A National Certificate Training Course in Traditional Folk Forms, was conducted in collaboration with the Music Unit – UWI for teachers and community leaders. Some 110 teachers and leaders have so far earned certificates for their research and documentation papers on Jamaica’s Traditional Folk Forms. The high standard of some of these researched and documented papers will result in their being edited and printed for further use as resource material at training courses. These trained and certified teachers will add to the cadre of resource persons in the parishes assisting with conducting parish workshops and presenting a higher standard of dances in this area of the competition for the Annual Festival of the Performing and Visual Arts. These training courses made possible through sponsorship from CHASE.

One area of focus of the programme of the Commission has been the restoration of Jamaica’s traditional music “Mento” . the following initiatives have been undertaken:

• the introduction of regional training workshops to teach and train young persons the musical forms of “Mento” to encourage research and documentation of this original music
• The introduction of a Schools Mento Band Competition.

‘Training by the masters’
Another initiative has been using exponents from existing adult Traditional Folk Form groups are as our chief resource for information at training courses. This exercise gives life and meaning to our folk forms and has assisted in developing and enhancing the self-image of the individual and by extension their communities.

The Jonkunnu Project
Regional workshops are held to introduce the various characters of the Jonkunnu dealing with their construction. Interest and participation, particularly from preparatory schools, has grown considerably since its introduction three years ago

The Jonkunnu characters are showcased a the Annual Jonkunnu Festival staged by the Commission and St. Peter and Paul Prep had their own activity showcasing these costumes in 2004.

THE COMPETITION

Traditional Folk Form

In 2004 six hundred (600) items presented for adjudication islandwide involving some 6000 participants representing over 300 or more schools and community groups and teachers training colleges across the country.

There were 75 Primary schools, 48 Primary and Junior High, 42 Preparatory, 34 Basic and Infant, 14 High schools and 16 Youth and Community groups and 3 Teachers Training Colleges

Adult Traditional Groups

These groups are not presented competitively but given exposure at Expositions i.e. Mento Yard, Festival of Foods and the Folkfest Concerts.

OUR SPONSORS

• Capital and Credit Merchant Bank

Facts about the Traditional Folk Forms competition

1. Majority of entries are in the Ring Games and Quadrille categories.
2. The parishes of St. James and Kingston and St. Andrew lead the way in total entries. N.B. These two parishes also recorded the highest number of teachers participating at the National Certificate Courses.
3. The parish of St. Mary leads in entries for the other categories.
4. Primary and Primary and Junior High Schools dominated entries in the competition.
5. Increase in entries from Basic Schools.
6. Entries from Teachers’ Training colleges and HEART/NTA encouraging.
7. Continuous requests for training.

VISION

1. Continuation of the National Certificate Courses which will result in more trained teachers in the area of our Traditional Folk Forms;
2. The use of Videotapes for training;
3. The preparation of researched and documented papers/essays to augment our reading material.
4. Documentation and notation of Mento and Quadrille tunes before they are lost to posterity.
5. Videotapes of all existing adult traditional folk form groups available for sale.