History · Farin · written in Patois with an English translation
Inna June 1948, one big ship name di Empire Windrush lan a Tilbury dock, near London. Hundreds a Caribbean people come aff a i, an di bigges' set a dem a Jamaican. Dem did come fi help build back Britain afta di war — fi wuk pon bus, pon train, inna haspital. Dem name di 'Windrush generation'. Life nuh easy fi dem — some landlord neva waan rent dem room, an some people treat dem bad. But dem tan up talawa. Dem settle inna place like Brixton, a Sout London, an tun i inna one likkle Jamaica — maakit wid yam an saltfish, barber shop, church, sound system. One Trinidad-baan lady name Claudia Jones see seh di people dem need someting fi lif up dem spirit, so inna 1959 shi keep di fus Caribbean carnival inna one hall — an outta dat grow di Notting Hill Carnival, weh now a one a di bigges' street festival dem inna Europe. An hear dis: di way nuff young people chat inna London tideh — weh di linguist dem call Multicultural London English — full a Jamaican word an sound. Wi likkle island change di way one whole city talk! One sad part deh deh fi memba: inna 2018 di British govament haffi apologise, caa some a di Windrush people dem did get treat wrong bout dem paper. But di bigga story simple: London widout Jamaica? Cyaan imagine i.
In June 1948, a big ship named the Empire Windrush landed at Tilbury Dock, near London. Hundreds of Caribbean people came off it, and the biggest group of them were Jamaicans. They had come to help rebuild Britain after the war — to work on the buses, on the trains, in the hospitals. They are called the 'Windrush generation'. Life was not easy for them — some landlords refused to rent them rooms, and some people treated them badly. But they stood up strong. They settled in places like Brixton, in South London, and turned it into a little Jamaica — markets with yam and saltfish, barber shops, churches, sound systems. A Trinidad-born lady named Claudia Jones saw that the people needed something to lift their spirits, so in 1959 she held the first Caribbean carnival in a hall — and out of that grew the Notting Hill Carnival, which is now one of the biggest street festivals in Europe. And hear this: the way many young people speak in London today — what linguists call Multicultural London English — is full of Jamaican words and sounds. Our little island changed the way a whole city talks! There is one sad part to remember: in 2018 the British government had to apologise, because some of the Windrush people were wrongly treated over their papers. But the bigger story is simple: London without Jamaica? Unimaginable.
Iina Juun 1948, wan big ship niem di Empire Windrush lan a Tilbury dak, nier London. Onjredz a Caribbean piipl kom aaf a i, an di bigis set a dem a Jamiekan. Dem did kom fi elp bil bak Britain afta di waa — fi wok pan bos, pan chrien, iina aspital. Dem niem di 'Windrush jinarieshan'. Laif no iizi fi dem — som lanlaad neva waahn rent dem ruum, an som piipl chriit dem bad. Bot dem tan op talawa. Dem setl iina plies laik Brixton, a Sout London, an ton i iina wan likl Jamieka — maakit wid yam an saalfish, baaba shap, chorch, soun sistim. Wan Trinidad-baan liedi niem Claudia Jones si se di piipl dem niid somting fi lif op dem spirit, so iina 1959 shi kiip di fos Caribbean kaanival iina wan aal — an outa dat gruo di Notting Hill Carnival, we nou a wan a di bigis schriit festival dem iina Europe. An ier dis: di wie nof yong piipl chat iina London tide — we di linggwis dem kaal Multicultural London English — ful a Jamiekan wod an soun. Wi likl ailan chienj di wie wan uol siti taak! Wan sad paat de de fi memba: iina 2018 di British govament afi apalajaiz, kaa som a di Windrush piipl dem did get chriit rang bout dem piepa. Bot di biga stuori simpl: London widout Jamieka? Kyaahn imajin i.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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