00T History Lesson - who the hell are these Chinese Jamaicans in Miami

[Gunny Highway]

Since moving to Miami I've met a large number of Chinese Jamaicans. The first time it was kind of interesting, and I thought it unusual. Then I met another and another and another. So apparently it wasn't unusual. Most of them I've met are mixed Chinese and White. I had wondered about it, but never bothered to ask what the deal was. Last night I finally asked a Chinese-Indian guy from Guyana I met, and thought it was an interesting story.

Back in the 1800s, the British freed the black slaves in the Caribbean colonies. They needed someone to work in the sugar cane plantations so they brought in Chinese and Indian indentured servants. Apparently many of them were able to save some money while they were fulfilling their contracts. So when they completed the period of servitude, they stayed and started businesses and even sent for their families instead of returning home to China. One of the businesses was grocery stores, and apparently the Chinese still have a total stranglehold on the Jamaican supermarket industry.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting given what I percieved as an unusual number of Chinese Jamaicans I keep running into. Maybe this really isn't all that interesting after all, but I was just never aware that there was a big Chinese population down there. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[katyseagull]

Actually that was interesting. I really enjoy reading about the culture and history of other places. How are you meeting these Chinese Jamaicans, through your work? You should make more of these anthropology/culture posts GH.

[Gunny Highway]

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How are you meeting these Chinese Jamaicans, through your work?

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They seem to just be all over the place here. My kid goes to school with a kid whose mom is one. The one last night was a work function.

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You should make more of these anthropology/culture posts GH.

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I could probably make a lot of cultural-type posts but most Miami culture centers around silicone and Mojitos.

[mayday4379]

I find miami to be a melting pot of cess. but i've only lived here for 7 months now.

[mattw]

i hope they dont start mixing smack with weed. i like weed to be drug free.

[Elevens]

This reminds me of some Chinese restaurants in Germany. They were frequented by American military, so they had to speak English, too. It was interesting to hear a Chinese man in Germany speaking broken English with a German/Chinese accent.

[diebitter]

These are mentioned in 'Dr No' by Ian Fleming. He calls them 'Chigroes' - I kid you not.

[neuroman]

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mixing smack with weed

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wow, also pretty much my first thought. But I associate the chinese with opium proper rather than smack.

[*TT*]

You will find Chinese and Indian transplants through out the islands. Have you ever heard of Cuban Chinese food? Its delicious! In Trinidad-Tobago (adjoining nations acting as one) there are more Indians than Africans at this stage.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[maryfield48]

Gunny, here's a short article that gives a reasonable history of the Chinese in Jamaica.

During Jamaica's flirtation with Socialism in the 1970s, large numbers of Chinese Jamaicans fled to Miami and Toronto especially. One of them, Michael Lee Chin, became a billionaire and one of the 500 richest men in the world.