Let’s rewind the clock—way back to the 1600s. Jamaica was a Spanish colony, then a British one, and someone had to run the plantations. Those “someones” were white Europeans, mostly British, Irish, and Scottish settlers. They didn’t just pop in for a quick vacation. They stayed, built families, and passed down the sunburn through generations.
Today, you’ll find communities in places like Mandeville or Kingston where folks have been white for centuries. And no, they don’t all look like they just stepped off a yacht in Monaco. Some are farmers. Some are teachers. Some curse the sun every single day—and honestly, same.
But Wait… Aren't They Just Expats?
Ah, the classic mix-up! Expats are people who move to Jamaica for work or retirement. They keep their foreign passports and complain about the electricity bill. White Jamaicans are different. They were born there. Their parents were born there. Their great-great-grandparents might have been born there. They have Jamaican accents, love a good patty, and can argue about cricket with the best of them.
You wouldn’t call a white South African “temporary,” right? Same logic applies here. They’re not visiting. This is their home. And yes, they get just as annoyed by the mosquitoes as everyone else.
