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What happens when your language becomes a battleground for identity, education, and cultural sovereignty? When Oneil Madden, a Jamaican linguist who speaks five languages, joined me for this conversation, we uncovered the profound connections between language, heritage, and self-perception that shape the Caribbean experience both at home and abroad.

Oneil shares his journey to becoming a lecturer at the University of Technology, where his passion for language education has fueled groundbreaking research. The revelation that really struck me was his experience of being told by a French supervisor that he was bilingual—something he hadn't fully internalized until his twenties despite growing up speaking both Jamaican Creole and English. This moment mirrors so many of our experiences as Caribbean people, where our native language is often dismissed as merely "bad English" rather than recognized as the sophisticated linguistic system it truly is.

We dive deep into the challenges facing Jamaican Creole today—from standardization efforts by the Jamaican Language Unit to the fascinating paradox that while most Jamaicans speak Patois fluently, many struggle to read it in its codified form. The translation of the New Testament into Jamaican Creole serves as a powerful example of both the progress made and the distance still to travel.

As artificial intelligence increasingly enters the language landscape, we confront complicated questions about who "owns" Jamaican Patois. Is it something to gatekeep, or should we celebrate its growing global influence? .

Language shapes how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. If you've ever felt your accent was a weakness rather than a strength, or if you're curious about the future of Caribbean languages in a digital age, this conversation will resonate deeply.

Resources Mentioned:

• Jamaican Language Unit at UWI Mona
• Jamaican New Testament (via Bible app)
• UN Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032)
• BBC article on Patois in Toronto
  
  

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Welcome to back to another episode of Caribbean Adjacent, a series within the Carry On Friends Podcast!

Tiffany Cohen is back on the podcast and this time she is with her husband Jorge. They are dynamic husband-and-wife duo behind Flor de la Jara, an olive oil brand rooted in generations of Spanish farming and powered by cross-cultural connection.

In this episode, they shared their airport meet-cute (yes, another one!), Jamaican-Spanish fusion cooking, raising a trilingual son, and building a legacy together. From curry chicken with a Spanish twist to navigating language mix-ups, this is a joyful celebration of culture, family, and flavor.

Connect with Tiffany & Jorge: Flor de la Jara - Website | Instagram

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1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
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The destruction of Grenada's Carriacou Museum during Hurricane Beryl reveals a critical vulnerability in Caribbean cultural preservation that goes far beyond one building. When Majella Mark witnessed the museum's roof torn away, she saw decades of irreplaceable historical artifacts—from ancestral diaries to rare photographs—exposed to the elements, threatening to erase community memory overnight.

Majella Mark is a Caribbean creative, researcher, and strategist deeply involved in preservation and sustainable development. She sits on the board of the Carriacou Museum, co-founded the Eco House Collective in Brooklyn, and is a founding director of the Caribbean Futures Forum. Her work bridges climate resilience, community planning, and cultural storytelling.

In this episode, Majella shares her bold vision for preserving Caribbean culture and building a sustainable future—from Carriacou to Brooklyn.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Majella's website - https://www.majellamark.com/
• Carriacou Museum - https://www.carriacoumuseum.gd/

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Support How to Support Carry On Friends

1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

Connect with @carryonfriends - Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
A Breadfruit Media Production