Work and economy · Hanover · written in Patois with an English translation
Hanover a one sea parish thru an thru. Di whole a i north side face di Caribbean Sea, an all along di coast yu fine likkle fishing community dem — Green Island, Hopewell, Sandy Bay, an Lucea itself. Fram time immemorial, di sea feed Hanover. Maanin time, before day even light good, di fisherman dem push out dem canoe an boat go look snapper, jack, parrot fish an lobster. When dem come een back, di beach come alive: higgla a buy fi go sell a maakit, ooman dem a clean fish, an smadi always deh-deh a roast or fry fresh fish right pon di beach side. Fish tea, escovitch fish, steam fish wid okra — a so Hanover nyam. Di sea economy a no fishing alone. Farming always did strong eena di parish — yam, sugar back eena di day, an ginger — an now tourism a grow long di coast too. Hopewell sidung close to some big resort, an nuff Hanover people wuk ova dem or eena Negril, jus cross di border eena Westmoreland. So plenty family have one foot eena di sea an one foot eena di hotel dem. Life eena di fishing village dem no easy — fish stock a get scarcer, an storm kyan mash up boat an gear one time. But di sea culture strong: quiet riva run deep, dem seh, an Hanover people love dem likkle parish, i one-an-two traffic light, an i fresh fish more dan anyweh else pon eart.
Hanover is a sea parish through and through. Its whole northern side faces the Caribbean Sea, and all along the coast you find little fishing communities — Green Island, Hopewell, Sandy Bay, and Lucea itself. From time immemorial, the sea has fed Hanover. In the mornings, before it is even fully light, the fishermen push out their canoes and boats to hunt snapper, jack, parrot fish and lobster. When they come back in, the beach comes alive: vendors buying to resell at market, women cleaning fish, and someone always there roasting or frying fresh fish right on the beachside. Fish tea, escovitch fish, steamed fish with okra — that is how Hanover eats. The sea economy is not fishing alone. Farming has always been strong in the parish — yam, sugar back in the day, and ginger — and now tourism is growing along the coast too. Hopewell sits close to some big resorts, and many Hanover people work at them or in Negril, just across the border in Westmoreland. So plenty of families have one foot in the sea and one foot in the hotels. Life in the fishing villages is not easy — fish stocks are getting scarcer, and a storm can destroy boats and gear in an instant. But the sea culture is strong: still waters run deep, as they say, and Hanover people love their little parish, its one-or-two traffic lights, and its fresh fish more than anywhere else on earth.
Hanover a wan sii parish chuu an chuu. Di uol a i naat said fies di Caribbean Sea, an aal alang di kuos yu fain likl fishin komyuniti dem — Green Island, Hopewell, Sandy Bay, an Lucea itself. Fram taim imemuoriyal, di sii fiid Hanover. Maanin taim, bifuo die iivn lait gud, di fishaman dem push out dem kunuu an buot go luk snapa, jak, parat fish an labsta. Wen dem kom iin bak, di biich kom alaiv: higla a bai fi go sel a maakit, uman dem a kliin fish, an sumadi aalwiez de-de a ruos ar frai fresh fish rait pon di biich said. Fish tii, eskovich fish, stiim fish wid okra — a so Hanover nyam. Di sii ikanami a no fishin aluon. Faamin aalwiez did schrang iina di parish — yam, shuga bak iina di die, an jinja — an nou tuorizim a gruo lang di kuos tuu. Hopewell sidong kluos tu som big rizaat, an nof Hanover piipl wok uova dem ar iina Negril, jos kraas di baada iina Westmoreland. So plenti famili av wan fut iina di sii an wan fut iina di huotel dem. Laif iina di fishin vilij dem no iizi — fish stak a get skiersa, an staam kyan mash op buot an gier wan taim. Bot di sii kolcha schrang: kwaiyat riva ron diip, dem se, an Hanover piipl lov dem likl parish, i wan-an-tuu chrafik lait, an i fresh fish muor dan eniwe els pon ort.
Higman gives a documented history of Jamaica's inshore small-boat fishery, which is the general framing this capsule uses. He names none of these Hanover communities.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in Hanover →