Work and economy · Westmoreland · written in Patois with an English translation
Long time aback, Negril a did one likkle fishing village. Inna di 1920s dem, a jus a few fisherman family did live deh, a pull dem canoe up pon di white sand evri evenin. No good road neva deh fi reach deh — di whole a dat side did cut off wid swamp lan, so Negril tan quiet-quiet fi years. Den tings start change. Inna di late 1950s dem build proper road come een, an likkle-likkle di whole worl start hear bout di long white beach — seven mile a sand, dem seh, wid sea blue so till. Inna di 1970s young traveller an hippie start come a Negril fi di quiet life, an den hotel start rise up all along di bay. Tideh Negril a di tourism hub a di parish an one a di bigges resort area inna di whole a Jamaica. Di tung self siddung pon di border — one side inna Westmoreland, one side inna Hanover. Visitor come fram all bout fi watch di sunset a West End cliff an swim a Long Bay. But memba dis: unda all di hotel an di hustle an bustle, a fisherman village still deh deh, an di ol' people dem memba when a so-so sea, sand an quietness did deh. Wha likkle an quiet kyan tun big-big — one-one coco full baskit.
A long time ago, Negril was a little fishing village. In the 1920s, just a few fishing families lived there, pulling their canoes up on the white sand every evening. There was no good road to reach it — that whole side was cut off by swampland, so Negril stayed very quiet for years. Then things began to change. In the late 1950s a proper road was built in, and little by little the whole world began to hear about the long white beach — seven miles of sand, they say, with impossibly blue sea. In the 1970s young travellers and hippies started coming to Negril for the quiet life, and then hotels began rising all along the bay. Today Negril is the tourism hub of the parish and one of the biggest resort areas in all of Jamaica. The town itself sits on the border — one side in Westmoreland, one side in Hanover. Visitors come from everywhere to watch the sunset at the West End cliffs and swim at Long Bay. But remember this: beneath all the hotels and the hustle and bustle, a fishing village is still there, and the old people remember when there was nothing but sea, sand and quiet. What is small and quiet can become very big — one coco at a time fills the basket.
Lang taim abak, Negril a did wan likl fishin vilij. Iina di 1920z dem, a jos a fyuu fishaman fambili did liv de, a pul dem kunuu op pan di wait san evri iivnin. No gud ruod neva de fi riich de — di uol a dat said did kot aaf wid swamp lan, so Negril tan kwaiat-kwaiat fi yierz. Den tingz staat chienj. Iina di liet 1950z dem bil prapa ruod kom iin, an likl-likl di uol worl staat ier bout di lang wait biich — sevn mail a san, dem se, wid sii bluu so til. Iina di 1970z yong chravela an hipi staat kom a Negril fi di kwaiat laif, an den huotel staat raiz op aal alang di bie. Tide Negril a di tuorizim hob a di parish an wan a di bigis rizaat ieria iina di uol a Jamieka. Di tong self sidong pan di baada — wan said iina Westmoreland, wan said iina Hanover. Vizita kom fram aal bout fi wach di sonset a West End klif an swim a Long Bay. Bot memba dis: onda aal di huotel an di hosl an bosl, a fishaman vilij stil de de, an di uol piipl dem memba wen a so-so sii, san an kwaiatnis did de. Wa likl an kwaiat kyan ton big-big — wan-wan koko ful baskit.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in Westmoreland →