German Town Jamaica, Documentary 

they don't have to be afraid to share their history and speak of their people because in jamaica we welcome everyone we dont see color we see character. i'm from Manchester Jamaica and have also lived in St Elizabeth and we have plenty white folks living in these areas and we all lived as one we never look at anyone color i'm so grateful for this documentry. my great great grandma is white. lets continue to live in one love as we always have dont let outside influence change us we love our Jamaican people no matter their ethnicity. One Love One Heart.

Iam half German and half Jamaican,and watching this made me feel very connected to these People

I've been German Town several times as I have family in Westmoreland. They're Jamaicans just like the rest of us, and I love the diversity of my island.

Manners and Respekt Codie 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾, Love your poem. Am a Jamaicain 🇯🇲 living here in Germany 🇩🇪, am a mother of two children plus my stepson and a grandmother of 7 beautiful adorable blessings grandchildren and they all Born here in Germany 🇩🇪, this country welcome me and and my family so much, the opportunities that was given to us here am so so thankful and grateful for it, this Documentary was very inspiring and interesting . I just wish we could all just live as one ☝🏾. Learn to start by loving Respecting and understanding each others more. Just come together and live as one . Love and Blessings all 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

My father was born in Seaford Town. The very sad thing is that we were never taught about this very important part of our / Jamaica's history in school. It should be included in the curriculum.

As a Jamaican i learnt a lot from this documentary.

My father grew up on Berkshire, not too far from Westmoreland. I never knew about the German town until I went to visit my family in Berkshire. We stopped off at a little shop in Seaford, where a woman and her daughter worked. It turns out they knew my father and he had been going to that shop since he was little.

bro noway !! that bradley eldemire kid was my classmate back at meadowbrook high in 2010-15. i never questioned his heritage but seeing this makes me super happy i was close friends with a german.

So many people are ignorant about history. Not necessarily their fault. It’s good to read, study and learn

This is so amazing, I was born in Jamacia and never knew of this part of history. This town should be on the tourist map like the Maroon towns, showing the various culture of Jamaica. This is what makes Jamacia unique, I pray this small town stay strong. I like the lady fiesty reply to the taxi man, had i been in her situation i would have responded the same. I can see they are proud to be Jamacians. Thank you for the education.

I was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica in 1961 migrate to USA in 1993 and I was never taught of German history or that Germans are living in Seaford in Jamaica so surprised when I came up on documentary,thanks for info,like the motto says out of many we are one

I just stumbled over this video. I'm now 60 years old. Left Germany in 2005 because I couldn't find work in my area anymore. Moved to Canada. In 2019, I booked a flight to Panama to escape the Canadian winter months. Pandemic stranded me in Panama. After 2 years trying to get back to Canada, I thought: "Actually why? I can stay here too." Since 2019, I am here. Traveled as a young guy a lot. But in this video, it came up what I did hear everywhere I had a talk with people. "You Germans are very hard workers!" In Canada I worked 70-100 hours a week. After 5 years I got me a house. No vacation. Always work. 2 years ago, I bought a lot in Panama from the little money I had left. Started this year to build my house. All by myself. My neighbors think that I am crazy. "Why are you working so hard? Enjoy life." I thought about it for a couple of seconds and said: "I enjoy life. I am happy when I can work very hard on my house." I have no help. So everything is done by myself. So it must be true. We Germans are hard workers. 😊 I have a girlfriend here in Panama. When she comes to the lot and we passing the farmers on the way, she has a small talk with them. "Your "husband" is working very hard on the house." - So my girlfriend is always saying: Wow. They really respect you. Well. I'm German. I can't deny it. 😂

The school curriculum needs to include this history. Beautiful poem the young man read.

This is where am from, it's so good to see some familiar faces that are still alive.

My grandmother was German. She gave me the most beautiful person I’ve met this lifetime….my dad. He’s the best human being I’ve been blessed to know. RIP dad. Your legacy lives on.

Excellent documentary David. So happy to see this. For those of us born in the 60’s and before, German Town was public knowledge and taught in schools. Many of us have family members born and raised in German Town. The Jamaica Observer did a historical series I think it was called “Pieces of the Past” They identified various ethnicities such as Lebanese, Germans, Chinese and Indians, and noted some came freely, but most came to Jamaica as indentured servants. This history has been intentionally hidden for political agendas to only recognize or promote African slavery as the origins of Jamaica. Every race or group that came to Jamaica seeks to maintain their own racial identity including slaves from Africa. That is not unique to German town, Africans or any other race. The Arawak Indians who were original to the island were said to no longer exist and that is not true. They are currently Jamaicans who carry the ancestry of the Arawak Indians who are the rightful indigenous people to the island before all others arrived on the island.

That young man with the hat will go far, he has a great heart.

I am a Jamaican, born and raised of German, British, African heritage. My German ancestors lived in Manchester. Migrating to the USAand serving in the military, we are now actually living in Germany and I am learning so much about that part of my ancestry living here. This is so heart breaking to hear and see something that I never ever thought existed in Jamaica. Classism yes, racism no. If yuh born ah Jamaica, yuh ah Jamaican, regardless wey yuh ancestors come from. Out of many (race, color, creed), we ARE one. 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇩🇪🇩🇪 and proud🇯🇲🇯🇲

That one farmer looked like Paul Newman. Wow, the German European features are strong in Seaford Town. I believe my grandmother was descended from these Germans. She had grey eyes and very light skin. She was from Trelawny which was listed as one of the towns settled by the German migrants. Jamaica is rich in history. Let's just all get along.

My great grandmother was born in Seaford Town in 1900. She lived with us until I was 12 yrs old until she became very ill and had to be cared for in a nursing home. I got chills watching and seeing a tombstone with the last name Brown. That was her maiden name. Thank you for this documentary. I learned many things from her as a child, but it has been so long since I have heard things about her village.

I think I’ve seen a previous documentary about Germans living in Jamaica, but watching this one just brought up some stirred up feeling inside of me which made me want to write this comment. Me being a Jamaican, heard of slavery and the slave trade, and Christopher Columbus discovering Jamaica and all the others things that we were taught in school. We were never taught the whole truth about anything that happened back then. We still don’t know half of what took place back then because the veil has been covering our eyes all these years. It is now that I’m grown and have moved away from Jamaica, that I have researched and learned so much more about some of these things. I’m more enlightened and able to see the wickedness and the atrocities that were done to us as a black race and to other races too. But.... make no mistake, of all the races in the world, black people have been treated like shit by every other race, and even now when umpteenth of years have passed, and you think the racism and the mistreatment of black people would have stopped, it still exists everywhere. I know everyone is not racist but it still exists largely in a lot of countries. Even in our own Jamaica, it exists. Just as how black people were brought here from Africa and lost their identities, so were these Germans. I feel sorry for them that they felt that they didn’t want to mix with black people, therefore they kept their breed amongst themselves. Likewise, I can understand how and why black resent white people because of the history of the brutal treatment and slavery which they inflicted on us. If no other race understands that, then try being a black person in a racist white person’s world. We have every right, never to forget where we came from and under what circumstances we got here. These Germans didn’t teach their children their language and did not teach their children their heritage. They know where they came from but maybe none of their traditions are with them now. How do they think we feel?Black people were taken forcibly from their homeland, brought to a different country. We lost loved ones, cultures, languages, identities, taking on white men’s names, and still had to live and survive in the worst of conditions. Yes, our motto is out of many one people, but just the way we were brought here unwillingly, they were brought here unwillingly. We are the only race I see that is willing to forgive and forget our history to marry into any other race. Many times, other races are not so accepting of us marring into their races. You heard what that old white woman said. Don’t mix with them!!!! Lady, if we all had choices to make a decision as to where we wanted to live, most of us wouldn’t be where we found ourselves today. Life goes on and we have to try to make the best of our situations. So whether you are Black, White, Chinese, or whatever mixed up races you find yourselves in, be thankful for life and stop looking at the color of other peoples skin. Never forget where you’re coming from but live with love and try to be at peace with all men.

David Ritter is an incredible documentary movie maker. We think he should try his hand at a feature film now.

Really enjoyed watching your Well produced Video/Documentary of Seaford Town. Its a shame that until this day Jamaica keeps failing on teaching its children our full History Werther good or Bad Positive and Negative. I am a German Jamaican Germaican/Jaman😁 mother German father Jamaican Born and grown in Jamaica Up until 19 yes of age and i never knew German Town existed until around 2 yrs ago on RU-vid. I've been living in Germany now since 2003 and Hope to visit Seaford on my next visit. I Hope the Younger Generations become more integrated to feel at Home and Like Jamaicans because for me nuhweh nuh feel Like yaad. And i say that after living in Germany for now almost 20 yrs and visiting Other Euro countries and countries in Africa. Jamaica is Special ! My Love to every fellow Jamaican wether white/yellow/black or brown 👍🏽🤜🏾

im a jew who recently learned about the jamaican jewish population which made me fascinated. so i started learning about all the different cultures in jamaica. what an interesting history i would love to visit the country one day.

I love this history. I had some German friends over in Seaford Town back in the 19s. They were good friends and I wish i could meet them again.

As A German that visits Jamacia often I never knew about this town. Great Documentary.

thank you for putting this together. I learned alot JM

I am from SAVANNA LA MAR IN WESTMORELAND and went to HEART school for skills there in 2007 and fell in love with seafood town. Hope to go back there. So quiet

A segment of caribbean history jamaica is always being made out of many 1 ppl a refreshing historical recap . Thanks and respect.

WHHHHAAAAA!!!! The full documentary is finally out, after all these years??? Amazing!

Well done. Give thanks.

I love seaford town, thats where my great grandfather is from. Its not anymore pure blooded since the late 30. They where in many places and they also have alot of mix generation, and my Family is one of that mix

Very very interesting documentary. Thanks for this history of Jamaica

Thank you for doing this Documentary of Germantown. Although I came to the United States young, I've maintained loving my country of Birth. & the old lady in the Documentary said to the guy don't mix. But if it was that bad, most of the offspring of their ancestors, should havego e bk then. J.A. is Beautiful & we're proud people! So I love the mixture of people, & they should also!

Thank y’all for sharing your knowledge. Be blessed!

Excellent production!❤Very informative, well-made and meaningful documentary filled with reality and sentimental value and nostalgia.... thank you for your great work in producing this for the public knowledge! - Excellent filming and stories.

Codie I wish you all the best for the future. Wishing all of you 'love, peace and harmony'. from a Guyanese in London

Very informative and enjoyable history I am learning about my country.

Loving this one thanks for sharing very information blessed love to all knowledge is power hopefully everyone pays attention keep up the good work on my wish list when I return home 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲

As a Jamaican, this is the first time I am hearing about this community, this is a well done documentary. Before this lady spoke about not wanting to mix with black Jamaicans. I was here wondering how is it that I have not seen any interracial persons. This is very interesting because they are so small in numbers where are they finding partners. This is borderline crazy. Oh the racism, "don't ever mix darling". The need to remain a pure breed for sure will cause their community to dwindle to nothing.

My dad was from Seaford Town and spoke fluent German….. and would often speak to us in German 🤣we were always aware of the Germans in Seaford Town. My mother and all of her 12 siblings all have German first names I never understood the connection until she did her ancestry dna and it shows she has German ancestry 👀 I will have to do some more digging regarding this side of her ancestry as she is from St Thomas 🤔 also related to the maroons

Thanks for sharing. I definitely plan to visit one day.

Thanks for this video I've learned a lot

Growing up (in St.Elizabeth) I use to hear about the boat/ship that crash over Treasure Beach. The Germans settled in both Treasure beach and Wesmoreland. My ancestors (dad side) are German and African mix! Shout out to the Myers Clan.

What a great documentary on Jamaican culture. Being Jamaican and of mixed race as well it is refreshing to see the focus. Good job.

On my first visit to Jamaica I went there and heard of this town.

OMG, thank you for producing this documentary. I know the Hackers and Kamekas; It's good to see that Ms Kameka is still around.

Excellent poem Cody.

Very interesting documentary thanks. Reminds me when I was in Venezuela, there is a German town there high up in the mountains. The Germans arrived there in 1850s and established a settlement called Colono Tuvar perhaps different spelling, The German settlement there is like a actual German Town, with original style German architecture in the houses and still speaking German language. James J Walsh in Limerick city Ireland 🇮🇪

As usual very enlightening documentary about Jamaica. It might be useful to know there are similar stories to this, which refer more to the last world war between late 1930s to late 1940s, where some Germans escaped from their homeland, whilst others became refugees and lived a segregated life in other areas of Jamaica. That particular documentary on RU-vid is called Germans in Jamaica War, Spies and Camps.

I am a Jamaica and is the time I have heard about the German living in Jamaica that is new to I am so glad to that thank David

This is a very good documentary, shedding light on Jamaica's history

There are many people of German descents living in Belvedere, Beaufort, lambs river and Barney sides. Also many can be found all over Montego Bay as owners of various business and working in many industries. There are many professionals to include teachers lawyers doctors etc.

Great poem Codie you a good lad.

What an EYE opener. God bless our country Jamaica.

Wow, never knew amazing. Thanks much

I was born in Jamaica Kingston. My mother is black Jamaican and my father is white German and I never knew of German town. I leave Jamaica to live in England 50 years ago.

Thank you very much. I know this very well! We also have this in St. Elizabeth!

very interesting, thanks for sharing

Amazing Historical History !! 1835 !!👍🏻 A very interesting look into these situations !!

Seaford Town would be like a mecca for German tourists in Jamaica if some things can be packaged properly. Think about it

Beautiful documentary

What a beautiful poem from the young man ❤, bless his heart ❤

My friend who was born and raised in Westmoreland his from Seaford town. She’s related to Mr. Hacker the guy talking in the video but she moved to Canada. She has also a tik tok creator and it’s interesting because she talks about this story on her page. I’m from St Elizabeth so I’m well aware of this story

Absolutely the best documentary I've seen about Seaford Town/German Town and it's German-Jamaican residents. Alas, only a few remaining. I find it melancholy that they've lived and will die here knowing badically nothing about the other homeland. Beautifully narrated. Beautifully produced.❤️

.. fascinating.. thanks for sharing this ..❤🙏🏽(🇨🇦)

Fascinating documentary! I never knew about the German settlements in Jamaica! Thanks!

I learned a lot about my history ❤

The school curriculum in Jamaica needs to be revised because on thing is sure they don’t teach us about our own history just a brief introduction and I feel this is such a disservice that only as an adult you have to go search to find these things out for yourself. As a Jamaican born and raised I didn’t know this town existed and it’s a shame that someone outside had to do a documentary for me to learn this. Great documentary thank you! Hopefully these people start to feel more apart of the culture because they are very much Jamaican. We like to boast out of many one people but still we don’t know who the many other people are that make up this great culture..

Cool history! Love learning about the cultures of the world

excellent never knew this about my country Jamaica 🇯🇲 good to know the history

I never know any of this but I’ve learned a lot.🙏🏽🙏🏽

Very interesting!

Thanks so kindly for sharing the history. I like History.

Its so nice To See People come togheter with out raising their eye brows

Loved this documentary. My grandfather was of German descent lived in Manchester. I appreciate the honesty 💕

Informative

I love this

I find it odd that at the end, the elderly German lady said if she could leave and move elsewhere, she would. But where would she go? I would think Germans in Germany would probably find her to be very odd, and I imagine it would be a culture shock for her too.

In Haiti, these are also living on so many places for soooo long now. However, Casale is the place that you can find them the most, but at the end of the we are one, Haitian 🙏👌

My great grandfather was an Irishman that came with several Irish to escape extreme poverty in the early 1900.

Informative documentary

Very interesting documentary. My family is from Manchester with Irish and German heritage. Thompson and Groves.

Out of many one people. So proud of Jamaica's motto.

Greetings, I once went there as a child, we knew a particular German-Jamaican family " the Collins " the family was a big one. Noel was a helpful man who came from that family, and he also stayed with us for years back in St. Andrew (Kingston) where we first met him. He carried us to where he was from and that's how I and my family got somewhat an experience of Seaford Town. Good video!

great documentary

The original inhabitants of Jamaica were the indigenous Taíno, an Arawak-speaking people who began arriving on Hispaniola by canoe from the Belize and the Yucatan peninsula sometime before 2000 BCE.

Interesting documentary. Reminds me somewhat of the poorer Dutch/Afrikaans people living in South Africa. Good video!

The man who says he is a Germaican, sounds very lovely. May God bless all of them 😊

The poem is beautiful

my father came from westmoreland and i remember him talking about German neighbours

My grandmother's grandparents were part of the German population I wish I could find my ancestors there. History has it that there was a passing ship with Germans that developed problems, the passengers were temporarily offloaded and was told that they would return for them but it didn't happen they were stranded. I was told this by my great grand parents.

love jamaica, its so rich with beautifull people❤

Fascinating historical thread.

i live in Seaford town east sussex England...i knew there were all colours in Jamaica great doc mate

Thanks so much, it was wonderful to learn something knew about my country’s history. My family is mostly African with Indian descendants. My great-grandmother was half Indians and the rest was strongly African descendants. My sisters and I have really nice hair, mine is curled up most times even after I brush it curls back up and also hairy skin. I love these people and so happy they are apart of our culture.

That's a great poem

This was EXTREMELY fascinating and I learned quite a bit from watching. Eye-opening.

Someday, I'd like to see a documentary on Italians born and raised in Jamaica 🇯🇲

This give me goose bump o already know about this..German Town..bu i just remember my great grandmother is of German desent.alot live in st Elizabeth even Claremont st Elizabeth some of us may mist black no