History · Kingston · written in Patois with an English translation
Mek mi tell yu how Kingston baan — outta wata an earthquake. Long time aback, di richest town inna di region was Port Royal, out pon di harbour mouth. Dem did call i di wickedest city pon earth, full a pirate an gold. But pon di seventh a June, 1692, one mighty earthquake come, an more dan half a Port Royal sink right dung inna di sea. Tousans a people dead. Di people weh survive cross di harbour an set up camp pon di plain — an dat camp grow an tun Kingston. Di city grow so big an strong dat inna 1872 i tek over from Spanish Town as di capital a Jamaica. Kingston see more trouble — one big earthquake an fire mash i up inna 1907 — but di people dem always build back. An di belly a di city? Dat a Coronation Market, dung a west Kingston. Dem gi i dat name fi honour di coronation a King George di Sixth inna 1937. A di biggest fresh-food maakit inna di whole English-speaking Caribbean. Higgla dem come from every parish — yam from Trelawny, scallion from St. Elizabeth, mango from everyweh — an di maakit full up wid bawl-out an bargain from before day light. When yu waan feel di real heartbeat a Kingston, a deh-so yu go.
Let me tell you how Kingston was born — out of water and earthquake. Long ago, the richest town in the region was Port Royal, out at the harbour mouth. They called it the wickedest city on earth, full of pirates and gold. But on the seventh of June, 1692, a mighty earthquake came, and more than half of Port Royal sank right down into the sea. Thousands of people died. The survivors crossed the harbour and set up camp on the plain — and that camp grew and became Kingston. The city grew so big and strong that in 1872 it took over from Spanish Town as the capital of Jamaica. Kingston saw more trouble — a big earthquake and fire wrecked it in 1907 — but the people always rebuilt. And the belly of the city? That is Coronation Market, in west Kingston. It was given that name to honour the coronation of King George VI in 1937. It is the biggest fresh-food market in the English-speaking Caribbean. Higglers come from every parish — yam from Trelawny, scallion from St. Elizabeth, mangoes from everywhere — and the market fills up with shouting and bargaining from before daybreak. When you want to feel the real heartbeat of Kingston, that is where you go.
Mek mi tel yu ou Kingston baan — outa waata an ortkwiek. Lang taim abak, di richis toun iina di riijan waz Port Royal, out pon di haaba mout. Dem did kaal i di wikidis siti pon ort, ful a pairit an guol. Bot pon di sevent a June, 1692, wan maiti ortkwiek kom, an muor dan haaf a Port Royal singk rait dong iina di sii. Touzanz a piipl ded. Di piipl we sovaiv kraas di haaba an set op kyamp pon di plien — an dat kyamp gruo an ton Kingston. Di siti gruo so big an schrang dat iina 1872 i tek uova fram Spanish Town az di kyapital a Jamieka. Kingston si muor chrobl — wan big ortkwiek an faiya mash i op iina 1907 — bot di piipl dem aalwiez bil bak. An di beli a di siti? Dat a Coronation Market, dong a wes Kingston. Dem gi i dat niem fi ana di koronieshan a King George di Siks iina 1937. A di bigis fresh-fuud maakit iina di uol English-speaking Caribbean. Higla dem kom fram evri parish — yam fram Trelawny, skalyan fram St. Elizabeth, manggo fram evriwe — an di maakit ful op wid baal-out an baagin fram bifuo die lait. Wen yu waahn fiil di riil haatbiit a Kingston, a de-so yu go.
Higman documents the higgler distribution system this capsule describes. He treats Coronation Market itself only in passing, so the market's own history rests on the other source listed.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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