Work and economy · Farin · written in Patois with an English translation
Fly outta Kingston an inna likkle more dan a hour an a half, yu lan a Florida. Dat a one big reason why South Florida tun inna 'Kingston 21' fi nuff yaadie. Broward County full a wi: Miramar, Sunrise, Plantation — an Lauderhill, weh people call 'Jamaica Hill', caa so much Jamaican live deh. Every plaza have patty shop an Jamaican restaurant; yu can buy hard dough bread an scotch bonnet pepper anyweh. Inna 2024, Lauderhill all elect one Jamaican-baan mayor, Denise Grant. But farin no just a place fi live — a economy fi yaad. Every year, fambily a farin send home more dan three billion US dolla inna remittance. Dat a one a di bigges' way foreign money come inna Jamaica — roun one outta every six dolla inna di whole economy — an di bigges' share a i come from di United States. So when yu granny get har likkle someting every mont, dat a part a someting big-big. An den di barrel! From October, di barrel dem start pack: rice, oil, powda milk, soap, clothes, sneakers, Christmas toy. Shipping company busy, wharf a Kingston full up, an pickney all bout Jamaica a wait pon dem barrel like Christmas self deh inna i — caa fi dem, i deh inna i fi true. Di barrel a love weh yu can touch.
Fly out of Kingston and in a little more than an hour and a half, you land in Florida. That is one big reason why South Florida became 'Kingston 21' for many Jamaicans. Broward County is full of us: Miramar, Sunrise, Plantation — and Lauderhill, which people call 'Jamaica Hill', because so many Jamaicans live there. Every plaza has a patty shop and a Jamaican restaurant; you can buy hard dough bread and scotch bonnet peppers anywhere. In 2024, Lauderhill even elected a Jamaican-born mayor, Denise Grant. But farin is not just a place to live — it is an economy for home. Every year, families abroad send home more than three billion US dollars in remittances. That is one of the biggest ways foreign money comes into Jamaica — around one out of every six dollars in the whole economy — and the biggest share of it comes from the United States. So when your granny gets her 'little something' every month, that is part of something very big. And then the barrel! From October, the barrels start packing: rice, oil, powdered milk, soap, clothes, sneakers, Christmas toys. The shipping companies are busy, the wharf in Kingston fills up, and children all over Jamaica wait on their barrel as if Christmas itself is inside it — because for them, it truly is. The barrel is love you can touch.
Flai outa Kingston an iina likl muor dan a owa an a aaf, yu lan a Florida. Dat a wan big riizn wai South Florida ton iina 'Kingston 21' fi nof yaadi. Broward County ful a wi: Miramar, Sunrise, Plantation — an Lauderhill, we piipl kaal 'Jamieka Hill', kaa so moch Jamiekan liv de. Evri plaaza av pati shap an Jamiekan restarant; yu kyan bai aad duo bred an skach banit pepa eniwe. Iina 2024, Lauderhill aal ilek wan Jamiekan-baan mieya, Denise Grant. Bot farin no jos a plies fi liv — a ikanomi fi yaad. Evri ier, fambili a farin sen uom muor dan chrii bilyan US dala iina remitans. Dat a wan a di bigis wie farin moni kom iina Jamieka — roun wan outa evri siks dala iina di uol ikanomi — an di bigis shier a i kom fram di United States. So wen yu grani get ar likl somting evri mont, dat a paat a somting big-big. An den di baril! Fram Aktuoba, di baril dem staat pak: rais, ail, pouda milk, suop, kluoz, sniikaz, Krismos tai. Shipin kompini bizi, waaf a Kingston ful op, an pikni aal bout Jamieka a wiet pan dem baril laik Krismos self de iina i — kaa fi dem, i de iina i fi chuu. Di baril a lov we yu kyan toch.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in Farin →