History · Hanover · written in Patois with an English translation
Lucea, di capital a Hanover, a one quiet harbour tung wid one a di sweetes story eena Jamaica history. Right a di tung centre, pon top a di ol courthouse, one clock tower tan up wid a dome weh shape like a sodja helmet. An hear how i reach deh: back eena 1817, one clock did a travel fram Europe, intended fi di island a St. Lucia. But di ship drop i off a di wrong place — Lucea, Jamaica! Name soun close, an so di mix-up happen. When di Hanover people dem see di clock, dem fall in love wid i one time. I did prettier an granda dan di modest one weh dem did order. So dem simply refuse fi send i back! Di tung tek up collection fi pay di difference, an one German landowner eena di area help pay fi build di tower fi house i — an dem seh a im mek di dome fayva di helmet a di German Royal Guard. Di clock a keep time fi Lucea fi ova two hundred year now. Lucea have odda claim to fame too: back eena di 1800s, di harbour did busy wid sugar an provisions, an di famous Lucea yam — weh farmer dem still grow — get i name fram di port weh use to ship i out. Nex time smadi tell yu seh mistake cyaan tun blessing, jus point dem to di clock a Lucea.
Lucea, the capital of Hanover, is a quiet harbour town with one of the sweetest stories in Jamaican history. Right at the town centre, on top of the old courthouse, stands a clock tower with a dome shaped like a soldier's helmet. And here is how it got there: back in 1817, a clock was travelling from Europe, intended for the island of St. Lucia. But the ship dropped it off at the wrong place — Lucea, Jamaica! The names sound alike, and so the mix-up happened. When the people of Hanover saw the clock, they fell in love with it at once. It was prettier and grander than the modest one they had ordered. So they simply refused to send it back! The town took up a collection to pay the difference, and a German landowner in the area helped pay to build the tower to house it — and they say it is because of him that the dome resembles the helmet of the German Royal Guard. The clock has kept time for Lucea for over two hundred years now. Lucea has other claims to fame too: back in the 1800s the harbour was busy with sugar and provisions, and the famous Lucea yam — which farmers still grow — took its name from the port that used to ship it out. Next time someone tells you a mistake cannot become a blessing, just point them to the clock at Lucea.
Lucea, di kyapital a Hanover, a wan kwaiyat haaba tong wid wan a di swiitis stuori iina Jamieka hischri. Rait a di tong senta, pon tap a di uol kuotous, wan klak towa tan op wid a duom we shiep laik a suoja helmit. An ier ou i riich de: bak iina 1817, wan klak did a chravl fram Europe, intendid fi di ailan a St. Lucia. Bot di ship jrap i aaf a di rang plies — Lucea, Jamieka! Niem soun kluos, an so di miks-op hapm. Wen di Hanover piipl dem si di klak, dem faal iin lov wid i wan taim. I did pritiya an granda dan di madis wan we dem did aada. So dem simpli rifyuuz fi sen i bak! Di tong tek op kolekshan fi pie di difrans, an wan German lan-uona iina di ieriya help pie fi bil di towa fi ous i — an dem se a im mek di duom fieva di helmit a di German Royal Guard. Di klak a kiip taim fi Lucea fi uova tuu honjred ier nou. Lucea av ada kliem tu fiem tuu: bak iina di 1800s, di haaba did bizi wid shuga an provijan, an di fiemos Lucea yam — we faama dem stil gruo — get i niem fram di puot we yuus tu ship i out. Neks taim sumadi tel yu se mistiek kyaahn ton blesin, jos paint dem tu di klak a Lucea.
Higman traces the Lucea yam's name to the port town it was shipped through in quantity in the nineteenth century.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in Hanover →