National heroes · St. James · written in Patois with an English translation
Eena di miggle a Montego Bay yu fine Sam Sharpe Square, name afta one a di greates son a St. James. Sam Sharpe baan eena slavery right ya eena di parish, bout 1801. Even tho im enslave, im learn fi read, an im tun deacon a di Burchell Baptist Church eena MoBay. Sharpe study im Bible an im see clear-clear seh no man no fi own anodda man. Eena December 1831, im plan someting bold: a peaceful strike. Di plan simple — afta Christmas, di enslave people dem jus naa go back a wuk till backra pay dem fi dem labour. But tings buss out bigga dan di plan. Fire light up Kensington Estate pon di 27 a December, an di uprising spread ova di whole wes — dem seh bout sixty tousan enslave people tek part. Dem call i di Christmas Rebellion, or di Baptist War. Di British put i dung hard an wicked; hundred a people dead, an eena May 1832 dem hang Sam Sharpe right eena di square weh now carry im name. Before im dead im seh im wooda radda dead pon di gallows dan live eena slavery. Im no dead fi nutten: di rebellion shake up England so till Parliament pass di law fi abolish slavery eena 1833. Tideh Sam Sharpe a National Hero a Jamaica, an im face did deh pon di fifty dolla bill.
In the middle of Montego Bay you find Sam Sharpe Square, named after one of the greatest sons of St. James. Sam Sharpe was born into slavery right here in the parish, around 1801. Although he was enslaved, he learned to read, and he became a deacon at the Burchell Baptist Church in Montego Bay. Sharpe studied his Bible and saw with total clarity that no man should own another man. In December 1831 he planned something bold: a peaceful strike. The plan was simple — after Christmas, the enslaved people simply would not return to work until the planters paid them for their labour. But things erupted beyond the plan. Fire lit up Kensington Estate on 27 December, and the uprising spread across the whole west — it is said about sixty thousand enslaved people took part. It is called the Christmas Rebellion, or the Baptist War. The British put it down harshly and cruelly; hundreds of people died, and in May 1832 they hanged Sam Sharpe in the very square that now carries his name. He did not die in vain: the rebellion shook England so deeply that Parliament passed the law abolishing slavery in 1833. Today Sam Sharpe is a National Hero of Jamaica, and his face appeared on the fifty-dollar bill.
Iina di migl a Montego Bay yu fain Sam Sharpe Square, niem afta wan a di grietis son a St. James. Sam Sharpe baan iina slievri rait ya iina di parish, bout 1801. Iivn duo im ensliev, im laan fi riid, an im ton diikan a di Burchell Baptist Church iina MoBay. Sharpe stodi im Baibl an im si klier-klier se no man no fi uon anada man. Iina December 1831, im plan somting buol: a piisful schraik. Di plan simpl — afta Christmas, di ensliev piipl dem jos naa go bak a wok til bakra pie dem fi dem lieba. Bot tingz bos out biga dan di plan. Faiya lait op Kensington Estate pon di 27 a December, an di opraizin spred uova di uol wes — dem se bout siksti touzan ensliev piipl tek paat. Dem kaal i di Christmas Rebellion, ar di Baptist War. Di British put i dong haad an wikid; honjred a piipl ded, an iina May 1832 dem hang Sam Sharpe rait iina di skwier we nou kyari im niem. Bifuo im ded im se im wuda rada ded pon di galos dan liv iina slievri. Im no ded fi notn: di ribelyan shiek op England so til Parliament paas di laa fi abalish slievri iina 1833. Tide Sam Sharpe a National Hero a Jamieka, an im fies did de pon di fifti dala bil.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in St. James →