History · St. Thomas · written in Patois with an English translation
Fi understand 1865, yu haffi see how two men from two different world join hand. Paul Bogle was a black deacon from Stony Gut, up inna di St. Thomas hills — a man a di soil an a di chapel. George William Gordon was a brown businessman an politician from St. Andrew, weh win seat inna di Assembly fi dis same parish, St. Thomas-in-the-East. Gordon was a Baptist too, an a im ordain Bogle mek deacon. Di two a dem did a fight di same fight: land fi di poor, justice inna di court dem, an a voice fi di people weh slavery lef wid notn. When di trouble buss a Morant Bay inna October 1865, di govament come dung pon di two a dem. Bogle dem ketch a bush an hang pon di twenty-fourth a October. Gordon, weh deh a Kingston di whole time an neva deh a no uprising, dem arrest, ship im go a Morant Bay, try im unda martial law, an hang im too, jus days before Bogle. Two men, one cause, one price. But history tun di page: inna 1969, Jamaica name di two a dem National Hero togedda. Tideh a monument stand a Stony Gut fi Bogle, Gordon name deh pon di Parliament building, an every year, round National Heroes Day inna October, St. Thomas memba di sons weh pay fi wi freedom.
To understand 1865, you have to see how two men from two different worlds joined hands. Paul Bogle was a black deacon from Stony Gut, up in the St. Thomas hills — a man of the soil and of the chapel. George William Gordon was a brown businessman and politician from St. Andrew, who won a seat in the Assembly for this very parish, St. Thomas-in-the-East. Gordon was a Baptist too, and it was he who ordained Bogle as a deacon. The two of them were fighting the same fight: land for the poor, justice in the courts, and a voice for the people whom slavery had left with nothing. When the trouble broke out at Morant Bay in October 1865, the government came down on both of them. Bogle was caught in the bush and hanged on the twenty-fourth of October. Gordon, who was in Kingston the whole time and was never at any uprising, was arrested, shipped to Morant Bay, tried under martial law, and hanged too, just days before Bogle. Two men, one cause, one price. But history turned the page: in 1969, Jamaica named them both National Heroes together. Today a monument stands at Stony Gut for Bogle, Gordon's name is on the Parliament building, and every year, around National Heroes Day in October, St. Thomas remembers the sons who paid for our freedom.
Fi ondastan 1865, yu afi si ou tuu man fram tuu difrent worl jain han. Paul Bogle waz a blak diikan fram Stony Gut, op iina di St. Thomas hilz — a man a di sail an a di chapl. George William Gordon waz a broun biznizman an palitishan fram St. Andrew, we win siit iina di Assembly fi dis siem parish, St. Thomas-in-the-East. Gordon waz a Baptist tu, an a im aadien Bogle mek diikan. Di tuu a dem did a fait di siem fait: lan fi di puor, jostis iina di kuot dem, an a vais fi di piipl we slievri lef wid notn. Wen di chrobl bos a Morant Bay iina October 1865, di govament kom dong pon di tuu a dem. Bogle dem kech a bush an hang pon di twenti-fuot a October. Gordon, we de a Kingston di uol taim an neva de a no opraizin, dem ares, ship im go a Morant Bay, chrai im onda maashal laa, an hang im tu, jos diez bifuo Bogle. Tuu man, wan kaaz, wan prais. Bot hischri ton di piej: iina 1969, Jamieka niem di tuu a dem National Hero togeda. Tide a manyument stan a Stony Gut fi Bogle, Gordon niem de pon di Parliament bildin, an evri ier, roun National Heroes Day iina October, St. Thomas memba di sonz we pie fi wi friidom.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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