2020 Nature Vibes Christmas Newsletter Edition

/MJ.GRO.JOI-JMHN.WWW | MJ.GRO.JOI-JMHN@OFNI | 6-0260-229 )678( | ACIAMAJ ,NOTSGNIK ,TEERTS TSAE 61-01 | ACIAMAJ FO MUESUM YROTSIH LARUTAN NATURE VIBES

NHMJ STAFF MEMBERS AT THEIR 2018 CHRISTMAS PIXIE PARTY

'A NATURAL HISTORY CHRISTMAS'

 HO HO HOLIDAY  |  DECEMBER 2020 | VOL 16 ISSUE 3

T'IS THE
SEASON!

CHRISTMAS
The staff of the Natural History Museum of Jamaica wish you a Merry
Christmas! One that is full of love, good health and a lot of laughter.
Christmas is a time for family and to reminisce on the good old times. For
many, there are warm parties, cozy homes, fond traditions to celebrate,
and gifts to be shared. It’s a joyous time for the celebration. This year the
Natural History Museum of Jamaica will give you some information on some
winter migrant birds and a popular winter plant found here in Jamaica. Let's
Go!

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF JAMAICA IS THE OLDEST DIVISION OF THE INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA. IT AIMS TO ENCOURAGE
THE STUDY AND DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF JAMAICAN FLORA AND FAUNA, PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION OF

THE JAMAICAN NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND MAINTAIN COLLECTIONS OF JAMAICAN FLORA, FAUNA AND REFERENCE BOOKS.

PIECES OF THE PAST

LIVING IN JAMAICA AS A CHILD, THERE ARE SOME CULTURAL
THINGS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO DURING THE CHRISTMAS
SEASON. PUT A TICK IF YOU CAN REMEMBER:

THE CUSTOMARY COUNTRY FAIR IN THE SCHOOLYARD WITH
RUMBA-BOX, GUITAR AND SAXOPHONE, CHRISTMAS HAT,
DONKEY RIDE, AND MERRY-GO-ROUND?

OR

A JONKONNU PARADE? CAN YOU REMEMBER THE FUNNY
LOOKING COW, HUMAN HYBRIDS AND THE MINOTAUR HEADED
CHARACTERS THAT DOMINATED THE PARADES BACK THEN;
NOT TO MENTION THE CHORUS OF FIFES, HORNS AND DRUMS
IN THE BACKGROUND?

COME AGAIN!

THE SWEET VOICES OF CAROLERS THAT WARM YOUR HEART
EARLY IN THE MORNING AT YOUR DOORSTEP, HMM… WHAT A
SOOTHING FEELING THAT WAS…RIGHT???

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU HAVE SEEN A KITE DURING
CHRISTMAS? REMEMBER WHEN KIDS WOULD GET BOX KITES AS
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS? IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, IF YOU'RE NOT
PLANNING ON GETTING THEM AN IPHONE PRO OR A PS5 PRO,
YOUR CHILD MAY CREATE A FIT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. IF
YOU DON'T WISH TO BE REPRIMANDED IN YOUR OWN HOUSE…
PLEASE DON'T GIVE THEM A ‘FEE- FEE’ OR 'BLOW-BLOW'.

OKAY, LAST ONE!

WHO REMEMBERS THE OPENING OF PANTOMIME AT THE WARD
THEATRE IN DOWNTOWN KINGSTON? THIS WOULD HAPPEN ON
BOXING DAY, THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. THIS CHRISTMAS
SHOW WAS A CELEBRATION OF JAMAICAN CULTURE, FOLKLORE
AND HISTORY. THESE DAYS THE MOST POPULAR COMEDY
ENTERTAINMENT IS WRITTEN BY THE WELL-KNOWN PATRICK
BROWN AT CENTRESTAGE IN NEW KINGSTON.

Compiled by: Kareen Parks, Assistant
Education Outreach Officer, NHMJ

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WHITE CHRISTMAS

Euphorbia leucocephala

The White-laced Euphorbia, White White-laced, Euphorbia, Euphorbia
Christmas, Snowflake Bush or leucocephala. Photo by: Wikicommons
Christmas Plant as some call it,
belongs to the family of Spurges- The true flowers of the plant are
Euphorbiaceae and is a native of surrounded by the showy white
Central America. Despite it not being bracts and are quite small but add
native to the island of Jamaica, it is a a very pleasing fragrance to the air
favoured ornamental in a number of which has been described as a
home gardens. It is one of the plants in delicate Jasmine -like fragrance.
Jamaica that signals the arrival of the This serves the purpose of
Christmas season with its beautiful attracting insects to the plant
transition from a flush of green foliage however, the pleasant aroma
to a predominantly white and gorgeous drifting in the wind does add to the
arrangement in late November. To the bliss of the Christmas season. The
unknowing its close relative the Christmas plant may be found
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), growing as a shrub or small
the contrasting white structures are ornamental tree in areas across the
not flowers but are in fact modified island.
leaves known as bracts which undergo
physiological changes in response to
the changes in day length. This display
is responsible for the species name
‘leucocephala’ which translates to
"white head"

Article by: Sashalee Cross,
Assistant Botanist, NHMJ

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NATURAL DECORATION IDEAS

photo by: karma_pema photo by: Westend61 /
/ Getty Images Getty Images

BE CREATIVE; CHOOSE A FRUIT OF YOUR IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE
CHOICE! HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE STEPS
IN CREATING YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS SPACES FOR A FULL-SIZE TREE
BALL FOR YOUR TREE. CITRUS FRUIT
WORKS BEST FOR THIS PROJECT AND DON’T WORRY! HERE IS A
THE ORANGE IS USUALLY THE BEST
OPTION: PUSH THE CLOVES INTO THE GREAT INEXPENSIVE WAY TO
RIND OF A PIECE OF FRUIT IN
WHATEVER DESIGN YOU CHOOSE. CREATE YOUR OWN TREE. YOU
ATTACH A PIECE OF RIBBON TO ADD AN
EXTRA DECORATIVE ELEMENT AND WILL NEED A SMALL CONTAINER
PROVIDE A WAY TO HANG IT OR YOU
CAN JUST DISPLAY A FEW IN A BOWL FULL OF LUSH BRANCHES. (THIS
WITH SOME PINECONES OR GREENERY.

WILL GIVE YOU A NATURAL

CHRISTMAS LOOK AND ALSO

THAT SWEET-SMELLING SCENT

FROM THE EVERGREEN

CUPRESSUS). YOU CAN CHOOSE

TO HANG ORNAMENTS ON THE

BRANCHES, HOWEVER, TRY NOT

TO OVERDO IT, AS A DISPLAY

OF THIS SIZE CAN BE

Phot by: Thomas Schulz / OVERCROWDED AND WEIGH
EyeEm / Getty Images
DOWN EASILY.

LOOK FOR PINE CONES UNDER A PINE

CONE TREE AND LET'S MAKE A

WREATH! YOU CAN TIE THEM By: thespruce.com

TOGETHER WITH STRINGS OR GLUE

TOGETHER WITH A GLUE GUN AND

FORM YOUR OWN WREATH STYLE. YOU

CAN ALSO ADD A LITTLE SPRAY PAINT

TO THEM FOR DESIRED COLOURS. 3

CHRISTMAS BIRDS

AT CHRISTMAS TIME WE EXPECT A LOT OF VISITORS FROM ABROAD
INCLUDING SOME OF OUR FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS. BIRDS KNOWN AS
WINTER MIGRANTS LEAVE THEIR BREEDING GROUNDS IN VARIOUS
NORTH AMERICAN STATES TO SPEND THE WINTER MONTHS IN WARMER
CLIMATES. JAMAICA LIES JUST TO THE SOUTH OF ONE OF THE MAIN BIRD
MIGRATORY ROUTES BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. SOME
BIRDS WILL SPEND THE ENTIRE WINTER IN JAMAICA. OTHERS WILL
PAUSE BRIEFLY TO REST AND REFRESH THEMSELVES WITH FOOD BEFORE
CONTINUING TO OTHER DESTINATIONS. MOST MIGRANTS ARRIVE IN
OCTOBER – NOVEMBER AND LEAVE IN MARCH – APRIL, BUT SOME
RETURN AS EARLY AS JULY AND LEAVE AS LATE AS MAY. OF JAMAICA’S
307 RECORDED BIRD SPECIES, 180 OCCUR AS WINTER MIGRANTS.

A VERY VISIBLE SET OF ANNUAL WINTER VISITORS ARE THE WARBLERS.
THESE SMALL, OFTEN COLOURFUL BIRDS ARE FROM THE FAMILY
PARULIDAE. LOCALLY THEY ARE CALLED CHRISTMAS BIRDS AS THEY ARE
SO VISIBLE AT CHRISTMAS TIME OR “CHIP CHIP” BIRDS BECAUSE OF
THEIR CALLS. THEY ARRIVE IN GARDENS AND WOODLANDS DURING THE
CHRISTMAS SEASON, WHERE THEY FORAGE SHRUBS AND BUSHES FOR
INSECTS.

The American Redstart
bird. Photo by: Wikipedia

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CHRISTMAS BIRDS

THEY ALSO CONSUME FRUITS AND OFTEN RETURN TO THE VERY SAME
FEEDING SITE YEARLY. SOME COMMONLY SEEN WARBLERS ARE THE
AMERICAN REDSTART (SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA), PRAIRIE WARBLER
(DENDROICA DISCOLOUR), BLACK-THROATED WARBLER (DENDROICA
CAERULESCENS) AND THE OVENBIRD (SEIRUS AUROCAPILLUS).
ALTHOUGH SMALL IN SIZE, THESE BIRDS ARE POWERFUL FLIERS AND
TRAVEL OVER LONG DISTANCES MOSTLY AT NIGHT.

MIGRANT BIRDS MAY LOSE UP TO 50% OF THEIR BODY FAT RESERVES
DURING FLIGHT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROTECT BIRD HABITATS SUCH
AS THE DRY COASTAL AREAS WHERE THESE MIGRANTS OFTEN TAKE
SOLACE AFTER THEIR GRUELING FLIGHTS. SUITABLE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE IMPORTANT DURING MIGRATION. HEADWINDS, RAIN
AND STORMS CAN CAUSE FLOCKS OF BIRDS TO LAND ON THE NEAREST
AVAILABLE SPOT. IN OCTOBER 2020, FLOCKS OF YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOOS (COCCYZUS AMERICANUS) LANDED IN JAMAICA POSSIBLY TO
AVOID HURRICANE DELTA… A LATE-SEASON STORM. THEY WERE
SIGHTED IN ST. ANDREW, ST. CATHERINE AND CLARENDON FORAGING
ON INSECTS. THIS WAS REMARKABLE AS YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS
ARE RARELY SIGHTED IN JAMAICA.

Article by: Elizabeth Morrison,
Zoologist, NHMJ

Prairie Warbler, Setophaga discolor,
Photo by: Alix d'Entremont,
emale/immature

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RECIPES

OXTAIL AND BEANS GUNGO RICE AND PEAS

2LB OXTAIL 1 CUP GUNGO PEAS
1 1/2 CUPS COCONUT MILK
1 ONION 2 CUPS RICE3 SPRIGS THYME

MINCED6-8 GRAINS WHOLE PIMENTO 2 STALKS ESCALLION
3 CLOVES GARLIC
1/2 CUP SCALLION CHOPPED
1 SCOTCH BONNET PEPPER
1/2 PINT BROAD BEANS (DRIED) 5-10 PIMENTO SEEDS

1 TIN THYME TO TASTE A SMALL PIECE OF GINGER
1OZ MARGARINE SALT TO TASTE
(ABOUT 1 TSP DRIED OR 2 TSP FRESH)
METHOD:
1/2 TSP SALT
1. WASH GUNGO PEAS AND DRAIN.
2 TBSP COOKING OIL 2. PLACE GUNGO AND GARLIC IN A LARGE
POT THEN COVER WITH WATER. BRING TO
2 CLOVES GARLIC BOIL UNTIL TENDER, TOPPING UP WATER AS

2 TBSP KETCHUP DASH OF SOY SAUCE NECESSARY.
3. ADD COCONUT MILK, THYME, ESCALLION,
METHOD:
PIMENTO SEEDS, GARLIC, SALT AND LET
1. SEASON OXTAIL AND ALLOW TO MARINATE BOIL FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR IN A COVERED
CONTAINER IN THE REFRIGERATOR. 4. THEN ADD RICE, MARGARINE AND WHOLE
PEPPER, COVER POT, TURN DOWN THE HEAT
2. USE A HEAVY SAUCEPAN (OR PRESSURE
COOKER), HEAT OIL AND BROWN WELL. POUR AND LET THE RICE SIMMER SLOWLY FOR
OFF OIL AND ADD WATER A LITTLE AT A TIME; ABOUT 25-30 MINUTES.

ALSO ADD BROAD BEANS. 5. DO NOT OPEN OR STIR THE RICE DURING
THIS PROCESS OR IT WILL BECOME
3. COVER AND COOK ON A LOW SIMMER UNTIL STICKY.6. SERVE HOT.
MEAT AND BEANS ARE VERY TENDER. (IF
Recipes by: digjamaica.com
USING A PRESSURE COOKER, PUT ENOUGH
WATER TO COVER MEAT AND BEANS AND
COOK FOR 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL TENDER).

4. CARROTS, SPINNERS (LONG DUMPLINGS),
ONIONS OR ANY VEGETABLE OF YOUR CHOICE

MAY BE ADDED TO THE GRAVY. DO NOT
PRESSURE THE SPICE (PIMENTO) OR
VEGETABLES.

5. SERVE WITH ENOUGH GRAVY TO COVER THE
MEAT.

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HOW TO MAKE A GOOD OLE JAMAICAN
GINGER BEER THIS CHRISTMAS

GINGER BEER RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
2 QUARTS WATER•

5 PIECES OF GINGER•
5 TSP. LIME JUICE• SUGAR TO TASTE•

FEW RICE GRAINS (GRANDMA
RECOMMENDED – OPTIONAL)•

TEETH-CLEANING TWIG AKA
CHEWSTICK (GRANDMA

RECOMMENDED – OPTIONAL)

GINGER BEER METHOD:
WASH THEN GRATE GINGER PIECES•

ADD GRATED GINGER TO WATER

OPTIONAL – FERMENT MIXTURE:
ADD A FEW GRAINS OF RICE AND

CHEW STICK TO MIXTURE•
LEAVE THE MIXTURE IN THE SUN TO

FERMENT FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS.
RECOMMENDED EXPOSING TO

SUNLIGHT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.•
STRAIN THE FERMENTED MIXTURE

THROUGH A CLEAN CLOTH •
ADD LIME JUICE AND SUGAR TO

TASTE•
STIR THEN CHILL IN THE FRIDGE

7 Recipes by: digjamaica.com

DID YOU KNOW?

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF JAMAICA IS THE OLDEST
DIVISION OF THE INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA.
THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF JAMAICA WAS FORMED BY
MEMBERS OF STAFF FROM THE INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA IN 1940.
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF JAMAICA HOUSES SPECIMENS
THAT DATE AS FAR BACK AS THE 19TH CENTURY.
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF JAMAICA HAS A SCIENCE
LIBRARY, WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES FREE OF
COST.

By: Kareen Parks, Assistant Education Outreach Officer,
NHMJ

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NHMJ PROJECT UPDATE

NHMJ
PROGRAMMES

NHMJ LIVE
AN AFTERNOON WITH

A SCIENTIST
PROGRAMME

9

NHMJ UPCOMING EVENT

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NATURE VIBES

PRODUCED BY:

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF JAMAICA

INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA
DECEMBER 2020

THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS:

ELIZABETH MORRISON, ZOOLOGIST, NHMJ

SAHSALEE CROSS, ASSISTANT BOTANIST,
NHMJ

KAREEN PARKS, ASSISTANT EDUCATION
OUTREACH OFFICER, NHMJ

EDITORS & GRAPHIC DESIGNS:

KAREEN PARKS, ASSISTANT EDUCATION
OUTREACH OFFICER, NHMJ
&

TEONA THOMAS, MUSEUM PROGRAMME
OFFICER

Visit us at the Natural History Museum of Jamaica
10-16 East Street, Kingston

Telephone: 922-0620-6, extension: 309 or 352
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

URL: www.instituteofjamaica.org.jm

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF JAMAICA | A DIVISION OF THE INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA
AN AGENCY OF THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, GENDER, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORT

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