Church Service and Taino Heritage Park

By Hannah Turcotte

Sunday morning began with a few of us doing some yoga at the top of the hill, looking out onto the mountains. After breakfast, we went to a nearby church to join in on a service. The pastor gave us a warm welcome and we enjoyed the lively music and singing. At the end of the service, the pastor called us up to the front where the whole church prayed for us and wished us well. This was an incredible moment because it demonstrates the hospitality and kindness that the Jamaican people have towards everyone. 

I got to feed a donkey banana leaves at the Taino Heritage Park

Next, we drove to Taino Heritage Park. The Taino were the Indigenous peoples of Jamaica, and the camp reenacts their way of life. We started off our time here by giving thanks to the sun, moon, water, and trees - central components of Taino culture. Then we enjoyed some traditional food served on a banana leaf, including smoked chicken and cassava bread. We then toured the camp, played some traditional games, fed a donkey, ate fresh fruits, and exfoliated our skin in a clay mud river. 

Olivia and I got the most out of the clay mud bath

Being an Algonquin person, I personally was very interested in learning about Jamaica’s indigenous culture and seeing the similarities between it and my own. The owners were also interested in learning about Canada’s Indigenous culture as well and believed in exchanging knowledge. The experience at the heritage park benefited our farming project as it was an example of an eco-friendly business that utilized organic farming and sustainable methods. We spoke with the owners about our findings and they provided us with further insight about some of the barriers that deter farmers from going organic.

Hannah Turcotte is a 2nd year student in the Bachelor of Social Work program at Nipissing University. Hannah is working on Team Organic Farming for this expedition.