We should support our own before 'big foreign' does

Mi nice clean readers, big up unuh self! Mi miss unuh like how prisoner miss dem freedom. Mi hope seh everybody good. I would also like to send some love and concern to Trinidad who a face it yah now due to the rain unleashed on the island, causing severe flooding and landslide. The Prime Minister for Trinidad, Dr Keith Rowley, has declared a national disaster. Anybody who have family or friends and even from a humanitarian point of view, mek we try help out as best as possible.  We nuh haffi wait til 'big foreign' come to we aid and rescue.

Speaking of 'big foreign', mi notice a sad aspect of our culture that we do not support our own people until 'big foreign' give dem di nod. Dem seh a man never get crowned king at his home, and I've seen it play out multiple times here in Jamaica.

Most recently is the case with Dalton Harris. He won Digicel Rising Stars from 2010, and there was not much fanfare or support for his talent there after. God bless the one and few producers who tried to develop and hone his talent.  The same people dem who did vote for him didn't seem to rally behind the artiste to support his own music as much as they did when him a sing over people song. Dalton became a distant memory.

Fast forward to 2018 when he appeared on the 'X Factor' — a 'big foreign' talent show — and all of a sudden everybody a seh Dalton Harris. The number of post and repost on social media woulda full up Buckingham Palace, and all of sudden nuff people a seh: "Mi know him woulda buss cause him have talent long time."

I'm sure Dalton is appreciative of the support, but mi haffi wonder why wasn't this same energy exhibited to support him from day one? Why does it seem like is a bandwagonist behaviour people have to only support when 'big foreign' say yes?

Same ting wid Tessane Chin. The young lady's talent is undeniable and her vocal range incredible. She a sing Hideaway inna di marl pit how long and nobody never really give her the ratings and support she truly deserve. She go pon the Voice talent show a 'big foreign', and all of a sudden Jamaicans at home and abroad claim her and support her fi win. After the win it seems like people dem crawl back into dem hole and never support her album and career di real way. 

The Reggae Girlz are now a phenomena. Jamaica is now the first Caribbean country to have a female team qualify for the Fifa World Cup. That is a big deal. However, if it wasn't for Cedella Marley and others who believed in and supported the team, we wouldn't be able to beat our chests and celebrate now. The Reggae Girlz were dropped by the Jamaica Football Federation. When dem match a play, God bless the handful a people who go support dem. But now everybody want jump pon the bandwagon fi enjoy the glory.

We fi stop it! Support from day one. Win, lose or draw. The Sunshine Girls face it too. Dem nuh get the kinda sponsorship and backing they ought to. When dem match a play or dem have fundraiser, God bless the rice grain a people dem who come out. Yet, when dem win and a second or third in the world, a claim dem.

It is important that we believe in ourselves and in our own. We may not have all the resources and wherewithal to catapult people to superstardom, but our love, respect and support for our talented people should be unequivocal. It's not just about winning. It is also about loyalty to our fellow countrymen and women! We need to support own, and by doing so more Jamaicans will be successful.

Unuh have a prosperous and peaceful week until we link again. Blessed love!