Jamaica

Shopping for Arts and Crafts

By Toni Dabbs

Whether in port for the day off a cruise ship or spending the week at an all-inclusive resort, visitors to Jamaica find the open-air markets hard to resist.

Jamaica has some excellent artisans and craftspeople, but not all items for sale are made by the best. Top quality items are bought by galleries for sale at fixed prices, but many fine items may still be found in the markets, where "higgling" is expected.

With patience and a sense of humor, higgling can be an enjoyable process and can result in a reduction of 20 per cent or more off the initial asking price. It should also be a guilt-free process. Jamaicans are experienced higglers and won't agree to a price they don't consider fair.

Popular Jamaican arts and crafts include:

Wood Carvings - Rastafarian carving often is of a high standard, especially objects made of lignum vitae, a heavy rose colored hardwood. Because size, subject and quality of carvings can vary greatly, visitors are wise to shop around before buying. Examine possible purchases carefully. Avoid carvings containing tiny holes that are not part of the design; these indicate the existence of woodworm. Also avoid carvings made of green wood; as the fresh wood dries, it may split.

Straw Goods - Hats, handbags, placemats, and baskets of all shapes and sizes are woven from the island's plentiful palm thatch. A straw hat is a sensible accessory in the Caribbean. It is cooler to wear than a cloth baseball cap, and it provides effective protection from the tropical sun.

Embroidered Linen - Most common are tablecloths and napkins trimmed with colorful designs.

Shell Work - Sea shells, as well as pictures and three-dimensional objects composed of shells, are widely sold. However, shoppers might want to avoid buying Queen Conch shells. The species is ecologically significant, and its population is diminishing.

Jewelry - Imaginative jewelry might incorporate small wood carvings, shell work or even straw items. Finer jewelry generally is made of silver. Steer clear of anything including black coral or tortoiseshell; both materials are contraband.

Popular tourist markets, each featuring dozens of stalls and a broad selection of merchandise, include: Montego Bay Craft Market, extending for three blocks along Harbor Street between Barnet and Market Streets; Negril Craft Market, on Norman Manley Boulevard near the roundabout; and Ocho Rios Craft Park, next to Club Jamaica on Main Street.

Shoppers seeking a more refined atmosphere might prefer Harmony Hall, located in Tower Isle, four miles east of Ocho Rios on the main road to Oracabessa and Port Antonio. It houses a gallery showing works by Jamaica's top artists and a shop selling a cross-section of quality island crafts.

Photos by Toni Dabbs

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jamaica Tourist Board
801 Second Avenue, 20th Floor
New York NY 10017
Ph: 212-856-9727

Jamaica Tourist Board
1 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 616
Toronto ON M4P 3A1
Ph: 416-482-7850
http://www.jamaicatravel.com

Copyright 2001 by Toni Dabbs. This work, including photographs, is protected by copyright and may be used only for personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved, and commercial use is prohibited without permission of the author.