History · Farin · written in Patois with an English translation
Farin no mean hot country alone — nuff yaadie gaan a cold Canada, an dem mek Toronto warm. From di 1950s an 60s, Jamaican dem start settle roun Eglinton Avenue West, an di strip tun inna 'Little Jamaica': barber shop an hairdressa, record shop, patty shop, church, an di smell a jerk pon di road. Fi years a deh so reggae live inna Canada — studio an record store pon di strip, an artis' from yaad pass tru all di while. Toronto hold one a di bigges' Jamaican community dem inna di worl outta Jamaica — roun three hundred tousan Jamaican Canadian, an di mos' a dem deh inna di Toronto area. An every summa, di city explode wid colour fi Caribana — di Toronto Caribbean Carnival. I start inna 1967, when di Caribbean community gi Canada a carnival as present fi di country hundredth birtday. Now a one a di bigges' festival dem inna North America — more dan a million people come out fi see mas an hear di music. Recent time, subway construction mash up nuff business pon Eglinton, an di community haffi fight fi save Likkle Jamaica. Di city a wuk fi mek i a cultural district, so di story no wash weh. Caa memba dis: weh Jamaican settle, wi no just live deh — wi plant flag.
Farin does not only mean hot countries — plenty of Jamaicans went to cold Canada, and they made Toronto warm. From the 1950s and 60s, Jamaicans began settling around Eglinton Avenue West, and the strip turned into 'Little Jamaica': barber shops and hairdressers, record shops, patty shops, churches, and the smell of jerk on the road. For years that is where reggae lived in Canada — studios and record stores on the strip, with artists from Jamaica passing through all the time. Toronto holds one of the biggest Jamaican communities in the world outside Jamaica — around three hundred thousand Jamaican Canadians, most of them in the Toronto area. And every summer the city explodes with colour for Caribana — the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. It started in 1967, when the Caribbean community gave Canada a carnival as a present for the country's hundredth birthday. It is now one of the biggest festivals in North America — more than a million people come out to see mas and hear the music. Recently, subway construction damaged many businesses on Eglinton, and the community has had to fight to save Little Jamaica. The city is working to make it a cultural district, so the story does not wash away. Because remember this: wherever Jamaicans settle, we do not just live there — we plant a flag.
Farin no miin at konchri aluon — nof yaadi gaan a kuol Canada, an dem mek Toronto waam. Fram di 1950s an 60s, Jamiekan dem staat setl roun Eglinton Avenue West, an di schrip ton iina 'Little Jamieka': baaba shap an ierjresa, rekaad shap, pati shap, chorch, an di smel a jork pan di ruod. Fi ierz a de so rege liv iina Canada — styuudio an rekaad stuor pan di schrip, an aatis fram yaad paas chuu aal di wail. Toronto uol wan a di bigis Jamiekan komyuniti dem iina di worl outa Jamieka — roun chrii onjred touzan Jamiekan Canadian, an di muos a dem de iina di Toronto ieria. An evri soma, di siti ekspluod wid kola fi Caribana — di Toronto Caribbean Carnival. I staat iina 1967, wen di Caribbean komyuniti gi Canada a kaanival az prezant fi di konchri onjredt bortdie. Nou a wan a di bigis festival dem iina North America — muor dan a milyan piipl kom out fi si mas an ier di myuuzik. Riisant taim, sobwie kanschrokshan mash op nof bizniz pan Eglinton, an di komyuniti afi fait fi siev Likl Jamieka. Di siti a wok fi mek i a kolchoral dischrik, so di stuori no wash we. Kaa memba dis: we Jamiekan setl, wi no jos liv de — wi plaant flag.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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