Food · St. Elizabeth · written in Patois with an English translation
Dung inna di Nassau Valley, unda di Cockpit Country hill dem, yuh fine Appleton Estate. A deh-so dem a mek rum fram 1749 — dat a di fus time anybody write dung bout rum a mek pon di estate, an di estate call ifself di oldes distillery inna Jamaica weh still a run. But di record no run straight tru: di land grant go back to 1655, di 1749 note come outta di Dickinson family paper dem, an afta dat di nex solid trace a one advertisement fi Appleton rum inna a Kingston paper inna 1890. Di estate grow im own sugar cane inna di valley, an di wata weh dem use spring up tru di limestone rock dem — dat deh combination gi Appleton rum im own special taste, dem seh. Rum weave up inna Jamaica big-people culture fram long time: dem use i fi toast di couple a weddn, dem pour likkle pon di grung fi di ancestor dem a nine-night, an granny keep a likkle white rum inna cupboard fi rub cold outta chest. One more ting fi big up: Joy Spence, a Jamaican ooman an scientist, tun master blender a Appleton inna 1997 — di fus ooman inna di whole worl spirits industry fi hold dat deh title. Nuff a di sugar wukman family dem roun Siloah an Maggotty get dem living fram di estate fi generation. But hear di serious part, an wi naa mek joke: rum a fi BIG PEOPLE alone, an even fi dem, likkle-likkle a di way — too much a i mash up health, family an pocket. Wi study i ya as history an culture, no as invitation. Respect i, no glamorize i.
Down in the Nassau Valley, beneath the Cockpit Country hills, you find Appleton Estate. It is there that they have been making rum since 1749 — that is the first time anyone wrote down that rum was being made on the estate, and the estate calls itself the oldest distillery in Jamaica still running. But the record does not run straight through: the land grant goes back to 1655, the 1749 note comes out of the Dickinson family papers, and after that the next solid trace is an advertisement for Appleton rum in a Kingston paper in 1890. The estate grows its own sugar cane in the valley, and the water they use springs up through the limestone rock — that combination gives Appleton rum its own special taste, they say. Rum has been woven into Jamaican adult culture for a long time: it is used to toast couples at weddings, a little is poured on the ground for the ancestors at nine-night, and grandmothers keep a little white rum in the cupboard to rub a cold out of the chest. One more thing to celebrate: Joy Spence, a Jamaican woman and scientist, became master blender at Appleton in 1997 — the first woman in the world spirits industry to hold that title. Many of the sugar-worker families around Siloah and Maggotty have earned their living from the estate for generations. But here is the serious part, and we are not joking: rum is for ADULTS only, and even for them, moderation is the way — too much of it ruins health, family and pocket. We study it here as history and culture, not as an invitation. Respect it, don't glamorize it.
Dong iina di Nassau Valley, onda di Cockpit Country hil dem, yu fain Appleton Estate. A de-so dem a mek rom fram 1749 — dat a di fos taim enibadi rait dong bout rom a mek pon di estiet, an di estiet kaal iself di uoldis distilari iina Jamieka we stil a ron. Bot di rikaad no ron schriet chuu: di lan graant go bak tu 1655, di 1749 nuot kom outa di Dickinson fambili piepa dem, an afta dat di neks salid chries a wan advataizment fi Appleton rom iina a Kingston piepa iina 1890. Di estiet gruo im uon shuga kien iina di vali, an di waata we dem yuuz spring op chuu di laimstuon rak dem — dat de kambinieshan gi Appleton rom im uon speshal ties, dem se. Rom wiiv op iina Jamieka big-piipl kolcha fram lang taim: dem yuuz i fi tuos di kopl a wedn, dem puor likl pan di grong fi di ansesta dem a nain-nait, an grani kiip a likl wait rom iina kobad fi rob kuol outa ches. Wan muor ting fi big op: Joy Spence, a Jamiekan uman an sayantis, ton maasta blenda a Appleton iina 1997 — di fos uman iina di uol worl spirits indoschri fi huol dat de taitl. Nof a di shuga wokman fambili dem roun Siloah an Maggotty get dem livin fram di estiet fi janarieshan. Bot ier di siiryos paat, an wi naa mek juok: rom a fi BIG PIIPL aluon, an iivn fi dem, likl-likl a di wie — tuu moch a i mash op helt, fambili an pakit. Wi stodi i ya az hischri an kolcha, no az invitieshan. Rispek i, no glamaraiz i.
Higman documents the Jamaican rum industry of this period. He does not evidence an unbroken run from 1749; his earliest documentary trace of Appleton rum is an 1890 Kingston advertisement, which is why this capsule states the gap in the record rather than claiming 275 continuous years.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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