Music · St. Catherine · written in Patois with an English translation
Cross di bridge from Kingston, pon di St. Catherine side, one whole young city spread out inna di sun — Portmore, weh dem call di Sunshine City. I start as housing scheme dem inna di late 1960 dem, fi gi Kingston workers somewheh fi live, an i grow so till more dan one hundred an fifty tousan people live deh now. Every maanin di highway full a Portmore people a drive go a town go wuk. But Portmore no jus sleep an wuk — i sing. From di 1990 dem come up, a Portmore breed some a di biggest name inna modern dancehall. Artist like Popcaan, Spice an Masicka come outta Portmore scheme dem, an di city stamp i name pon di music hard-hard. Weh Trench Town did do fi roots reggae, Portmore do fi di dancehall generation — gi di yout dem a sound an a story. Portmore have i horse racing to — Caymanas Park, di island biggest track, deh right deh. An di city so big an so proud dat inna 2025 dem officially decide seh Portmore a go tun Jamaica newest parish — di firs new parish inna more dan a hundred an fifty year. Sunshine City naa look back.
Across the bridge from Kingston, on the St. Catherine side, a whole young city spreads out in the sun — Portmore, which they call the Sunshine City. It started as housing schemes in the late 1960s, to give Kingston workers somewhere to live, and it grew until more than one hundred and fifty thousand people live there now. Every morning the highway is full of Portmore people driving into town to work. But Portmore doesn't just sleep and work — it sings. From the 1990s onward, Portmore bred some of the biggest names in modern dancehall. Artists like Popcaan, Spice and Masicka came out of Portmore's schemes, and the city has stamped its name on the music emphatically. What Trench Town did for roots reggae, Portmore has done for the dancehall generation — given the young people a sound and a story. Portmore has its horse racing too — Caymanas Park, the island's biggest track, is right there. And the city is so big and so proud that in 2025 it was officially decided that Portmore would become Jamaica's newest parish — the first new parish in more than one hundred and fifty years. Sunshine City isn't looking back.
Kraas di brij fram Kingston, pan di St. Catherine said, wan uol yong siti spred out iina di son — Portmore, we dem kaal di Sunshine City. I staat az ouzin skiim dem iina di liet 1960 dem, fi gi Kingston workaz somewe fi liv, an i gruo so til muor dan wan onjred an fifti touzan piipl liv de nou. Evri maanin di aiwie ful a Portmore piipl a jraiv go a toun go wok. Bot Portmore no jos sliip an wok — i sing. Fram di 1990 dem kom op, a Portmore briid som a di bigis niem iina madan daansaal. Aatis laik Popcaan, Spice an Masicka kom outa Portmore skiim dem, an di siti stamp i niem pan di myuuzik aad-aad. We Trench Town did du fi ruuts rege, Portmore du fi di daansaal jinarieshan — gi di yuut dem a soun an a stuori. Portmore av i aas riesin tu — Caymanas Park, di ailan bigis chrak, de rait de. An di siti so big an so proud dat iina 2025 dem ofishali disaid se Portmore a go ton Jamieka nyuuis parish — di fos nyuu parish iina muor dan a onjred an fifti ier. Sunshine City naa luk bak.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in St. Catherine →