Upstairs friend and member, Beverley East, shares with us her memories and traditional recipes for Jamaican Independence Day. 

Independence Day - August 6th 1962
Independence Day was like Christmas, full of excitement throughout the island. Mummy and I dressed in our independence regalia, she in her black green and gold raffia skirt. Our Jamaican Military Band marched to a beat of pride with a long procession of other uniformed entities: Boys Scouts, Boys and Girls Brigade, Brownies and others. The ceremony was long, but I was swept away in all the excitement and hoisted on to the shoulders of my Uncle Austin. We were given pens, miniature flags and bronze cups bearing our Coat of Arms and new motto “Out of Many One People.” We sang God Save the Queen for the last time as we watched the Union Jack lowered and our Green Gold and Black flag hoisted into the dark blue sky. We raised our heads and hearts towards the heavens and sang our new anthem as a united nation. The hiss and sparkle of fireworks filled the night sky. - An excerpt from 'Bat Mitzvah Girl: Memories of a Jamaican Child' by Beverley East

I am honoured to provide these few dishes for our Jamaica’s 58th Independence. I was living in Jamaica with my mum the year of our Independence and returned to London later that year. “Ackee and Salt Fish” is our national dish - the ackee looks like scrambled egg when cooked but it is an ‘acquired’ taste and prepared wrong can make you sick - so let us move on! I will show you how to make a Rum Punch, Curry Chicken and Rice and Peas, Fried Plantains, Escovitch Fish, Jerk Chicken and a delicious desert. 

Click here to download Beverley's delicious recipes!