Rhythm is the reason thousands of people flock to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and each year, in the heart of the fairgrounds, the Cultural Exchange Pavilion pays homage to a different country or territory.
This year, the pavilion pays tribute to Jamaica with food, drinks and artists from across the island, including communities affected by Hurricane Melissa.
Melissa was one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall and wreaked havoc in Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, causing dozens of deaths in the Caribbean.
For Omar Daley, the invitation to the Jazz Fest was a lifeline for rebuilding his home in Jamaica.
"I lost my products, I lost my raw materials. The first thing to do was to make sure my family was safe."
Daley is originally from the parish of Westmoreland, where he founded First Straw, a company that makes handcrafted baskets and home decor items in collaboration with Falmouth's Artisan Village.
The festival's sponsors helped Daley and his wife prepare for and travel to one of Louisiana's biggest annual events.
"Even when all seems lost, hope returns," he said.
For his first participation in the Jazz Fest, he hopes to preserve the art of basketry and introduce the Jamaican atmosphere to New Orleans.
This year's festival will also feature concerts from Jamaican musicians such as Sean Paul, Stephen and Ziggy Marley, as well as other artists like Lila Ike, Jesse Royal, Rik Jam and the Island Federation.
