Role of man and woman in Jamaican society

by Marinda
(South Africa)

Question

Hi There Firstly I would like to say this is a nice way to communicate to other people in other countries. My child needs to do a project as below and we picked Jamaica but I do not see all the answers I need. Where can I go and search for these answers: Choose any culture and answer the questions as follows: What is the role of the man and the role of the woman in the following: Religion, Raising children, Role at home, Role in the community, Something interesting?

I hope yoy can help me with this. Kind regards Marinda van Niekerk

Answer
Hi Marinda,

In the Church
Most of the time the man is the leader in the church such as the Pastor, elder, deacon, bishop, and the women play their traditional roles as well...including missionaries, sisters, etc.

Anyway things have changed a bit in some ways as women are taking a more active leadership role in the church too.

Raising Children
Just like it is in other parts of the world, Jamaican women spend more time than man raising children. when the mothers need help, the often get it from the grandmother to help out.

Often times, the men are no where to be found...or they are out making money to support the family...if he they are good men.

In many cases you find families with husbands and wives both working together to support and raise the children...but the women still spend the majority of time with them.

Role in the Home
The man is the head of the home if he lives there. The woman do most of everything else...taking care of the home.

Often when you find a man and a woman living together. The woman make sure that he has his dinner when he comes home from work...and the man is expecting to see it ready.

The woman also make sure that the children do their homework and so on.

In the Community
The man is the head.

...but now a days, things are changing. More and more women are taking leadership role, leading there homes and taking care of business when the men fail or is absent.

You will find a lot of single baby mothers in Jamaica raised by their grand parents.