History · Trelawny · written in Patois with an English translation
Trelawny history deep like di Cockpit Country cave dem. Eena di hill dem, di Leeward Maroon dem, wid dem leader Cudjoe, did a fight di British fi years. Di sodja dem couldn' ketch dem eena di bush, so eena 1739 di Governor, Edward Trelawny, haffi sign treaty wid Cudjoe. Di treaty gi di Maroon dem freedom an lan, an dem settlement get di name Trelawny Town. But peace no laas fi eva. Eena 1795 war buss out again — dem call i di Second Maroon War. Afta i done, di British do a wicked ting: dem ship out bout six hundred a di Trelawny Maroon dem go a Nova Scotia, weh col cyaan done, an by 1800 dem move dem again go a Sierra Leone eena Africa. Dung a di coast now, yu fine Falmouth, di capital. Dem build i eena 1769 an name i afta Falmouth eena Cornwall, England, fi honour Governor William Trelawny. Eena sugar time i did a one a di busiest port eena Jamaica — sometime thirty ship inna di harbour one time. Di tung plan out pon a grid wid wide street, an i even have piped wata before New York City! Tideh Falmouth a one a di bes-preserve Georgian tung eena di whole Caribbean, an fram 2011 big cruise ship a come een a di new port every week.
Trelawny's history runs as deep as the caves of the Cockpit Country. In the hills, the Leeward Maroons, with their leader Cudjoe, fought the British for years. The soldiers could not catch them in the bush, so in 1739 the Governor, Edward Trelawny, had to sign a treaty with Cudjoe. The treaty gave the Maroons freedom and land, and their settlement was named Trelawny Town. But the peace did not last forever. In 1795 war broke out again — it is called the Second Maroon War. After it ended, the British did a wicked thing: they shipped about six hundred of the Trelawny Maroons off to Nova Scotia, where the cold was unbearable, and by 1800 they moved them again to Sierra Leone in Africa. Down on the coast you find Falmouth, the capital. It was built in 1769 and named after Falmouth in Cornwall, England, to honour Governor William Trelawny. In the sugar era it was one of the busiest ports in Jamaica — sometimes thirty ships in the harbour at once. The town was planned on a grid with wide streets, and it even had piped water before New York City! Today Falmouth is one of the best-preserved Georgian towns in the whole Caribbean, and since 2011 big cruise ships have come into the new port every week.
Trelawny hischri diip laik di Cockpit Country kiev dem. Iina di hil dem, di Leeward Maroon dem, wid dem liida Cudjoe, did a fait di British fi ierz. Di suoja dem kudn kech dem iina di bush, so iina 1739 di Govana, Edward Trelawny, afi sain chriiti wid Cudjoe. Di chriiti gi di Maroon dem friidom an lan, an dem setlment get di niem Trelawny Town. Bot piis no laas fi eva. Iina 1795 waar bos out agen — dem kaal i di Second Maroon War. Afta i don, di British du a wikid ting: dem ship out bout siks honjred a di Trelawny Maroon dem go a Nova Scotia, we kuol kyaahn don, an bai 1800 dem muuv dem agen go a Sierra Leone iina Africa. Dong a di kuos nou, yu fain Falmouth, di kyapital. Dem bil i iina 1769 an niem i afta Falmouth iina Cornwall, England, fi ana Govana William Trelawny. Iina shuga taim i did a wan a di biziis puot iina Jamieka — somtaim torti ship iina di haaba wan taim. Di tong plan out pon a grid wid waid schriit, an i iivn av paip waata bifuo New York City! Tide Falmouth a wan a di bes-prizorv Georgian tong iina di uol Caribbean, an fram 2011 big kruuz ship a kom iin a di nyuu puot evri wiik.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in Trelawny →