Dolls of the World

Jamaican Barbie

Source(s): We R Toys

These photographs are provided with permission from We R Toys.

Jamaican Barbie

(Back of the Box)

How-yu-du (Hello) from the island of Jamaica, a tropical paradise known for its exotic fruit, sugar cane, breathtaking beaches, and reggae beat! Jamaica is oneo f the larger islands located in the Caribbean Sea. Our nearest neighbors are the Cayman Islands, Cuba and Haiti. The name Jamaica comes from the Arawak word Xaymaca, which means “land of wood and water.” The Arawak Indians were the first to settle in Jamaica before the Spanish arrived in the late 1400s. Most Jamaicans have ancestors from Africa, so even though our official language is English, we speak patois, a kind of “Jamaica Talk,” filled with English and African words. For example, when I’m filled with boonoonoonoos, I’m filled with much happiness! One of the ways we like to share our happiness is through Music. Reggae music originated in Jamaica and can be heard throughout the world today. Its sound is a lot like rock music, with a distinctive hypnotic beat from guitars and steel drums. Jamaica is famous for its sugar. It starts out as tall stalks of sugar cane. The cane is harvested with a sharp blade called a cutlass, then it’s taken to sugar factories to be processed into sugar, and sold in countries all over the world! Each week, Jamaican higglers (women merchants) display their fruit and vegetables in large open-air markets. Ackee is a very intereesting vegetable in Jamaica that tastes a lot like scrambled eggs. In fact, the national dish of Jamaica is called Ackee and Saltfish, and it’s delicious for breakfast! Young children at the market like to treat themselves to sky juice, a Jamaican-style snowcone sweetened with fruit syrup. Jamaica is warm year ’round. The outfit I’m wearing is the native costume of Jamaica. My cool cotton dress is topped with an apron, and there’s a colorful handkerchief draped around my shoulders. Another handkerchief, called a turban, binds my hair so you can see my pretty hoop earrings! A hope yu wi come-a Jamaica! (I hope you will come to Jamaica!) We’ll talk “Jamaica Talk” with each other, and tour the island on a motor scooter! Teck care a yusself, mi frend! (Take care of yourself, my friend!)

Here are some Jamaican words and phrases for you to learn for fun: Nyam: Eat, Seetya: Here it is!, Madda: Mother, Gig: A spinning top, Junkanoo: Christmas folk dance, Duppy: Ghost, Lickle: Little, Dreadlocks: Long Braided Hair

Company	Mattel
Brand	Barbie
Type	Collector
Label	None
Line	Dolls of the World
Series	Main Series
Edition	Special Edition
Release Date	1991
Character	None
Face Sculpt	1987 Christie
Body Sculpt	1991 TNT
Hair Type	Kanekalon
Height	11.5″ (29 cm)
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Brown
Mattel SKU	4647