (PNP) played in the anti-colonial struggle?

It was founded in 1938 by Norman Manley during a context of labor strikes.  People who joined PNP, and the leaders, searched to awaken Jaimaicans so they could claim Jamaica for the people.
They struggled for labor rights, empowerment, self-awareness, access to opportunities and freedom. It had a strong concern for human welfare.


2. What was/is the role of women throughout the 75 years of the PNP? (Give at least 3 examples)

Several women stood out during the Jamaican history of the PNP. One of them is Edna Manley. She stood out because of her sculptures. She would teach people to look in the mirror through her art. She mixed art and culture because she would make "negro art". She would magnify good qualities. 

A women's movement was formed in the PNP, and it exists until today. Portia Miller Simpson, a former prime minister of Jamaica, was one of the most important women for the movement. She endorsed civil rights for LGBT. 

Before Portia Miller Simpson, two important bills were passed: an equal pay for both men and women and a maternity leave act. In the documentary it was cited that the women would have "a sense of self, pride and dignity".



3. How did the implementation of democratic socialism affect the Jamaican people?

PNP wanted to forge their own destiny. They were not communist because they did accepto business people and investors so they were not looking to stress equal opportunitites. The misinterpretation was due to the context of the Cold War, where every movment towards socialism was seen as communism.

4. How does the PNP justify privatization and its role in creating a path of neoliberal reforms in Jamaica?

The prices went up a 400%. They had no foreign exchange so the conveyer belts at the airport were full of merchandise. And so they opened themselves to globalization, became independent economicly, but always took care of equal pay, education, and other welfare needs.


5. How do you compare the role of PNP in the film, Ghett'a Life (Lenny Thompson, Derrick's Father) versus the documentary?

The big difference is how the politicians are portrayed. In Ghett'a Life, they are all corrupt and looking out only for themselves. In the documentary every interview is in favor of the PNP movement. They are shown as the political party that came to save Jamaica, and care for the people.

1. Who was your favorite character (s) from the film? Why?

My favorite character is Derrick. He, like the other main characters in the film, fight for their dream. In this case, he wishes to be a boxer, the best in his country. He is also well aware of the corruption of the politicians. The corruption is so absurd it even influences sports and gyms. 

2. How does the film compare to the other Jamaican films from the 70s? (Besides visual effects, think about the plot and character development).

I think it compares to the other films because it has a similar plot: a young man trying to achieve his dream in the middle of corruption or other hardships. It's like they are all trying to fight against the current, some of them even getting carried away. 

3. How are woman portrayed in this film? Is it a little or big advancement compared to the films from the 1970's?

I think there's an advancement, a very small one. Women were still seen as objects or love stories. Dawn was the only women that was more than a role model mother. She was also very independent. 
Not even today are women free of those stereotypical gender roles. 

Pain Tree

1. Who is your favorite character from the story and what kind of background do they come from? Why? (Use examples from Michelle Cliff's essay, If I Could Write This in Fire, I Would Write This in Fire)

Lorraine is my favorite character because she found the way to break the circle of racism in her family. I think it is important to always move forward and make changes. I feel sorry for her because she is so sad about the way she acted in the past. I hope Larissa knows she was only a girl. 
Lorraine comes from a wealthy family. You can tell right away when she says she went to boarding school in England, mentions the maids and her house. 
It remind me when Michelle Cliff said the Jaimaicans became the opressors of their fellow Jaimaicans. 

2. Why do you think Lorraine’s mother mocks the workers that want independence from England?

Because it is her way of expressing her political and moral view without being straightforward about it. She was opressing her own, and wanted to keep it that way.


3. What is a “pain tree” and how does it play a role in the story?

The "pain tree" is a tree where you hammer nails into the bark. That way you free your pain and the tree bears it for you. Larissa used it after her son's death, and probably before. 
It also demonstrates how many people had to quier down their pain or suffering instead of expressing it through words or emotions. 


4. What is the meaning of the line “people like me would always inherit the land, but they were the ones who already possessed the Earth”?

I think it means that land and wealth are always in the same hands. People with power always find the way to maintain it in their circle. Above that, having wealth and power meant you could also rule over people.

Rockers film review

1. How does Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace from Rockers compare to Ivan Martin from The Harder They Come?

Love for music and reggae make both actors alike. They both participated in crime, but in different ways. Horsemouth robs people who rob him: the people who ripped him off to ruin his music venture. Horsemouth fights against people who did wrong to him, but Ivan Martin fights against the law. Ivan even killed a person. 

2. What is your favorite scene from the film? Why?

My favorite scene is when Horsemouth and Dirty Harry ask to change the mood in the club they're at. They were tired of hearing soul music so they do a take over. I like it because it's funny, and I like the way everyone reacted. The way they stood up to the police was great, when they said that they were just ejoying themselves.

3.  Did you like/dislike the film? Why/Why Not?

I liked the amazing soundtrack. I liked how the film teaches a lot about rafta culture in a didactic way. There were many funny moments, and times where I wish I could jump in and dance along. 

The Harder they Come - Film Review

1)

- I liked the soundtrack they had in the movie. It was reggae music by Jimmy Cliff. I knew a few of the songs in the movie, but most of them were new to me. I likes how the plot was always about music, and the director didn't Hollywood-ize it into a gangster movie. 

- I didn't like breaking my bubble at first. I never imagined there was a corrupt side to the music industry. It was emotional to watch how a poor boy wanted to become famous, regardless the price he had to pay. Even if this was hard to accept at first, it reminds me that as a future journalist I must always be bursting my bubble. 

2)

My favorite character was Elsa. It must have been a challenge to be one of the only women on set. I admired how much she loved Ivan, and how her religión was not a barrier for her to accept him and his dreams. 

3)

I would recommend the movie because it's a fun and dinamic way to learn about Jamaican culture and how reggae is a part of their history. I would have liked to know about other artists like Ivan, but it must be hard to include more reggae artists since everyone has different stories. The Harder They Come is the first Jamaican film so it's important to watch for personal knowledge and understanding. We should never be blind about other country's stories and experiences.