the jamaican spirit “herb”: a 360–degree immersion in the world of cannabis
Herb. Marijuana. Ganja. Cannabis. Jamaica. Synonyms?
You cannot go to Jamaica without interacting with the world of Cannabis in one way or another. Whether it’s seeing the people smoking around you on the streets, as a symbol on murals around or catching whiffs of it in the air on any beach you go to… cannabis is present here.
But the Jamaican approach to the herb is unlike anywhere else: it is part of their spirituality.
The Cannabis Experience
I’m not an avid smoker myself, never have been. But the culture of cannabis has always intrigued me and since we were in its spiritual home, why not go deeper and learn more about it?
We drove to a beautiful farm close to Ocho Rios… saved it for last before flying out of Jamaica that evening. Now, looking back, I realise I probably wouldn’t plan it in this order… I think it’s one of the experiences that would better serve as an introduction to the culture, because it really is at the heart of it. It lingers into the music, the energy and general vibe of the place.
One love. Chill. Laidback living. Positivity. Think of all those Bob Marley lyrics.. that’s exactly it. It is the way people here speak. It is the energy of the island. It’s dumbfounding how beautifully accurate his songs are and how he managed to capture the essence so memorably.
Jacana Cannabis Farm: the Private Tour
I discovered them through a lovely friend who has been on the island for ages. I first saw their products up in Portland and was distracted by the packaging - so sleek, so elegant, so beautiful. I had to understand what it was, and she told me it was this really cool Jamaican brand, produced and packaged on the island. She knew the owners… so we organised a visit of the farm to look into the production.
“Creating the finest Jamaican cannabis is an art. It’s the technique perfected and passed down through generations of ganja farmers. It’s the love affair between people and a plant, persevering through times of prohibition and misinformation. It’s the black, gold and green, and the rhythm of the One Drop. JACANA is more than cannabis. It is Jamaica.”
Started off with an overview visit of the area. Went into the farm, saw the cloning, the plants, the production… and finally the lab. From active drying, to milling, to sorting, to blending… We went into the extraction room and saw how the oil is pulled out and distilled; the pcr testing (cannabis microbial testing) process; all the way to the packaging of the end products.
Through the microscope… can you see the crystals?
It is a fascinating process. We had to badge through everywhere so they could keep track of our location. Some parts of the tour we could capture on camera, others were no-photo-zones. They make both cannabis and cbd products and have recently been getting into psilocybin-based products as well.
The sunflowers placed in the center to keep the bees off the cannabis plants. Cute and so efficient!
And once again, our guide was fantastic. Khalil - dreadlocks, smile and all : an authentically Jamaican cannabis expert. With his light-hearted nature and humour, he made the tour extra special – telling us stories and giving us insights beyond the farm life, into the Jamaican cannabis culture as a whole.
Traditional Jamaican Spliff-Rolling Masterclass
What followed was a bit of shopping (of course!) and then we ended the experience with a workshop… you guessed it: a traditional Jamaican spliff rolling workshop! This was a truly COOL experience. Two trays ready-set with all our required tools for a successful result.
A genuinely cultural experience: there is technique behind it, “the cone or baseball bat shape”, the no filter Jamaican rule… Khalil taught us all the tips and tricks. So much fun… and again the products used are so sleek, everything from the ashtray to the grinder, the rolling board, the papers… such an elegant presentation. It truly elevated the experience.
A successful baseball bat!
As I said previously, I’d start off a Jamaican adventure with this 360-degree immersive tour – I think it’s the perfect way to dive into the culture straight from the onset!
One love. <3