J'ouvert is a traditional festival that signals the start of Trinidad’s Carnival. The word originates
from the French "jour ouvert" and translates to "break day." The revelry begins at 2 a.m. on a
Monday and continues into the mid-morning. Outside of the body paint, mud, and pitch oil, there
are the Blue Devils, none more well-known than those of Paramin. This predawn jubilee plays a
significant role in helping curate the unique experience that adds to the lure of what makes our
carnival "THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH". However, it would be irresponsible to write
an entire article without reminding our readers that it was created by former slaves as an
expression of their freedom. As for the term "cultural reset," it is one that many of us have heard,
but it is used so frequently that its original meaning sometimes seems lost. That is, of course,
until you hear or read the words "Josie's Jamishness", the brainchild of the beautiful and brilliant
Jordanna Hadeed, the first person to conceptualize a second J’ouvert in Trinidad outside of the
carnival season.
In 2008, as her birthday drew near, she thought about the kind of celebration she wanted to host;
her buddy Brent came up with the concept of a J'ouvert-inspired party. After the suggestion was
made, it became a no-brainer. The first item on the planning agenda is a catchy name! While her
intimate friends and family may know her as Josie, her professional counterparts refer to her as
Jordanna. The sobriquet Josie is a play on Jorsie, which her younger brother called her as a child,
since he couldn't pronounce her name. So, she had "Josie", but something was missing—what
about Jamminess? She had fallen in love with Soca star Macheal Montano’s song that year of the
same name, and together “Josie’s Jamishness” became the appellation, it had a certain je ne sais
quoi to it, unbeknownst to her, this birthday lime would in time become the blueprint for other
J’ouvert parties, outside of the carnival season.
So, just what was the first event like? "It was really exciting; I invited 250 of my friends, and
I applied... I probably shouldn’t say this," she giggles mischievously, and then proceeds: "I
applied for a permit to use Macqueripe; as a walk for Christ..... The invitations at that time
were a brown bag, in which I placed all the little treats, a waterproof phone case, your cup,
and of course your t-shirt among other stuff... It was really cute." The T-shirt with its simple
yet eye-catching design with a lone stick figure, that would become instantly recognizable.

While planning such an event would seem difficult to some of us, Jordanna, a seasoned
entrepreneur with several brands that have already achieved success, found it to be a welcomed
undertaking. Her chic business sense is evident in the confidence and professionalism with which
she discussed the details. However, she acknowledges that without the wonderful and family-like
relationship she has with Tribe Mas Band, it would have been a bit challenging. She is grateful to
them and the love and support they still share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How did this lavish birthday bash for family and friends evolve into Josie's Jamishness, the
juggerknot we know today? Well, for three years she footed the bill, but as the years passed and
the crowds kept growing, she knew some adjustments were necessary. Splitting the final cost
with her 250 friends was an option, however the decision was made to turn the birthday jam into
a business venture in the most Triniest of Trini ways. “So, I was behind the truck and Hypa
Hoppa who was one of the DJs that year stopped the music and asked everyone to wish me
a happy birthday and there was a girl beside me who said, ‘who de eff is Josie?’. .... after a
hearty laugh, it then really dawned on me that this was an event for people” she recalls.
Some minor tweaks were needed of course. First, the original invitation style of brown bags was
no longer practical, as brands were clamoring to have their products in her Jammers goodie bags;
thus, the era of the drawstring bags emerged, and what about the attendees? Simple, her original
Jammers, as they are called, filled out an excel sheet and submitted it directly to her so she could
ensure there were enough space and resources to cater to everyone’s needs. This ticketing style
will ultimately evolve into the now Island E ticket format. Her goal remained the same, to create
a euphoric atmosphere of family, fun and love through it all. "As a feter, I consider what I
would want and incorporate it into my event. I want to ensure my jammers have the best
experience possible. I examine the tiny details as closely as I make the bigger decisions—is
the restroom too far? Simple things like that. When we had to change locations, I went to
Wallerfield and found the commute too remote for my jammers, and the walk to the actual
location after parking was also a bit lengthy. They have been supportive, and we are a
family, so I won’t cut any corners, it’s about creating the best event for them. It's value for
money, yes, but we really are a family!” she declares.
Every event has its share of bumps in the road, and Josie's Jamishness is no exception.
Macaquriepe, Chaguaramas being their only residence since inception, until 2015, when they had
their permit rescinded weeks before their annual party. Her permit cancellation came due to a
noise pollution issue. CDA had started enforcing stricter regulation to protect the indigenous
wildlife. She, an animal lover herself, agreed with the organization’s stance. The cunning
business magnate, not one to be defeated easily, quickly regrouped moving her jammers to
Couva. Her partygoers had also grown in size to the thousands by this point. An area of concern
for her then, and now, is our lack of infrastructure to handle the size of crowds her event draws.
We must keep in mind that Jose’s Jamishness is no longer just a Trinbagonian thing but a
regional and international affair. Keeping with the theme of change, they now strategically select
dates for their event, to not clash with our Caribbean neighbors and their own burgeoning
Carnival. Jordanna Hadeed’s brand “Josie’s Jamishness” has cemented itself as an unstoppable
force responsible for shattering the mold of “a once-a-year" J’ouvert, becoming a staple and well
sought after party 15years in. However, she is the first to point out areas that require
improvement, “We have a really strong jammers family that has grown up with us. Because
we have been around for 15 years, folks who were in their 20s are now in their 30s, and
those who were in their 30s are now in their 40s. As a result, for the past 3 years we have
been trying to attract more young people to come experience Josie's, the first and the best,
so that's what I'm looking into.” she confesses.
Where does a mammoth brand like Josie’s Jamishness go from here? “Josie’s Jamishness will
be here till our jammers say otherwise, we are always looking at ways to grow and make
our events even better. During the pre-covid years I would say from 2017, we saw a decline
in our numbers so when they pandemic happened, I was really able to sit and examine
everything...then post pandemic we were the first to throw a major party, we also used our
platform to advocate for taking the vaccination” Mrs. Hadeed explained, “this year we also
embarked on a solo carnival J'ouvert band, and it was a learning experience” . When asked
what advice she would provide to someone desiring to begin a journey of not just arranging
J'ouvert parties but also events in general, she was quite open.: “Loyalty, 15 years in and I still
have the same security, bartenders everything, be accessible to people and treat your
partygoer the way you want to be treated, ensure your patrons get value for their money.

It's about eating little and living long at times”, she goes on” I still consider this a

mom-and-pop organization”. With the success of Josie’s, just was some of their philanthropic
endeavors? “I think that’s the one part I regret a bit, as an induvial I am known for my
charitable contributions, but I never aligned the brand per se. This year however Josie’s
Jamishness partnered with Penta paint to repaint Princess Elizabeth Home walls post the
carnival season, and I have also been looking into what other organizations and ways I can
do more as a business”
The woman who led us on a wild J'ouvert ride in 2008 is now happily married and has two
adorable kids, who also briefly joined us when we chatted. Her brand’s newly redesigned logo
now includes two stick figures to represent her children, a reflection of her blissful state. With a
family now, she has no desire to be relegated to wife and motherly duties but is willing and able
to take on any new challenges, or business opportunity that is presented. And with so many
possibilities for Josie’s Jamishness, they are far from over. As fans, jammers, and Trinbagonians,
we eagerly await the Jamishness family's next project. A mas band? Perhaps a "Jamishness
sunscreen" or even a self-help book on being a mogul—the brand's potential is limitless.