Music · St. Andrew · written in Patois with an English translation
Everybody inna Jamaica know di phrase 'meet mi a Half Way Tree.' A di capital a St. Andrew, an di busiest crossroads pon di island. Di name come from one giant cotton tree weh did stand right deh-so from long-long time. Faama dem, when dem a walk from di hills go a Kingston maakit, wooda stop an res unda di tree — i mark di halfway point pon di journey. Di tree gaan now, but pon di same spot dem build one clock tower inna 1913, as a memorial fi King Edward di Seventh. Di clock a di meeting spot fi di whole city tideh. An a right roun ya-so di modern music beat. Afta reggae conquer di world, di music change again inna di late 1970s an di 1980s: sound system dem string up big box inna dance, an deejay dem start chat lyrics pon riddim. Dem call di new style dancehall, afta di place weh i baan — di dance hall dem. Dancehall a Jamaica pop music: fast riddim, sharp lyrics, new dance move every month, an fashion weh bright like hummingbird. Every year big stage show keep di culture alive — Sting start inna 1984, an Reggae Sumfest a run a Montego Bay from 1993, weh dem call di greatest reggae show pon earth. Artist clash pon stage wid pure lyrics — a word-sport, an di crowd a di judge.
Everybody in Jamaica knows the phrase 'meet me at Half Way Tree.' It is the capital of St. Andrew, and the busiest crossroads on the island. The name comes from a giant cotton tree that stood right there from long ago. Farmers, walking from the hills to the Kingston markets, would stop and rest under the tree — it marked the halfway point of the journey. The tree is gone now, but on the same spot a clock tower was built in 1913, as a memorial to King Edward VII. The clock is the meeting spot for the whole city today. And it is right around here that modern music beats. After reggae conquered the world, the music changed again in the late 1970s and the 1980s: sound systems strung up big speaker boxes at dances, and deejays began chatting lyrics over rhythm tracks. They called the new style dancehall, after the place where it was born — the dance halls. Dancehall is Jamaica's pop music: fast riddims, sharp lyrics, new dance moves every month, and fashion as bright as a hummingbird. Every year big stage shows keep the culture alive — Sting started in 1984, and Reggae Sumfest has run in Montego Bay since 1993, billed as the greatest reggae show on earth. Artists clash on stage with pure lyrics — a word-sport, and the crowd is the judge.
Evribadi iina Jamieka nuo di friez 'miit mi a Half Way Tree.' A di kyapital a St. Andrew, an di biziis kraasruodz pon di ailan. Di niem kom fram wan jaiyant katn chrii we did stan rait de-so fram lang-lang taim. Faama dem, wen dem a waak fram di hilz go a Kingston maakit, wuda stap an res onda di chrii — i maak di haafwie paint pon di jorni. Di chrii gaan nou, bot pon di siem spat dem bil wan klak towa iina 1913, az a mimuoriyal fi King Edward di Sevent. Di klak a di miitin spat fi di uol siti tide. An a rait roun ya-so di madan myuuzik biit. Afta rege kangka di worl, di myuuzik chienj agen iina di liet 1970s an di 1980s: soun sistim dem schring op big baks iina daans, an diijie dem staat chat liriks pon ridim. Dem kaal di nyuu stail daansaal, afta di plies we i baan — di daans aal dem. Daansaal a Jamieka pap myuuzik: faas ridim, shaap liriks, nyuu daans muuv evri mont, an fashan we brait laik hominbod. Evri ier big stiej shuo kiip di kolcha alaiv — Sting staat iina 1984, an Reggae Sumfest a ron a Montego Bay fram 1993, we dem kaal di grietis rege shuo pon ort. Aatis klash pon stiej wid pyuur liriks — a wod-spuot, an di kroud a di joj.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in St. Andrew →