With the Caribbean facing dire climate threats, Jamaica’s cultural heritage is at an increased risk.
Cultural heritage—both tangible and intangible—anchors history and identity, guiding a nation’s sense of self. In Jamaica, the rich legacies of its Indigenous Peoples[1]—Taino, Maroon,and Rastafari[2]— are tied to the natural environment, which faces unprecedented threats from the climate crisis. Rising temperatures, stronger hurricanes and increased rainfall threaten to wipe out irreplaceable landmarks and the cultural identities they safeguard. This investigative story on climate resilience features three of Jamaica’s Indigenous sites to illuminate these difficulties: Scotts Hall Maroon Town, St. Mary; Rastafari Indigenous Village, St. James; and White Marl Taino Museum and Ancestral Grounds, St. Catherine, stewarded by the Yamaye Guani Taino Peoples[3].
The Heritage-Climate Connection
Many of Jamaica’s heritage sites are associated with Indigenous populations and especially vulnerable to climate change, as they are typically located in woodlands, riparian or coastal environments. Threats to these delicate, often endangered ecosystems have escalated in recent years with intensifying weather patterns.
Environmental Scientist Dr. Theresa Rodriguez Moodie, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), captured the gravity of the situation:
“Our heritage sites are not only markers of the past but also integral to our present and future. They inform who we are as a people, and their preservation is vital in ensuring our cultural continuity and resilience in the face of climate change.”
White Marl Taino Museum & Ancestral Grounds
At White Marl, the Taino Museum lies empty – its artefacts long removed and infrastructure in disrepair. Its grounds, too, have faced major climate impacts. As one of Jamaica’s few recognised Taino heritage sites, its devastation deeply impacts the Yamaye Guani.
Educator Andrea Mellis-Levy, its self-appointed caretaker, who, along with her family members, maintains the site, shared:
(Photo above, contributed; photos below: Tami Tsansai)
“We’ve lost so much already, and with the rains getting heavier, there’s no telling what will survive in the future. Jamaica has experienced noticeable climate change and environmental issues, causing damage to the site’s buildings and grounds. There’s been an increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes (Dean, 2007; Sandy, 2012; Matthew, 2016; and Beryl, 2024), causing significant damage to the space, including to the roof of the museum. We’ve seen deforestation and land degradation leading to soil erosion, landslides, and decreased biodiversity—damage to trees and grass at the site. We’ve seen rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. We’ve had occasional bushfires… [and] the water supply has been severely impacted, necessitating private water purchases and trucking. Drought has also impacted the health of Jamaica’s national trees [Lignum Vitae], which are abundant at the site.”
Scotts Hall Maroon Town
In Scotts Hall, climate change disrupts more than livelihoods, it endangers the Maroons’ ancestral connection.
Community secretary Jacqueline Phillips and spokesperson, Deante Livingston, described the cascading effects of worsening weather on their lives and livelihoods:
“That [school] road is very useful to us because it takes us right down to the river. After the rains is a lot of landslides and the general conditions of the road surface is poor, and the rains compound it. Also, our main source of water is from springs – now the one that serves the town will have to be repaired,” Phillips shared.
Livingston added, saying, “We had a hurricane [Beryl] very early this year. We’ve had rains from October up until last week, and even before that, it had been months. This is not something we are used to,” Livingston shared.
“We come from a rural area. We don’t have a lot of employment opportunities here, so many of us go out into Kingston and other spaces to work… But what you find with so much rain [is that] there are landslides [and] poor road conditions, so they are either extremely late for work or cannot go at all. The school road is [also] a mess…there’s a section breaking away right now.”
Livelihood & Economic Impacts
“And [we] lose income as the rain has been a deterrent. The majority of us [are farmers who] sell in and outside the community. We can’t plant in season with the consistent rain deteriorating the land. Usually, you wudda’ave (would have) pepper season, then potato season, a yam season, etc. but all of that is no more. My cousin just lost his entire banana crop [again] due to non-stop rains since Beryl. How does he start over? How do we survive?”
Climate Resilience, Cultural & Spiritual Legacy
Phillips added spiritual context:
“And a big part of our culture is dancing outdoors on the ground. It’s better. You mek (make) the connection stronger, going straight to Mother Earth, because your ancestors are connected to you there. We can’t do those things anymore because a di (of the) rain.Our cultural practice requires certain things, like clearing ancestral grounds as a community the first of January, and at the end of the day, we have drumming and dancing. If rain continue like dis (this), I don’t see that a happen (happening), and we cyaan (can’t) do it indoors.”
Climate Impacts at the Rastafari Indigenous Village
Rastafari Indigenous Village (RIV) is centred on sustaining their community through sharing and preserving their traditions like drum making and traditional ital (salt-free, plant-based) eating habits. These practices are now threatened by government actions like converting their farmlands into housing and tourism developments that destroy their community’s natural resources. Consequently, RIV has become much more susceptible to climate impacts.
Founding elder Edward “First Man” Wray highlighted these existential threats.
“We have the Montego River wah run (that runs) through the property…all the way from the Cockpit Country, which has been impacted by mining. And recently, we are seeing the new bypass road that has totally almost tek (took) us outta (out of) operation. The river just constantly fulla (full of) silt. You can see it drying up. It has no constant behaviour like what we used to know of it, and the river isn’t just water; it’s a place for prayer and healing. When it’s damaged, we lose part of ourselves… Our relationship with the land is spiritual.”
(contributed photos)
He continued:
“The rest of our village was so forested; now the whole area cut down, leaving just our space. We a (are) the one green space left since destruction disguised as development start happening around us, so we get a larger influx of insects and everything. We can feel it in the heat. We can see it in the river, just constantly dirty. The flooding of the river continues to increase…the flow is not good; erosion just keeps coming closer and closer to the village. Even about a quarter acre of land that has been taken away from the village property due to erosion… we could face some serious problems in the near future.”
(Photo: Jamila Falak for Envisioning Resilience Jamaica)
Livelihoods & Economic Impacts
“A big part of our offerings are immersive, five-day experiences, where we bring people into our ceremonies and spiritual practices. Now we have to stop because of the road. We depend on the forest for drums. We depend on the forest for our seed jewelry. We depend on the forest for our food. We depend on the forest for our reverence. We depend on the forest for our calmness. We have sacred sites, different spaces that we honour. And it just a get (it’s being) damaged… You can see that. It’s very difficult to say how this space will continue to maintain its deeper connection with nature.”
Read more: ‘No Climate Resilience Plan Without Us!’ Say Jamaica’s Indigenous PeoplesIndigenous Knowledge: The Missing Link in Climate Resilience Planning
Jamaica’s Indigenous Peoples on Climate Resilience
Kasike-iani (Chieftainess) of the Yamaye Guani, Ronalda “Kaiko Tekina” Pairman, highlighted the broader implications of cultural loss due to climate change, and called for collective action:
“The loss of cultural heritage is the loss of identity. We cannot afford to let these treasures, [and] spaces like the Taino ancestral grounds at White Marl, which hold so much significance to our history as Jamaicans, just disappear. They are the foundation of our resilience, and we must protect them for the next seven generations, according to Taino customs, in the face of climate change. We must recognise and call upon the expertise of the Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean, as it is we as First Peoples who have guarded these spaces for hundreds of years. We have a symbiotic relationship with the land and environment, and so we are, to this day, maintaining integral traditional practices that will mitigate negative impacts and work along with the environment – without causing harm. Climate change has been happening for hundreds of years; it’s not new to us, and since we live in connection to the land, quite often, our communities will see the changes first.”
Dr Rodriguez-Moodie also posits that safeguarding Jamaica’s cultural heritage should be a critical component of its climate adaptation strategy.
“The State of the Jamaican Climate report (2019) highlights the significant and accelerating climate changes we are experiencing and will continue to face through the end of the century. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, stronger hurricanes, and rising sea levels are not just distant threats—they are realities already impacting Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. These changes pose a direct threat to our natural resources, cultural heritage, and economic stability. Without immediate and bold action to mitigate these impacts, we risk losing both the rich historical legacies that define us and the future opportunities that sustain us. Protecting our environment is not optional; it is a necessity for survival and resilience in an uncertain climate future.”
Read more: ‘No Climate Resilience Plan Without Us!’ Say Jamaica’s Indigenous Peoples
Globally, Indigenous Peoples manage an estimated 80% of the planet’s biodiversity; yet are often excluded from climate policy discussions, despite their invaluable ecological expertise. Jamaica’s Indigenous communities are facing challenges like those of their counterparts worldwide, from the Amazon to the Arctic. They, too, offer traditional practices that could shape sustainable climate adaptation strategies. And they want their seat at the table.
Phillips called for greater inclusion:
“As a small island, we get a big battering most of the time from climate events, and we don’t have the money to fix back like the big countries. Our communities suffer; our culture, natural resources suffer… and our [Indigenous] communities [are] always on the back burner, we must have a chance to speak.”
(Photo: Jamila Falak for Envisioning Resilience Jamaica)
First Man shared similar views: “Any space that is natural will be faced with extinction, and nobody knows what the development plans are. There’s about 7 billion people inna (on/within) the earth. And outta that only ‘bout (about) 600 million, probably less, living in an Indigenous way, protecting lands, taking care, living in harmony with nature. So Indigenous people and practices should be considered an essential service, no different from lights and sidewalks, garbage management and education. There should always be some budgetary framework that seeks to support us. Not tokenism, but proper support to continue to live [this way] and do our work. Ensure we have technological support with things like hydroelectric, solar, things that will still evolve, but not destroy the planet.”
They say safeguarding Jamaica’s future means protecting its cultural and natural resources, which requires not only technical and financial support, but also a profound respect for Indigenous knowledge and practices. Ensuring Jamaica’s distinctive legacy is preserved calls for a collaborative approach that recognises its Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship of ancestral lands while respecting their historical knowledge and lived experiences. It should involve them in decision-making, amplify their voices, and support them with the necessary resources.
Read more: ‘No Climate Resilience Plan Without Us!’ Say Jamaica’s Indigenous Peoples
(Photo: Jamila Falak for Envisioning Resilience Jamaica)
Jamaica faces the threat of losing not just its heritage but also the cultural and ecological fabric that makes it unique. For Levy, the solution is simple: “Designate Indigenous sites and communities as protected areas and develop a comprehensive management plan that fosters community ownership and stewardship. From there, establish cultural and educational programs nationally.”
The island’s Indigenous Peoples could indeed spearhead efforts rooted in their ancestral practices to fortify the country’s climate resilience for the next seven generations and beyond—before its cultural treasures vanish forever.
This story was published with the support of the Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship, which is a joint venture of Climate Tracker and Open Society Foundations.
###
About the author
Tameka A. Coley, also known as Tami Tsansai or by her Taino name, Ke’tani, is a Jamaican journalist specialising in cultural equity storytelling at Writes and Kulcha. A proud member of the Yamaye Guani Taino Peoples, she’s a multidisciplinary creative whose work intersects culture, wellness, and environment. Tami enjoys laughing, nature, and the arts, and is passionate about social change and heritage preservation.
[1] In this context, Indigenous Peoples refers to those communities that maintain traditions and knowledge systems deeply connected to nature, or have long standing ancestral ties to specific lands. In Jamaica, this includes the Taino, the original inhabitants of the island; the Maroons, descendants of enslaved Africans who established self-sufficient settlements; and the Rastafari, whose traditions echo Indigenous principles of living in spiritual and ecological balance.
[2] Rastafari People are recognised by the Jamaican government as practitioners of an Indigenous culture.
[3] Yamaye Guani (Jamaica Hummingbird) Taino Peoples are the current living descendants of the island’s (Arawakan) first peoples and African descendants.
WK Admin