Jamaica at 60 | I’ve never felt like living anywhere else - Sally Henzell

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE HENZELLS from south St Elizabeth have, more than once, played a role in Jamaica’s Independence celebrations, and this year at 60 will be no different, with Justine putting together an arts showcase that fits right into the country’s anniversary celebrations.

It’s been a while but 60 years ago when Jamaica was marking its declaration as an independent nation, Justine’s dad, Perry Henzell, was busy on set both filming and directing the shoot of what his mom, Sally, reminisced on as “a momentous occasion”.

“It was an amazing thing that we did to become independent,” said Sally. “My husband Perry came back. He was learning his trade at the BBC and he always knew he wanted to be a film director.

And they brought him back and he set up all the filming during that time.”

Perry, who was born in Annotto Bay, was big in the film-making business and scored heavily with the world-renowned movie The Harder they Come, with Jimmy Cliff.

Sally was born in Mandeville in 1942 and relocated to Treasure Beach with her father, as he wanted to live “at the closest place to Mandeville with a beach”, she recalls.

Their family has also lived in Kingston and Runaway Bay but, for almost all the time, Treasure Beach has been that love spot. As it is with Treasure Beach, Sally carries the same feeling for Jamaica.

“Having lived my whole 80 years in Jamaica and seen all these transformations … I’ve never felt that I wanted to live anywhere else, ever,” she said emphatically. “And neither has my husband, who was born in Annotto Bay, and neither my children.

“In the ‘70s when a lot of people were leaving and they said to us, ‘what are you doing’, and we said ‘no’,” Sally continued. “Imagine waking up in the morning and opening the door and not a Jamaican’s out there. So yes, forget it, for all the beauty and the sun, the beaches, Jamaica, yes, we are Jamaicans. I’ve never lived anywhere else.”

Referring to her embodiment of the Jamaican spirit, she remarked “Yes, absolutely. I’ve been very independent, I’ve felt free, I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve been able to do what I want. I’m an artist, I’ve painted and written and I’ve built,” said the matriarch of the Henzell family.

She had bought her own place in Treasure Beach. While she considered a six-bedroom hotel, her son Jason developed it into what is now, the 60-bedroom Jake’s Hotel, with a staff complement of 100, whom she calls “family”.

Not far away is their other business, the popular Jake’s restaurant, which has a staff that is viewed in the same way.

At Independence time, Sally said, “We just party”.

“It was a momentous occasion for Jamaica and it has been ever since. And my children, they’ve never known anything else. So, when Independence rolls around and when Jake’s opened in 1993 we always have big celebrations, party, decorate the place in colours and have a great deejay in, and all the famous musicians have played here. Toots has played here. Funny enough, Jimmy hasn’t played here yet,” she laughed, adding that they have some making up to do at Jamaica’s 60th anniversary, given the recent setbacks from COVID.

“We’re going to have a big celebration because, this time last year we couldn’t have any and it was terrible for us. Poor little Jake’s shut down completely. But we’re very proud to say we were the first hotel to have a totally vaccinated staff and opened back, and now we’re full. We made it through. We stuck by the staff and never stopped paying them, and they stuck by us. We call ourselves Jake’s family. We’re all just one people,” said Sally.

“They’re all from here. I’ve known them and they’ve known me and they’re the best people anywhere. I mean, Jamaicans are fun and good and wonderful, we’re the best. We’re the best in so many fields. Look at Usain Bolt and Bob Marley and on and on and on, it never stops. My husband making film that is still so acclaimed that he made in 1972,” she added, referencing The Harder they Come.

“Justine, right now, is doing a remix. It’s our 60th anniversary, so it’s huge for Jamaica and it’s also huge for us because it’s the 50th anniversary of The Harder they Come. So Justine is putting on an exhibition at the house in Kingston. That’ll last for many months and all kinds of music and concerts and film show. We’ve a little theatre there. So we’ll be celebrating.”