Religion is one of the most significant elements for immigrant groups. Religious beliefs and rituals unite people with common roots in the United States. The religion of the Jamaica West Indies people is the chosen cultural element to consider. The Jamaica West Indies, according to the interviewee, practice Methodist and Anglican traditions which are branches of Christianity ( Methodist vs Anglican , n.d). These two directions are connected with each other more than with other religious Christian traditions. Methodism is more common as it offers a greater focus on spiritual practices, as the Anglican Church is more formal. Jamaica West Indies immigrants additionally bring features of their culture into the Christian religious traditions, which is reflected in the integration of music into worship, which is not characteristic of the original branches.
In the home country of the interviewee, the Methodist and Anglican traditions are extremely common. It is noted that in the country more than 60% of the population professes the Christian religion, while the rest practice local directions, including Rastafarianism ( Faith , n.d). The historical roots of the Christian faith in Jamaica come from Europe and, along with the Methodist and Anglican churches, there are “Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, Moravian” ( Faith , n.d). It is also important that the island has more churches per square kilometer than any other country. This fact emphasizes how important the Christian faith in its various traditions is for the local population ( Faith , n.d). Moreover, several educational institutions in Jamaica, as well as charitable organizations, are run by the Christian Church ( Faith , n.d). There are official Christian religious holidays in Jamaica, four of which are also associated with church services. Thus, although the Methodist and Anglican churches are not mainstream, they are practiced along with other Christian denominations.
Jamaica West Indies US immigrants’ religion is not much different from native practices on the island. Diamant (2021) in the Pew Research Center material reports that currently, Black immigrants to the US practice Christianity to a greater extent. Whereas US-born Blacks most often tend to practice the Protestant religion (Diamat, 2021). Most of them attend existing churches of various denominations including Methodist and Anglican. Additionally, some immigrants attend congregations that are dedicated to specific branches of the Christian religion and offer specific religious practices. In general, it is typical for Jamaica West Indies to visit congregations that have the traits and characteristics of Caribbean churches.
The religion of Jamaican immigrants in the US has taken on some changes that exemplify transculturalism. An important feature of the Jamaican religious tradition is the “incorporation of music and praise and worship” (Beacom, n.d). Mostly drums and trombones are used, and in West Indies churches music is used to set the rhythm for the entire service. Thus, immigrant groups now merge traditional Christian edits of Methodist and Anglican tendencies with native features. The incorporation of music and musical instruments into worship is one of the most prominent characteristics of Jamaica West Indies religious practices. This change identifies the need for immigrant groups in congregations that would have a set of specific characteristics.
Thus, the religious traditions of the Jamaica West Indies are similar in both the United States and Jamaica. Jamaica is a country where Christianity in all its forms is extremely widespread, which makes religious practices quite common for this group in the United States. However, despite the practice of Methodism, Jamaica West Indies brought a special feature to their worship in the form of the use of musical instruments. Jamaica West Indies bands use music to set the rhythm for religious services, which distinguishes their practice from traditional branches.