SUNRISE – The story of famed Jamaican National Hero, Nanny will come to life at this year’s fifth annual Jamaican Jerk Festival, presented by Air Jamaica, set for Sunday, September 24 at Markham Park in Sunrise, Florida. The short 30-minute play, entitled If It Wasn’t for Nanny, will be one of the featured presentations at the Western Union Cultural Heritage Village.
The play has familiar folk characters such as Anancy and reveals several little known facts about the Jamaican Hero who was credited for leading the Maroons to victory over the English. Nanny outsmarted the famed British Redcoats using guerilla warfare and her brilliance became legendary.
As it relates to the Jerk Festival, the method of “Jerking” was instrumental in the survival of the Maroons during warfare, as this method of cooking produced little smoke, which prevented the British from identifying their villages in the hills as well as preserving meat for long periods.
Written by Maxine Osbourne of Queens Entertainment Troupe, the fictional play is set in the present day village of Nannyville with flashback to the past. Scenes play out to reveal the legendary powers of Nanny and the production -which features local actors as well as the Jamaican Folk Revue – is meant to educate, especially the children, about their heritage; but in the end, the writer hopes everyone will learn something about Nanny. The play will be staged twice, at 1:00 p.m. and again at 3:00 p.m.
Other activities at the Western Union Cultural Heritage Village include Ring Ding Games in memory of “Miss. Lou” as well as Drumming, Dancing and a Maroon Circle. Many indigenous fruits and foods will also be on display along with historic artifacts to interest every family member.
The Jamaican Jerk Festival, presented by Air Jamaica, has rapidly become one of South Florida’s premier Caribbean family events. The Festival is a celebration of authentic Jamaican Jerk in its various forms, and includes Jerk Cook-Off Competitions, Cultural Displays, Live Entertainment, Domino Competitions and a Children’s Fun Zone.
