Music · St. Ann · written in Patois with an English translation
Deep inna di St. Ann hill-dem, op one winding country road, yuh find one likkle village name Nine Mile. A deh-so Robert Nesta Marley baan, pon di 6th a February, 1945. Im madda, Cedella, a did young country ooman, an Bob grow op pon di hillside like any odda district pickney — plant likkle grung, tote wata, listen di old people dem sing inna church an tell dem story a night time. Di country life, di proverb-dem, di drum an di hymn — all a dat go eena di music lata. When im a yout, Bob lef Nine Mile go a Trenchtown inna Kingston, an from deh so im an di Wailers tek reggae music go a di whole worl'. Im sing bout love, bout sufferin', bout Africa an bout freedom, an di worl' listen. But im never figet di likkle village weh im come from — some a im sweetes' song dem full a Nine Mile memory. When Bob dead inna May 1981, dem kyai im home. Im res' now inna one tall marble mausoleum a Nine Mile, near di likkle house weh im baan, an dem put im guitar right deh wid im. Tideh, people from every corna a di worl' climb di winding road fi come see weh di King a Reggae start from. Likkle village, big-big legacy — small axe fall big tree, yuh see.
Deep in the St. Ann hills, up a winding country road, you find a little village named Nine Mile. That is where Robert Nesta Marley was born, on the 6th of February, 1945. His mother, Cedella, was a young country woman, and Bob grew up on the hillside like any other district child — tending a little plot, carrying water, listening to the old people singing in church and telling stories at night. The country life, the proverbs, the drums and the hymns — all of that went into the music later. As a youth, Bob left Nine Mile for Trenchtown in Kingston, and from there he and the Wailers took reggae music to the whole world. He sang about love, about suffering, about Africa and about freedom, and the world listened. But he never forgot the little village he came from — some of his sweetest songs are full of Nine Mile memories. When Bob died in May 1981, they carried him home. He rests now in a tall marble mausoleum at Nine Mile, near the little house where he was born, and they placed his guitar right there with him. Today, people from every corner of the world climb the winding road to see where the King of Reggae started from. A little village, an enormous legacy — a small axe can fell a big tree, you see.
Diip iina di St. Ann il-dem, op wan wainin konchri ruod, yu fain wan likl vilij niem Nine Mile. A de-so Robert Nesta Marley baan, pon di 6th a February, 1945. Im mada, Cedella, a did yong konchri uman, an Bob gruo op pon di ilsaid laik eni ada dischrik pikni — plaant likl grong, tuot wata, lisn di uol piipl dem sing iina choch an tel dem tuori a nait taim. Di konchri laif, di pravorb-dem, di jrom an di im — aal a dat go iina di myuuzik lieta. Wen im a yuut, Bob lef Nine Mile go a Trenchtown iina Kingston, an fram de so im an di Wailers tek rege myuuzik go a di uol worl. Im sing bout lov, bout sofrin, bout Africa an bout friidom, an di worl lisn. Bot im neva figet di likl vilij we im kom fram — som a im swiites sang dem ful a Nine Mile memri. Wen Bob ded iina May 1981, dem kyai im uom. Im res nou iina wan taal maabl mozoliyom a Nine Mile, nier di likl ous we im baan, an dem put im gitaa rait de wid im. Tide, piipl fram evri kaana a di worl klaim di wainin ruod fi kom si we di King a Rege staat fram. Likl vilij, big-big legasi — smaal aks faal big chrii, yu si.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in St. Ann →