National heroes · St. Thomas · written in Patois with an English translation
Every hero have a home, an Paul Bogle home was Stony Gut, one likkle village up inna di hill dem abov Morant Bay. Dem believe seh im baan free, roun 1822. Im was a Baptist deacon — George William Gordon mek im deacon, memba? — an im have im own chapel a Stony Gut. Dem time deh, slavery done aready, but freedom neva feel free: di poor people dem no have no land, dem cyaan vote, an di courthouse no gi dem no justice. Bogle try di peaceful way first — im even walk more dan forty mile go a Spanish Town fi see di govana, but di govana naa hear dem. So pon di eleventh a October, 1865, Bogle lead hundreds a people pon a march go a di Morant Bay courthouse. Fighting buss out, di courthouse ketch fire, an people dead pon both side. Di answer from Govana Eyre was terrible: soldier dem kill an execute more dan four hundred people, bun dung ova one tousan house, an mash up Stony Gut. Dem ketch Bogle an hang im pon di twenty-fourth a October, 1865. But im death neva waste. Britain tek weh di ole Assembly, an inna time, change did haffi come. Inna 1969 Jamaica name Paul Bogle a National Hero. Im statue stand up a Morant Bay tideh — a deacon weh dead fi justice.
Every hero has a home, and Paul Bogle's home was Stony Gut, a little village up in the hills above Morant Bay. It is believed he was born free, around 1822. He was a Baptist deacon — George William Gordon made him a deacon, remember? — and he had his own chapel at Stony Gut. In those days slavery was already over, but freedom never felt free: the poor had no land, they couldn't vote, and the courthouse gave them no justice. Bogle tried the peaceful way first — he even walked more than forty miles to Spanish Town to see the governor, but the governor wouldn't hear them. So on the eleventh of October, 1865, Bogle led hundreds of people on a march to the Morant Bay courthouse. Fighting broke out, the courthouse caught fire, and people died on both sides. The answer from Governor Eyre was terrible: soldiers killed and executed more than four hundred people, burned down over a thousand houses, and destroyed Stony Gut. They caught Bogle and hanged him on the twenty-fourth of October, 1865. But his death was not wasted. Britain took away the old Assembly, and in time, change had to come. In 1969 Jamaica named Paul Bogle a National Hero. His statue stands at Morant Bay today — a deacon who died for justice.
Evri hiiro av a huom, an Paul Bogle huom waz Stony Gut, wan likl vilij op iina di hil dem abov Morant Bay. Dem biliiv se im baan frii, roun 1822. Im waz a Baptist diikan — George William Gordon mek im diikan, memba? — an im av im uon chapl a Stony Gut. Dem taim de, slievri don aredi, bot friidom neva fiil frii: di puor piipl dem no av no lan, dem kyaahn vuot, an di kuotous no gi dem no jostis. Bogle chrai di piisful wie fos — im iivn waak muor dan faati mail go a Spanish Town fi si di govana, bot di govana naa ier dem. So pon di ilevent a October, 1865, Bogle liid honjredz a piipl pon a maach go a di Morant Bay kuotous. Faitin bos out, di kuotous kech faiya, an piipl ded pon buot said. Di ansa fram Govana Eyre waz teribl: suoja dem kil an eksikyuut muor dan fuor honjred piipl, bon dong uova wan touzan ous, an mash op Stony Gut. Dem kech Bogle an hang im pon di twenti-fuot a October, 1865. Bot im det neva wies. Britain tek we di uol Assembly, an iina taim, chienj did afi kom. Iina 1969 Jamieka niem Paul Bogle a National Hero. Im stachu stan op a Morant Bay tide — a diikan we ded fi jostis.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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