Jamaican British (Raymond Antrobus)

This section provides analysis for the poem Jamaican British by Raymond Antrobus. Raymond Antrobus’s Jamaican British is a poignant exploration of identity, belonging, and the complexities of cultural heritage. Through a personal narrative that navigates the intersections of race, culture, and nationality, the poem examines the speaker's struggle to reconcile his Jamaican roots with his British upbringing. Antrobus’s use of language, imagery, and structure reflects the internal conflict faced by individuals caught between two identities, each with its own set of expectations and cultural markers. You can read the poem below followed by detailed analysis. 

Jamaican British by Raymond Antrobus

Some people would deny that I’m Jamaican British.
Anglo nose. Hair straight. No way I can be Jamaican British.

They think I say I’m black when I say Jamaican British
but the English boys at school made me choose: Jamaican, British?

Half-caste, half mule, house slave – Jamaican British.
Light skin, straight male, privileged – Jamaican British.

Eat callaloo, plantain, jerk chicken – I’m Jamaican.
British don’t know how to serve our dishes; they enslaved us.

In school I fought a boy in the lunch hall – Jamaican.
At home, told Dad, I hate dem, all dem Jamaicans – I’m British.

He laughed, said, you cannot love sugar and hate your sweetness,
took me straight to Jamaica – passport: British.

Cousins in Kingston call me Jah-English,
proud to have someone in their family – British.

Plantation lineage, World War service, how do I serve
               Jamaican British?
When knowing how to war is Jamaican British.

Analysis of the Poem

Themes of Identity and Belonging

A central theme in Jamaican British is the exploration of hybrid identity, specifically the challenges of belonging to two cultures. The speaker confronts a society that tries to label him based on his appearance and background, yet his internal sense of self is more complex. The poem opens with the line:

“Some people would deny that I’m Jamaican British. / Anglo nose. Hair straight. No way I can be Jamaican British.”

Here, the speaker is immediately confronted with the first hurdle of identity — the external perception of his heritage. His physical traits, "Anglo nose" and "Hair straight," mark him as not fitting the stereotypical image of a "Jamaican," suggesting that appearance plays a significant role in how identity is perceived. The repetition of “No way I can be Jamaican British” highlights the tension between the speaker’s self-identification and society’s tendency to label him based on superficial characteristics. This early rejection reveals the difficulties of reconciling a complex, hybrid identity in a world that seeks clear distinctions.

Internal Conflict and the Struggle for Self-Definition

The internal conflict intensifies as the speaker grapples with the question of how to identify himself. He reflects on his experiences at school, where he was forced to choose between his Jamaican heritage and his British nationality:

“They think I say I’m black when I say Jamaican British / but the English boys at school made me choose: Jamaican, British?”

The question posed here, “Jamaican, British?” mirrors the internal dilemma of the speaker, forced to choose between two aspects of his identity that seem mutually exclusive. The phrase "They think I say I’m black" suggests that the speaker’s use of "Jamaican British" is misunderstood, equating his heritage with race rather than the cultural fusion he feels. This is a subtle commentary on how identity is often reduced to racial categories, with little room for nuance or complexity. The speaker is caught between the expectations of his peers and the desire to assert a multifaceted identity that embraces both parts of his heritage.

Cultural Legacy and Stereotyping

Antrobus also explores how cultural stereotypes and the legacies of colonialism impact the speaker’s self-perception. The list of descriptors that follow — “Half-caste, half mule, house slave – Jamaican British. / Light skin, straight male, privileged – Jamaican British” — highlights the complicated, often painful history of racial and cultural identities shaped by colonialism. The term “half-caste” historically refers to someone of mixed race, while “half mule, house slave” invokes the dehumanising labels imposed on enslaved people of African descent during the colonial era. These harsh terms serve to emphasise the weight of historical and social prejudice the speaker must navigate as he tries to define his identity.

The juxtaposition of “Light skin, straight male, privileged” further complicates this. These qualities imply a certain level of societal privilege, yet the speaker's connection to the Jamaican culture is still questioned. This duality — between privilege and exclusion — mirrors the paradoxes of being a "Jamaican British" person, where outward appearance and societal privilege don’t necessarily equate to acceptance or belonging in either cultural group.

The Cultural Clash and Connection

The speaker also reflects on the foods that connect him to his Jamaican heritage, but even this cultural marker becomes a point of conflict with the British identity:

“Eat callaloo, plantain, jerk chicken – I’m Jamaican. / British don’t know how to serve our dishes; they enslaved us.”

Here, the speaker uses food — specifically traditional Jamaican dishes — as a symbol of his heritage. The listing of “callaloo, plantain, jerk chicken” represents the rich cultural history and pride the speaker takes in his Jamaican roots. However, his assertion that “British don’t know how to serve our dishes” is loaded with irony and resentment. The phrase “they enslaved us” adds a layer of historical tension, highlighting the British Empire’s role in the enslavement of African people, which continues to shape the relationship between Britain and its former colonies. The poem thus critiques not only the cultural appropriation of Caribbean cuisine but also the broader issues of colonialism and its ongoing legacy in shaping racial and cultural identities.

Reconciliation and Legacy

The turning point in the poem comes when the speaker’s father offers wisdom that attempts to reconcile the conflicting aspects of his identity:

“He laughed, said, you cannot love sugar and hate your sweetness, / took me straight to Jamaica – passport: British.”

The father’s response, “you cannot love sugar and hate your sweetness,” uses a metaphor that suggests an inseparable relationship between the speaker’s Jamaican heritage and his British nationality. "Sugar" here symbolises the richness and value of Jamaican culture, while “sweetness” implies that this culture is integral to the speaker’s own identity. The father’s journey to Jamaica with his son is symbolic of an attempt to reconnect with their roots, reinforcing the idea that one can embrace both aspects of their heritage without needing to choose between them.

The mention of the passport being “British” reflects the unavoidable fact of the speaker’s nationality. His legal identity, stamped with a British passport, contrasts with his cultural identity, which is shaped by Jamaican traditions and history. The blending of these two identities — one official, the other personal — is key to understanding the speaker’s struggle for self-definition.

Community and Identity

The poem closes with the speaker reflecting on his connection to his Jamaican heritage through his family and the wider community:

“Cousins in Kingston call me Jah-English, / proud to have someone in their family – British.”

Here, the speaker’s cousins in Kingston (the capital of Jamaica) offer a different perspective, proudly acknowledging the speaker’s hybrid identity as “Jah-English,” a term that suggests a blending of the divine or spiritual (Jah, a Rastafarian term for God) with the British element. This acceptance from the family in Jamaica contrasts with the rejection the speaker faces in Britain. It highlights the flexibility and adaptability of identity within the context of family and heritage. The cousins’ pride in having a “British” relative underscores the idea that Jamaican culture is not defined by a single national identity but is fluid and inclusive, embracing those with complex, mixed identities.

Summary

Raymond Antrobus’s Jamaican British powerfully explores the complexities of identity, race, and belonging in the context of a post-colonial, multicultural world. Through the speaker’s personal journey of navigating his Jamaican and British heritages, the poem delves into issues of cultural alienation, historical legacy, and the struggle to define oneself in a society that often reduces identity to rigid categories. Antrobus’s skilful use of language, imagery, and structure highlights the emotional and intellectual complexities of living between two worlds, making Jamaican British a compelling meditation on the challenges and rewards of hybrid identity.

You can find analysis of all the Edexcel Belonging Poetry Anthology Poems here.