History · St. Elizabeth · written in Patois with an English translation
Black River a di capital a St. Elizabeth, an a one a di oldes tung dem inna Jamaica. Inna di 1800s dem, dis likkle seaside tung did rich-rich. Wha mek? Logwood. Dem cut di logwood tree weh grow all bout di parish, an ship i out fram Black River harbour go a farin, weh factory bwile i dung mek black an blue dye fi cloth. Whole heap a money run tru di tung, an di merchant dem build big pretty gingerbread house all along di waterfront. An hear dis one: inna 1893, Black River tun di FUS tung inna di whole a Jamaica fi get electric light — before Kingston self! Dem light up one house dem call Waterloo House fus, an people come fram all bout fi see di bright light a night time. Dem seh di tung see some a di fus car dem an race horse track dem inna Jamaica too — a real tung a firsts. Den di worl change: factory find chemical dye, di logwood trade dead dung, an Black River tun quiet again. But di history still deh deh. Tideh yuh kyan walk pass di ol' courthouse an di church, tek boat ride up di Black River self — one a di longes riva dem inna Jamaica — an watch crocodile a sun demself inna di morass. Quiet riva run deep, yuh hear?
Black River is the capital of St. Elizabeth and one of the oldest towns in Jamaica. In the 1800s, this little seaside town was very wealthy. From what? Logwood. They cut the logwood trees that grow all over the parish and shipped them out from Black River harbour to foreign countries, where factories boiled the wood down to make black and blue dye for cloth. A great deal of money flowed through the town, and the merchants built big, pretty gingerbread houses all along the waterfront. And hear this one: in 1893, Black River became the FIRST town in all of Jamaica to get electric light — before Kingston itself! They lit up a house called Waterloo House first, and people came from all around to see the bright lights at night. They say the town also saw some of Jamaica's first cars and horse-racing tracks — a real town of firsts. Then the world changed: factories discovered chemical dyes, the logwood trade died down, and Black River grew quiet again. But the history is still there. Today you can walk past the old courthouse and the church, take a boat ride up the Black River itself — one of the longest rivers in Jamaica — and watch crocodiles sunning themselves in the morass. Still waters run deep, you hear?
Black River a di kyapital a St. Elizabeth, an a wan a di uoldis tong dem iina Jamieka. Iina di 1800z dem, dis likl siisaid tong did rich-rich. Wa mek? Lagwud. Dem kot di lagwud chrii we gruo aal bout di parish, an ship i out fram Black River haaba go a farin, we faktri bwail i dong mek blak an bluu dai fi klaat. Uol hiip a moni ron chuu di tong, an di morchant dem bil big priti jinjabred ous aal alang di waatafront. An ier dis wan: iina 1893, Black River ton di FOS tong iina di uol a Jamieka fi get ilekchrik lait — bifuo Kingston self! Dem lait op wan ous dem kaal Waterloo House fos, an piipl kom fram aal bout fi si di brait lait a nait taim. Dem se di tong si som a di fos kyaar dem an ries haas chrak dem iina Jamieka tuu — a riil tong a fosiz. Den di worl chienj: faktri fain kemikal dai, di lagwud chried ded dong, an Black River ton kwaiat agen. Bot di hischri stil de de. Tide yu kyan waak paas di uol kuotous an di choch, tek buot raid op di Black River self — wan a di langis riva dem iina Jamieka — an wach krokodail a son demself iina di maras. Kwaiat riva ron diip, yu ier?
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in St. Elizabeth →