History · St. Catherine · written in Patois with an English translation
Before Kingston did name capital, a Spanish Town run tings — fi more dan tree hundred year. Di Spanish dem set i up inna 1534 an call i Villa de la Vega. When di English tek Jamaica inna 1655, dem keep di town as capital an call i Spanish Town, fi memba di people weh build i fus. Di town square a one history book inna stone. Deh so yu fine di ole King's House, weh di governor did live, an di Rodney Memorial wid i marble statue. Di cathedral, St. Jago de la Vega, tan up pon a spot weh church deh from Spanish time — a one a di oldes Anglican cathedral outside a England. But di biggest day inna di square a di firs a August, 1838. Pon dat day dem read out di Emancipation Proclamation from di King's House steps, an full freedom come. Dat a why dem call i Emancipation Square tideh. Tink pon i: di same square weh slave law did pass, a deh so freedom announce. Inna 1872 di capital move go a Kingston, caa Kingston harbour bigga an business did done move deh aready. Spanish Town get quiet afta dat, but di ole stone dem still deh deh, an di national archives keep Jamaica memory right deh inna di ole capital.
Before Kingston was ever named capital, Spanish Town ran things — for more than three hundred years. The Spanish established it in 1534 and called it Villa de la Vega. When the English took Jamaica in 1655, they kept the town as capital and called it Spanish Town, to remember the people who first built it. The town square is a history book in stone. There you find the old King's House, where the governor lived, and the Rodney Memorial with its marble statue. The cathedral, St. Jago de la Vega, stands on a spot where a church has stood since Spanish times — one of the oldest Anglican cathedrals outside England. But the biggest day in the square was the first of August, 1838. On that day the Emancipation Proclamation was read out from the King's House steps, and full freedom came. That is why it is called Emancipation Square today. Think about it: the same square where slave laws were once passed is where freedom was announced. In 1872 the capital moved to Kingston, because Kingston's harbour was bigger and business had already moved there. Spanish Town grew quiet after that, but the old stones are still there, and the national archives keep Jamaica's memory right there in the old capital.
Bifuo Kingston did niem kyapital, a Spanish Town ron tingz — fi muor dan chrii onjred ier. Di Spanish dem set i op iina 1534 an kaal i Villa de la Vega. Wen di English tek Jamieka iina 1655, dem kiip di toun az kyapital an kaal i Spanish Town, fi memba di piipl we bil i fos. Di toun skwier a wan ischri buk iina stuon. De so yu fain di uol King's House, we di govana did liv, an di Rodney Memorial wid i maabl stachu. Di katiijral, St. Jago de la Vega, tan op pan a spat we chorch de fram Spanish taim — a wan a di uoldis Anglican katiijral outsaid a England. Bot di bigis die iina di skwier a di fos a Aagos, 1838. Pan dat die dem riid out di Emancipation Proclamation fram di King's House steps, an ful friidom kom. Dat a wai dem kaal i Emancipation Square tide. Tingk pan i: di siem skwier we sliev laa did paas, a de so friidom anouns. Iina 1872 di kyapital muuv go a Kingston, kaa Kingston aaba biga an bizniz did don muuv de aredi. Spanish Town get kwaiyat afta dat, bot di uol stuon dem stil de de, an di nashanal aakaivz kiip Jamieka memori rait de iina di uol kyapital.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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