Music · St. James · written in Patois with an English translation
Every year, roun di miggle a July, Montego Bay tun di music capital a di Caribbean. A Reggae Sumfest time! Di festival staat eena 1993, an fram dat i grow fi tun di bigges music festival eena Jamaica an di whole Caribbean. Di main show dem keep a Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex eena MoBay, an di ting run fi bout a week — beach party, sound system clash, all kind a event — before di two big night dem: Festival Night One, weh dem call Dancehall Night, pon di Friday, an Festival Night Two, Reggae Night, pon di Saturday. Ova thirty tousan people come every year — yardie an foreigner, young an old — fi see di bes a Jamaica music pon one stage. Nuff a di bigges name eena reggae an dancehall done grace di Sumfest stage, an even international superstar like Beyonce an Rihanna perform deh aready. Fi di artis dem, Sumfest a proving ground: if yu mash up Sumfest, di whole island a go chat bout yu Monday maanin. Fi MoBay, i a big business too — hotel full, taxi busy, higgla an food vendor a mek dem money. But more dan money, Sumfest a pride: one week when St. James show di worl seh likkle Jamaica a di heartbeat a di music. If yu eva get di chance fi go, walk wid yu flag an yu voice — yu a go need di two a dem!
Every year, around the middle of July, Montego Bay becomes the music capital of the Caribbean. It is Reggae Sumfest time! The festival began in 1993, and from there it grew to become the biggest music festival in Jamaica and the entire Caribbean. The main shows are held at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex in MoBay, and the whole thing runs for about a week — beach parties, sound system clashes, all kinds of events — before the two big nights: Festival Night One, called Dancehall Night, on the Friday, and Festival Night Two, Reggae Night, on the Saturday. Over thirty thousand people come every year — Jamaicans and foreigners, young and old — to see the best of Jamaican music on one stage. Many of the biggest names in reggae and dancehall have graced the Sumfest stage, and even international superstars like Beyonce and Rihanna have performed there. For the artists, Sumfest is a proving ground: if you triumph at Sumfest, the whole island will be talking about you Monday morning. For MoBay it is big business too — hotels full, taxis busy, vendors making their money. But more than money, Sumfest is pride: one week when St. James shows the world that little Jamaica is the heartbeat of the music. If you ever get the chance to go, bring your flag and your voice — you will need both!
Evri ier, roun di migl a July, Montego Bay ton di myuuzik kyapital a di Caribbean. A Reggae Sumfest taim! Di festival staat iina 1993, an fram dat i gruo fi ton di bigis myuuzik festival iina Jamieka an di uol Caribbean. Di mien shuo dem kiip a Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex iina MoBay, an di ting ron fi bout a wiik — biich paati, soun sistim klash, aal kain a ivent — bifuo di tuu big nait dem: Festival Night One, we dem kaal Dancehall Night, pon di Friday, an Festival Night Two, Reggae Night, pon di Saturday. Uova torti touzan piipl kom evri ier — yaadi an farina, yong an uol — fi si di bes a Jamieka myuuzik pon wan stiej. Nof a di bigis niem iina rege an daansaal don gries di Sumfest stiej, an iivn intanashanal suupastaar laik Beyonce an Rihanna pafaam de aredi. Fi di aatis dem, Sumfest a pruuvin grong: if yu mash op Sumfest, di uol ailan a go chat bout yu Monday maanin. Fi MoBay, i a big bizniz tuu — huotel ful, taksi bizi, higla an fuud venda a mek dem moni. Bot muor dan moni, Sumfest a praid: wan wiik wen St. James shuo di worl se likl Jamieka a di haatbiit a di myuuzik. If yu eva get di chaans fi go, waak wid yu flag an yu vais — yu a go niid di tuu a dem!
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in St. James →