Janga’s transforms into mini Dom Rep for Super Heavy Wednesdays
Published:Thursday | February 8, 2024 | 12:08 AMKenrick Morgan/ Gleaner Writer
The scenes at the popular Janga’s Soundbar & Grill on Belmont Road, in St Andrew, were a little more festive than usual last Wednesday. The combination of Spanish music filling the atmosphere, alongside keenly decorated spaces, would trick even the most discerning of eyes into thinking they had been teleported to the vibrant streets of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
Instead, a little piece of the popular travel destination was dropped off by its embassy in Jamaica as part of a collaborative effort with weekly entertainment showcase, Super Heavy Wednesdays.
Rum and cigars from the republic country were even made available for sampling and purchasing throughout the night.
One of the weekly event’s organisers, Steve ‘Urchin’ Wilson, explained that the collaboration came through strengthening trade relationships between the two countries.
“I actually went to a cigars and rum expo here in Jamaica, and met a Jamaican guy there who has a company that creates cigars from Dominican tobacco and sells them here in Jamaica. I thought that was so cool and something we could share a light on,” Wilson told The Gleaner.
He explained that through his network, he was able to get in contact with the ambassador of the Dominican Republic Embassy in Jamaica and her husband, who happens to be a cigar lover himself.
Super Heavy Wednesdays was decided on for the launch of the first ‘Rum and Cigars Night’, and the rest is now history.
ALMOST TWO YEARS OF SUPER HEAVY
Wilson, alongside business partner Terrence ‘Farenizzi’ Harold, conceptualised Super Heavy Wednesdays during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The weekly staple was created as a means of rejuvenating the reggae scene in Kingston while giving new reggae artistes a platform to shine on.
“I was always embarrassed that this (Kingston) is the birthplace of Bob Marley, and there was basically no reggae shows for persons visiting to enjoy. So we created it and made it free for people to just come in and watch new artistes grow and improve,” Wilson explained.
Almost two years later, the event continues to add to the corporate Kingston scene, but now alongside other reggae shows that have added their own flavour to the mix.
“It has been very successful so far, to the point where artistes and even our team members are getting opportunities to grow and do more. Which is what we love to see the most. So I am glad that through this, the Dom Rep embassy saw it fit to form a relationship with us,” Wilson said. He hopes to forge and maintain new relationships in the future.
While Urchin beamed with pride over the collaboration, the Dominican Republic Embassy beamed right next to him.
Head of the embassy’s Economic and Commercial Affairs department, Daniel Beltré-Acosta, says he hopes nights like this will continue to open the doors for more Jamaican products to the republic country.
“I would love to see more Jamaican products make their way to the Dominican Republic. Many people don’t know, but Jamaica was actually one of the largest producers of cigars back in the day, which many Dominicans loved. So the door has been opened for a long time, and we want to see the door open even wider,” Beltre-Acosta told The Gleaner.
As trade relations and tourism continues to grow and expand between the two countries, Wilson is hoping, with the embassy’s help, to do more.
“I hope to do more diplomatic events like this one in the future. So I hope to do more with the Dom Rep embassy. And, what would be even more triumphant with me is to do something like Super Heavy Wednesdays in the Dominican Republic with reggae artistes and further establish that cultural and music connection,” he said.