In January of this year, 16 Sewanee college students and six staff members traveled to Jamaica on an outreach trip, marking the 25th year of Sewanee’s involvement in service work in Kingston. This year’s trip focused on two organizations: the Alpha Boys’ School and the Trench Town Culture Yard, each with different historical connections to Sewanee’s program.
“Alpha is a school where we worked in 1990 and have not had the opportunity to return,” said Sewanee outreach coordinator Dixon Myers. “Through a conversation with the administration at the school, we were able to offer our skills in videography, and we are now editing a series of short promotional films for this distinguished institution, and the Culture Yard is a living museum where we have had an ongoing relationship since 1998.”
Both of these organizations have had a significant influence in the development of Jamaican music. Alpha Boys’ School, established in 1880 by the Catholic Church, was founded as a “school for wayward boys” and became known for its disciplined music program, graduating renowned performers who contributed to the sound of Ska, Bluebeat and Reggae genres. The Trench Town Culture Yard is the home of Reggae legend Bob Marley. This site, part of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, is one section of a housing scheme built in the 1940s to meet the demand of rural Jamaicans moving to the city. The city architect’s concept of creating an urban public housing space, while being mindful of replicating the close relationships of a rural community, has often led to the statement, “Bob Marley did not make Trench Town; Trench Town made Bob Marley.”
While considering sites for the group, Myers and Sewanee art professor Greg Pond recruited and organized a group of talented student videographers from Pond’s film studies classes. Natalie Baxter, C’07, a film producer for CBS in New York and a former student of Pond’s, joined the group as primary video instructor, interviewing a cast of Alpha personalities ranging from former teachers to present-day students. Rose Cochran, C’17, enthusiastically voiced, “It was amazing to get this kind of hands-on experience in a foreign country, to meet such amazing people and to have someone like Natalie, who works in the business, to teach us the ropes.”
Another portion of the group worked through a long list of building projects in the Culture Yard, by repairing 35 of the original windows, building three dining tables and two sets of chairs and constructing two concrete wheelchair ramps. The tabletops were intricately set with mosaic tiles depicting contemporary community members of Trench Town. The students were taught these skills by Sewanee craftsman Bill Mauzy, aided by several talented Jamaicans.
Sewanee students and staff have been working on the Culture Yard project since its original renovation as a tourist site in 1998.
“This strikes at the heart of development work. What happens at the Culture Yard and its ability to draw tourists effects the food stand on the corner, the craft producers in the neighborhood, the tour guide industry and on and on” said Myers.
“Our ability to contribute over the long term has had lasting, visible results. Right now, several positive indicators exist in this neighborhood, one that has seen a lot of ups and downs. The tourists coming through are from Japan, Belgium, Germany, Brazil and Pennsylvania. It is amazing the influence Reggae has had worldwide, and its roots are right here.”
Sewanee history professor Matthew Mitchell joined the group for four days. Following the work assignments, students stepped 450 years back in time and visited Port Royal, located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, a place that was once the shipping and privateering capital of the Caribbean. This provided a golden opportunity for Mitchell, whose expertise is in British and Irish history 1500–1850, to teach from the location. History major Janie Hannon, C’15, whose concentration has been on the civil rights movement in the American South, said that after being in Kingston, she understands much better how the Caribbean and the slave trade in this region influenced the South. His lecture at Port Royal was filmed and will eventually be part of a series.
“I know this was a positive experience for the students and staff and every trip reminds me of how important it is to have a long-term relationship with the people at these sites and keep returning year after year,” Myers said.
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