Mandeville New Year Party

Mandeville, Manchester is said to be the place for "the newly wed and the nearly dead" but at new years every year the heavens come alive with the genesis of another three hundred and sixty five days cycle in the life this very quiet place.

Nestled in the centre of Jamaica, the cool hills of Mandeville is one of the most quiet business communities of recent times. It is the education district of Central Jamaica. When school is out in the winter and business in running cold, everyone sits in anticipation for the major event that closes the old year and rings in the new one.

Genesis in Mandeville is the mother of all gospel concerts held here in Jamaica. There are at least three festivals held simultaneously all over the island however Mandeville Genesis was the envy of all for many years. It is a venture put on by the Mandeville Youth for Christ parented by the Jamaica Youth for Christ and is held every year in Mandeville at the break of the year immediately following the watch night services held at every church. Thousands of people head straight there, wherever the location might be, to secure their space for the toil of all night dancing and singing and worshipping and praising. Some even skip the service to make sure they miss not even the preliminary pieces of the action.

From the known to the unknown, you can find them ministering on the stages of Genesis. Some people might just get a "buss" while others "buss di place". What initially started out as a talent search many years ago evolved into bits of the original intention and a night of high praise. From midnight till day break the sounds of gospel music of all classes and genre fill the Mandeville air. All classes and colours mix for that night with not a soul complaining. Some people like to sit. Others prefer to stand. Some move around. Some leave and return when their favorite artiste is on stage. There are no restrictions. Just a recipe to have clean fun. Passers by, hagglers, hustlers, and such the like make their bit from the Genesis crowd.

From jerk chicken and rolls to fry fish and festival along with all different types of beverages can satisfy the appetite. Some will "catch niggeritis" as we say it and doze off in a car, on a bench, standing, or even take a ride home to sleep and come back for more. But when the sun starts to break through the night, we know that is when some persons are just ready to party. The never ending wave and jump and shout and sing looks and sounds amazingly beautiful in spite of the volumes represented expressing themselves in their individual way. What is true is that the crowd represents the many who will anticipate the beginning of the next year, the start of a new Genesis where they will enjoy themselves all over again till they are old and grey.