Work and economy · Manchester · written in Patois with an English translation
Manchester a hill country. Mandeville, di capital, siddung bout two tousan foot up inna di air, so di breeze blow cool-cool even when di coast a bun up. Di parish start inna 1814, name afta di Duke of Manchester, weh did a Governor a Jamaica dat time, an dem lay out Mandeville roun a square jus like a likkle English country tung. But di real story deh unda di grung. Di red-red dirt weh yuh see all ova Manchester full a bauxite — di ore weh dem mek aluminium outta. Inna di 1950s, big company like Alcan set up plant near Mandeville (the Kirkvine works), an by di 1960s, bauxite company dem did a gi more dan tree tousan people wuk. Di mining money change evryting: house build up, shop an bank open, school full up, an Mandeville tun one a di mos well-off tung dem inna Jamaica. Later on, nuff Jamaican weh did gaan a farin come back come settle inna di cool hills, an dem call Mandeville di returning-resident capital. An no figet di coffee! Fram di 1700s dem, coffee a grow pon di cool hillside dem, an tideh di factory a Williamsfield still a process di sweet high-mountain coffee. Bauxite have im up an dung — mine open, mine close — but di red dirt, di cool breeze an di coffee smell still a Manchester own. Evri mickle mek a muckle, an Manchester mek i wuk.
Manchester is hill country. Mandeville, the capital, sits about two thousand feet up in the air, so the breeze blows cool even when the coast is burning hot. The parish was created in 1814, named after the Duke of Manchester, who was Governor of Jamaica at that time, and Mandeville was laid out around a square just like a little English country town. But the real story is under the ground. The deep-red dirt you see all over Manchester is full of bauxite — the ore from which aluminium is made. In the 1950s, big companies like Alcan set up plants near Mandeville (the Kirkvine works), and by the 1960s the bauxite companies were employing more than three thousand people. The mining money changed everything: houses were built, shops and banks opened, schools filled up, and Mandeville became one of the most prosperous towns in Jamaica. Later on, many Jamaicans who had gone abroad came back and settled in the cool hills, and Mandeville is called the returning-resident capital. And don't forget the coffee! Since the 1700s, coffee has grown on the cool hillsides, and today the factory at Williamsfield still processes the sweet high-mountain coffee. Bauxite has had its ups and downs — mines open, mines close — but the red dirt, the cool breeze and the coffee smell still belong to Manchester. Every little adds up to a lot, and Manchester made it work.
Manchester a hil konchri. Mandeville, di kyapital, sidong bout tuu touzan fut op iina di ier, so di briiz bluo kuul-kuul iivn wen di kuos a bon op. Di parish staat iina 1814, niem afta di Duke of Manchester, we did a Govana a Jamieka dat taim, an dem lie out Mandeville roun a skwier jos laik a likl Inglish konchri tong. Bot di riil stuori de onda di grong. Di red-red dot we yu si aal uova Manchester ful a baaksait — di uor we dem mek aluminiom outa. Iina di 1950z, big kompini laik Alcan set op plaant nier Mandeville (the Kirkvine works), an bai di 1960z, baaksait kompini dem did a gi muor dan chrii touzan piipl wok. Di mainin moni chienj evriting: ous bil op, shap an bangk uopm, skuul ful op, an Mandeville ton wan a di muos wel-aaf tong dem iina Jamieka. Lieta aan, nof Jamiekan we did gaan a farin kom bak kom setl iina di kuul hilz, an dem kaal Mandeville di ritonin-rezident kyapital. An no figet di kaafi! Fram di 1700z dem, kaafi a gruo pan di kuul hilsaid dem, an tide di faktri a Williamsfield stil a pruoses di swiit hai-mountin kaafi. Baaksait hav im op an dong — main uopm, main kluoz — bot di red dot, di kuul briiz an di kaafi smel stil a Manchester uon. Evri mikl mek a mokl, an Manchester mek i wok.
Checked against Higman's Jamaican Food (2008); he confirms none of the claims on this page specifically, so he is not cited here.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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