The Character Depot

Publishing – Setting Out on the High Seas

2012-05-14T10:09:00.000-05:00

Writers are among the bravest people in the world. More so, those who self-publish. My regular blogging buddies know that I took the plunge into self-publishing in September, 2011. This, after having been published traditionally. The book (Don't Get Mad...Get Even) hasn’t sold very well, but that’s okay because I didn’t do much in the way of promotion.

Since that time, I’ve become part of several Triberr groups, and made the story collection free. To date, there have been 16,200 downloads, the book has been in the No. 1 spot a couple of times, and I’ve gotten some good reviews. I was confident they would be positive because the stories I submitted to the national creative writing competition medalled, and on that basis, I included three of them as part of the collection. However, it meant little when I decided to put my work up for public consumption.

Recently, I checked out a book by a blogging buddy, which I haven’t read yet. The reviews were good and there was the usual one-star review by one reader. You see where I’m going with this topic? I know that no matter how good a book a writer produces, not everybody will get it, nor will everybody be honest enough to say ‘I didn’t get it’ and move on, minus the one-star review. In cases where I don’t understand a book, or think it needs work, I won’t write up an Amazon review. There are enough people who enjoy spreading misery. I’m not one of them.

That review I looked at has me thinking about something I’ve mulled over for a while now. The subject of my next novel is relationships. Some of them include adulterous ones or arrangements where people use each other for mutual benefit. I know that not everybody will get to the end of the book and see the subtle and not-so-subtle themes and their implications, but I’m hoping for the best.

The one thing I can say about many writers I know is that they have the ability to give constructive criticism regardless of their personal opinion on the subject matter, characters and sexual orientation of said characters of a book. Not all of us can do this.

The Kindle Direct Publishing route that allows enrollees free promo days is a wonderful thing. It gives readers who want to try out a book the option to download it without paying. I’ve noticed though that once this happens, it also opens the door for people who clearly don’t read the book, and never would have bought it for anything over $0.00, but feel obligated to produce a negative review.

I’ve seen this done to books that have fairly decent reviews and some of these books have been written by established authors. Far be it from to say that every famous writer produces books that are all of stellar quality, but I do raise an eyebrow when I see a trashy review posted for a book that I thought was an interesting or good read.

Source

But to get back to courage, I lift my hat to each and every writer, whether self-published or traditionally published. It takes talent and guts to enter the public domain, knowing that putting out a book is like taking a journey by boat on the high seas, without so much as a paddle.

Slipstream Tour Stop Showcasing Mike Offutt's Characters

2012-05-10T21:54:00.000-05:00

I'm more than pleased to welcome Micheal Offutt to the Character Depot. Mike is a wonderful blogger. He shoots straight, saying exactly what he means. Follow his blog here. His subject is one I could talk about all day, so without further delay...

Diversity in the fiction that I read and write is important. In SLIPSTREAM, I have a huge selection of main characters that all have crucial roles to play, and many of them have ethnic backgrounds:

1) Jordan and Kathy are twins. They are Caucasian with blond hair and blue eyes. However, this isn’t random. There’s a reason they look this way and I explain it in the book.

2) Kolin is also blond with blue eyes, but he’s British. He’s a trained killer that befriends the twins and to whom Jordan falls in love with.

3) Chewy is a black woman. She’s is the leader of a sect of people who make it possible for Jordan and Kathy to accomplish something very important. She’s incredibly smart, tech savvy, and compassionate.

4) Hammer is a black man. He drives a tank through downtown Kilvarough City (a huge metropolis) and has a group of men that follow his every command when he goes to battle the forces of evil. Without this heroic figure, Jordan and Kathy would fail.

5) Meteora is a being of pure energy. Without him, everything falls to pieces.

6) Dylan is a boy of mixed ancestry who has a Native American familiar called a Nahual. This puma (big cat) is responsible for answering a big mystery in the book.

7) Rachael is a prostitute (I don’t go into her ancestry but in my mind I pictured her as having middle-eastern parents). Rachael is also crucial to the story. She’s not just there to be a prostitute.

So in my book I have women talking to other women (and it’s not just about boys but about actual things important to the plot). I have a gay romance. I have black people doing tremendously heroic things, who are smart, sexy, and powerful. I have beings of pure energy, prostitutes, and paranormal beings contributing to the overall story.

I’m proud of the diversity in SLIPSTREAM.

I have a contest for the release of my book. I will pick one random person who comments on this post to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card and a SLIPSTREAM jeweled spider (the same person wins both prizes). The jeweled spider really sparkles in the sunlight. I hope whoever wins it really likes it. Also, please make sure that your email is linked to your signature in some way. And yes, the crystal spiders play an important role in my book.

Rules:

1) Mark my book “To Read” on Goodreads.

2) Comment on this post.

3) Tweet this post if you have twitter. You don’t have to sign-up for twitter. It’s the “honor” system.

That’s it. I will choose a winner on Saturday, May 19^th. And thank you, Ms. Campbell, for having me on your fine blog.

Slipstream on:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Goodreads

Reflection Post - 2012 A-Z Challenge

2012-05-06T18:29:00.000-05:00

Last year, the A-Z sounded like a fun and interesting challenge. I wanted to see whether I could post thirty days in a row, and I did. At the end I felt like I’d been pushing myself hard, but 2011 was a better A-Z challenge year for me in many ways.

I was smart enough to write a few days in advance and only covered a writing related subject, as well as a Jamaican food item. This year, I got more inventive and did people, places and things Jamaican. This seemed to work well, as the people who came by found the information interesting.

The only down side was that I was so busy with life, writing projects and editing deadlines that I didn’t make a serious attempt to write up the posts before April 1. Big mistake, which meant that in addition to writing on the same day, I had to make visits and cram in everything else that forms part of a normal day.

I made a lot more connections last year than this year, but again, that might be because of time constraints and I did notice that I didn’t get return visits from a fair number of those I visited. Or maybe they did come by, but didn’t comment. That said, I’ve met some really lovely people, who I’m sure will remain blogging buddies.

I think it would be useful—if the organizers can swing it next year—to have some way of keeping the blogs with the same subject areas listed together so that it will be easy for bloggers to focus on the areas they interesting, such as music, writing, writers, books, etc. I'm not suggesting this as a way to limit visits, but it would make it easier to find the blogs that spark particular interest. (I'm harum-scarum, so I most of the time, I don't even use Google Reader). I certainly didn’t make it to all the blogs, but did make as many visits as I could.

Many thanks to the organizers of the challenge. It’s a wonderful idea that has not only inspired people to write over a sustained period, but other people have come up with their own variation on the A-Z theme.

I don’t know how the hosts managed to write their own posts, visit others and also deal with the hundred other issues that I’m sure cropped up during the month. They are blogging heroes, with Arlee Bird being the ringleader.

May the connections we’ve made lead to long and lasting friendships! And do visit the other bloggers who are posting their thoughts on this year's A-Z Challenge.

Short Story Poll

2012-05-04T22:22:00.003-05:00

Today I’m doing a poll on short stories to get some added perspectives. Please fill in the poll below if you have a moment. You can make more than one choice. Thanks!

survey hosting

Have a free read, if you haven’t checked these out as yet. Click the cover to download.

Happy reading and have a wonderful weekend!

Yasus, YS Falls & Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers

2012-04-29T17:48:00.000-05:00

Yasus Afari

Yasus Afari is a dub poet who started his career performing to students of the University of the West Indies and local teachers’ colleges. He released his first song in 1986 and went on to write and record music with several musicians, including Maxi Priest and Tony Rebel. He has been honoured locally and overseas for his work. He has written Overstanding Rastafari: Jamaica's Gift to the World and a book of Poetry Eye Pen. He has released five albums. His most well known recording is possibly Put it Een.

YS Falls

YS Falls is another beautiful piece of Jamaica, where a seven-tied waterfall cascades into a pool which is also fed by underground springs. The falls were selected as the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association’s attraction of the year from the 1995-1997. The Ministry of Tourism and Sport gave the operators an award in 2002 for their outstanding environmental stewardship in developing an ecotourism attraction. The property also boasts impressive gardens, canopy and a range of tropical birds.

The estate was a cane farm and also exported logwood to Europe. In 1887 the property changed owners and the production of cane and logwood continued. Cattle was also reared on the estate. The logwood export died out as synthetic dyes replaced the derivative from the logwood tree. Today the focus is on ecotourism, breeding pedigree cattle (Jamaica Red Poll) a stud farm. Interestingly, the present owner monitors the number of visitors to the property with a view to preserving the natural beauty of the estate.

Yabba

There are several types of Yabba, which go back to the days of slavery. Some were used for food preparation, as cooking pots and for storing food items. These were unglazed and unfired and fell out of favour as time advanced and were replaced by imported ceramic items. These days, Yabbas are decorative rather than functional.

Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers

Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers - This group is comprised of Bob Marley’s children and was one of my favourites when I was growing up. Even today, I enjoy their tracks from way back when. The Marley’s are still making music, having launched solo careers in the case of Ziggy and Stephen and have also moved in different directions including fashion designing and writing. Some of my favourite tracks are Brothers & Sisters, Look Who’s Dancing and Tumblin’ Down.

Zion Hill: There are two communities in Jamaica that have this name, one in St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any information as to why these places were called Zion Hill.

Jamaican terms again...

Zion - For the Rastaman, Zion refers to Africa generally and specifically to Ethiopia as the ancestral homeland of black people, in short, the holy land.

Zutupec – someone who has no class.

Source

And that's the A-Z Challenge for me! I have lots of visits to make, so bear with me while I catch up this coming week.

Many thanks to those who have taken the time to download and read these books that I've offered for free during the Challenge! I hope you enjoy the little bit of Jamaica I've shared through these stories. They're still available for free download. Click the covers.

Walk good! (A Jamaican term which means goodbye.)

X-tra Naked & Xaymaca

2012-04-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

Shabba Ranks

Since I only thought of someone whose name starts with X a moment ago, I’ll have to give you the name of an album. X-tra Naked won the Best Reggae Album award at the Grammy’s in 1993. The artiste is Shabba Ranks, a colourful personality with an interesting voice. The ~~song~~ music I liked most on this album was Muscle Grip (don’t ask), which is a fusion between reggae and something slow and relaxing. An aside here: I can see people clicking through out of curiosity once they read the blog post title.

The word Xaymaca means land of wood and water, which refers to Jamaica. The name has gone through several changes dating back from the time of Christopher Columbus who ‘discovered’ the island, along with the Indians (politically correct term is no longer Arawak, but Taino) who were resident at the time. It is thought that Spanish historians corrupted the name of the place, substituting J for X. It’s been referred to as Jamaica as early as 1511, as well as being called Jamica, Jamaiqua, Jamaiaua, Jamaqua, Jamaicha, Xamaica. As late as 1734, the island is refered to as Xaymayca in Charlevoix's L'isle Espagnole. Once the British occupied the island, it was written as Gemecoe and Gemego, Jamico, Jammaca, Jamajaco and Jamecah. If we spoke Spanish hereabouts, no doubt the island’s name would be pronounced Hamyca.

Source

Several explanations have been given for the gradual name change, including the fact Jamaica it was named for James 11, but somehow I don’t believe that’s accurate. The most plausible explanation I’ve come across that Columbus made came up with the name based on the name the Indians had given the island, or what it sounded like to his ear. Historians have come up with a couple of words used by Indians that represent (wood)trees/rivers. These words, in combination, sound something like Jamaica. The book that contains this information, is housed in the Cornell University Library and was produced to replace the original which probably fell to bits. It is described as the irreparably deteriorated original.

2011 Posting for ‘X’ in the A-Z Challenge.

Other participants in the Challenge.

My X’s have now run out…

Have yourselves a great weekend!

Brush up on Things Jamaican and the Jamaican lifestyle. Click the covers to download for free.

Bunny Wailer & the White Witch of Rosehall

2012-04-26T19:56:00.002-05:00

Bunny Wailer

Bunny Wailer is an original member of the The Wailers, which included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Newsweek named him one of the important musicians in ‘world music’. After the Wailers broke up, Bunny lauched a solo career. He won Grammy awards for best Reggae Album in 1990, 1994 and 1996. One of his most popular songs internationally is Electric Boogie which was also done by Marcia Griffiths. One of my favourites from Wailer is Dance Rock.

I’m cheating again, I wanted to get in Annie Palmer on the ‘P’ day, but forgot, so I’ll add her here as the White Witch of Rose Hall and also sneak in the Rose Hall Great House too as I think this is something of interest.

Tour Guide by Annie's Grave

The White Witch (Annie) moved to Haiti when she was ten years old and developed an interest in Voodoo. Her parents died of yellow fever in Haiti and Annie continued to be raised by her nanny, who seemed to be something of a priestess. Annie moved to Jamaica when she was eighteen on the death of her nanny. She was reputed to be beautiful and petite. She married John Palmer, owner of the Rose Hall estate, which comprised of 7,000 acres of land and 2,000 slaves.

Within a few months after her marriage, Annie grew bored with her husband and started bedding slaves. The day John caught Annie in a compromising position with a slave, he beat her with a whip. She poisoned his coffee and inherited the estate. Thus began her reign of terror. Capricious is a good word to describe this mistress who tortured slaves at will, killed them when she was tired of having sex with them, and married two other men. They too, died under mysterious circumstances. Annie benefitted from their wealth.

In her quest to win Robert Rutherford, an English Bookkeeper, Annie put a hex on her rival, killing her. The woman (a slave) was the relative of an obeah man. On her death, said obeah man and a crowd of slaves strangled Annie and buried her on the Rose Hall Estate. Her possessions were burned and a Voodoo ritual performed. However, it is said the ritual was not done correctly and her spirit still haunts the property.

Rose Hall Great House

Subsequent owners of the Rose Hall estate suffered dreadful fates, which led to the estate being left unoccupied for more than one hundred and thirty years. Blood chilling stories continue to circulate about a figure riding a horse and screams coming from the great house. It has been restored and is part of the Ritz Carlton experience. Tours, weddings and other events are held at the Rose Hall Great House. Years ago, I attended a function in the Great House. The thought of all that went on there gave me the heebie-jeebies (still does). The White Witch Golf course is also an impressive experience for those in the golfing crowd.

You’re probably thinking this is great material for a novel. You’re right, Annie’s story has been done several times.

I give you some Jamaican terms:

Wanga gut: Kinda like nyami-nyami, someone who’s always hungry and eats a lot.

Warra-Warra: something that’s said in place of swear words as in ‘Mi tell him ’bout him warra-warra.

Winji: very thin (as in a person)

Wissy: same as wispy, but the word is used to describe something/someone who’s thin or frail

2011 Posting for 'W' in the Challenge.

Other participants in the Challenge.

Both stories below are now listed in the top ten in the free Kindle store short story category. Click the covers to download for free.

Veronica, Vinegar Hill & Virago

2012-04-25T15:01:00.002-05:00

V. Campbell-Brown

Veronica Campbell-Brown: I’m cheating again today by using a first name, but I couldn’t find any other person with a ‘V’ name that I wanted to share information about, so here goes. Campbell-Brown has won five medals in the Olympics to date and is the reigning 200 meter world and Olympic champion. She has the distinction of being one of only seven persons to have won the world Championships at the youth, junior and senior level. Like Usain Bolt, she hails from Trelawny. Wikipedia has a wealth of information on Campbell-Brown’s exploits as a sprinter.

Church in Vinegar Hill

Vinegar Hill: In searching for Vinegar Hill, I came across several places with the same name. It is thought that Vinegar Hill, Westmoreland was likely settled by Irish landowners, who named it after the Battle of Vinegar Hill that took place in Ireland as part of the rebellion against British rule in 1798. This battle was the last in a series of attempts by Irish rebels to stand their ground against British soldiers. Hard to say why the original owners would have named the place Vinegar Hill. Maybe it reminded them of home or they were nostalgic about being so far away from the land of their birth.

Jumping to conclusions?

Virago: I could have gone with what I did last year, and shared verbena and vervain, which people use to make tea, but virago is different. A virago is not something that’s unique to Jamaica. It’s an old word with a Latin root that describes a loud, ill-tempered, nagging woman. In short, a shrew. In the Jamaican context, it refers to someone who’s vulgar. D'you perhaps know a virago? Shhh! Don't tell.

These two birds have nothing to do with anything V, but they're a cute reminder of the misconceptions we sometimes form about other people.

Amazon realized sometime between last night and yesterday that Giving up the Dream is free at Smashwords. It's now free to download too. It's a single short story that's a slightly different take on my next novel, Distraction.

Don't Get Mad...Get Even is still up for grabs. Download today!

Usain Bolt, Ugli Fruit & Unoo

2012-04-24T09:21:00.001-05:00

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt: I guess I don’t have to say much about this sprinter, who is the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion in the 100, 200 and 4 x 100 metre (along with teammates) relay. Incidentally, he hails from the parish I talked about yesterday (Trelawny). Not sure what’s happening with the link to his website, but I hope you have better luck than I did getting on to the site.

Unity is not the most uncommon name you’ll come across when going down a list of towns and villages in Jamaica. The story goes that Unity got its name via two brothers. The younger is said to have asked the elder for a loan of £1000 to buy a plot of land. He refused, with the result that their relationship fell apart. One Sunday, both brothers were in church when the sermon was preached on the importance of unity. The elder brother felt he’d been given a sign and raised the funds to help his brother purchase the land. You guessed it, they called the lot Unity

Source

Ugli Fruit: The only ‘thing’ I can think of is the Ugli Fruit which I featured in2011. It's native to Jamiaca, a hybrid that came from grafting (not sure that’s the right word) a grapefruit, orange and tangerine.

As you can see, it's not attractive; however, it is sweeter than your average grapefruit. First found in the wild, the ugli fruit has found a market and is being bred and bottled for commercial consumption.

Source

Unoo: The etymology of Jamaica Patois fascinates me and is puzzling at the same time. Unoo is the plural form of you. I’m not sure how that came to be, but anyway, ‘Unoo’ covers a group of people in the same way that ‘you lot’ or ‘you two’ refers to more than one person.

Running behind visits again, but doing my best to catch up. Only sheer doggedness is making me continue the Challenge at this point. So much to do, too little time.

2011 Posting for 'U' in the Challenge.

Other participants in the Challenge.

Want a taste of the Jamaican lifestyle? Download my award-winning complimentary short story collection,Don't Get Mad...Get Even What you waiting for? Download today.

Third World, Trelawny & Tinkin' Toe

2012-04-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

Third World Band

Third World (band) started in the 70’s by Ibo Cooper and Cat Coore. They had hits such as 96° in the Shade, Now That We’ve Found Love and Try Jah Love, which was written by Stevie Wonder. Changes took place in the band during the 80’s, but they continued to have hits such as Forbidden Love and Committed. Today the band still continues to tour and record. This some of the best of Jamaica's music, check out the links!

Trelawny lies on the northwestern side of Jamaica. During the late 1700’s the planters grew dissatisfied with being almost out of reach of the seat of local government and lobbied to have parts of St. James & St. Ann merged into a new parish. They were successful and the parish is named after William Trelawny, the then Governor of Jamaica.

Cockpit Country

Trelawny was sugar territory with more estates than any other parish. Eventually, Falmouth became an export point for sugar, as it is a coastal town. The parish had the biggest Maroon community. The British forged a treaty with the Maroons in 1739 to stop them raiding the plantations. Fifty-odd years later, another uprising occurred and this time hundreds of Maroons were shipped to Nova Scotia (Canada) and then sent on to Sierra Leone (Africa).

To the south of Trelawny lies part of the Cockpit Country, (Maroon territory) and is rocky and uninhabitable, which makes it a natural reserve. Among the sinkholes and caves are some with etchings left by the original Indians (Tainos) who inhabited Jamaica before the Europeans came.

Today, the parish earns income from farming, fishing, sugar production and tourism.

Tinkin' Toe

Tinkin’ Toe – Technically, I’m cheating, because in English this ‘fruit’ would be called Stinking Toe. In Patois however, the ‘S’ is dropped, making this what we call it.

Tinkin’ Toe is a fruit that smells like cheesy/smelly toes, but is popular among the younger set. It’s not attractive and resembles a pea on growth hormone. The inside of the pods carry a seed, which is surrounded by a mealy pulp. I am told that the pulp takes good. I can’t personally recommend Tinkin’ Toe, but the people I ask seem to agree that it’s nice and tasty, even though it smells evil.

Posting for 'S' in the 2011 Challenge.
Other participants in the Challenge.

Don't Get Mad...Get Even is back in the #1 spot @ the free Kindle Store. Download today.

Shinehead, Shervington & Spanish Town

2012-04-21T22:37:00.000-05:00

Shinehead

Shinehead (E. Carl Aiken) is a vocalist of Jamaican parentage whose music spans reggae and hip hop. His first album was produced in 1986. He signed with Elektra in 1988, and has since produced five albums. His Jamaican in New York peaked at 30 in the UK Singles Chart. Strive was very popular in Jamaica.

Shinehead is one of the first reggae artists to mix reggae and hip hop to produce a sound with a difference. He’s not well known, but is one of my favourite artistes. I used to make the effort to attend concerts whenever he performed in Jamaica.

Pluto Shervington

I’m cheating today with two persons, but Pluto Shervington is another personality worth mentioning. There’s always something to laugh about in the lyrics for his songs. His career began in the 70’s and apart from being a vocalist, he also plays the guitar and is a sound engineer. Shervingon has enjoyed some international recognition by way of hit songs such as Your Honor and Dat. He now lives in Miami and does live performances.

Spanish Town Square

Spanish Town: originally called Villa de la Vega by the Spanish was Jamaica’s first capital. It is a town built around narrow streets and many buildings made from red brick that have come down to us from the time of the Spanish (1534-1655) and the British (1655 to independence). Among the institutions in Spanish Town is a hospital and prison which was built in the eighteenth century.

Jamaican terms again!

Suss : gossip

skettel: a vulgar woman

suck suck: a homemade drink that’s frozen inside a plastic bag. A suck-suck is enjoyed by biting one end of the bag and sucking the juice. Children love this.

sufferation: suffering

P.S. I'm still running behind, but hope to catch up on Sunday.

2011 Posting for ‘S’ in the A-Z Challenge.

Other participants in the Challenge.

Don't Get Mad...Get Even is still free for the taking. Download today.

Lawrence Rowe, Runaway Bay & Run Dung

2012-04-20T17:52:00.001-05:00

Lawrence Rowe

Lawrence Rowe represented the West Indies in cricket. He first played for Jamaica in the late 60’s and made history in his first test match. By 1975, he was thought to be the best batsman worldwide. He was at the centre of a controversy during 1982 & 1983, when he led a ‘rebel tour’ to South Africa during Apartheid when they were not welcome in the sporting world.

Rowe and his team members were ostracized. In a controversial move, the Jamaica Cricket Association went back on its decision to honour Rowe by naming the pavilion at Sabina Park (premier cricketing grounds) after him. This, after he did an interview in which he said he saw nothing wrong with touring South Africa when he did.

Shoreline at Runaway Bay

Runaway Bay is located in the town of St. Ann, which is on Jamaica’s North Coast. It is ten minutes drive from Ocho Rios and has a wonderful white sand beach. The town got its name because runaway slaves used it as an escape route. So, as a writer, I'm having flights of fancy. I imagine many slaves might have met their deaths running into the sea when cornered, rather than face the wrath of the 'massa'.

Today, Runaway Bay is a resort area where there is a mixture of hotels and villa accommodation.

Run Dung

Run Dung is a meal made from Mackerel that’s cooked in coconut milk and seasoning. It mightn’t sound very appetizing, but it’s liked by many Jamaicans. Run Dung is served with green bananas, yam and boiled dumplings.

2011 Posting for ‘R’ in the A-Z Challenge.

Other participants in the Challenge.

Don't Get Mad...Get Even is still hanging out in the top five on Amazon. Have you downloaded your copy yet? If not what are you waiting for? It's free! Download today.

Quarrie, Quick Step & Quashi

2012-04-19T15:32:00.000-05:00

Donald Quarrie

Donald Quarrie C.D. distinguished himself during the 70’s as one of the world top sprinters. His winning stint started in 1970 when he won gold medals in both the 100 and 200 meter races at the Commonwealth games. In 1974, he repeated this feat and continued to perform well into the early 80’s, though prone to injury. All told, Quarrie represented Jamaica in five Olympic games. A high school was named in his honor and his statue stands at the entrance to the National Stadium.

Quick Step, Trelawny is a remote village at the end of a winding mountainous road in the Cockpit country. It is Maroon territory, and in case you’re wondering, Maroons were runaway slaves who gave the British soldiers hell during the 17^th Century. According to this web site, the British soldiers called that area ‘Look Behind’ because they rode two to a horse, one looking forward and the other looking over the horse’s rump to keep any eye out for any ambush.

Quick Step, Trelawny

The community if a mixture of Maroons and people from the coastal town of Treasure Beach, who migrated to Quick Step during a drought. Hence, many of the residents are light in complexion, with green eyes. The community is sustained by farming and logging.

I give you some Jamaican terms:
A Quashi in Jamaican terms, is someone unsophisticated to the point of being naïve. Found it in the World English Dictionary too and to quote, it means (Caribbean) an unsophisticated or gullible male Black peasant.

Quint: To blink. I didn’t know this was a word, but on Dictionary.com there are two definitions - an organ stop sounding a fifth higher than the corresponding digitals. 2. Piquet . a sequence of five cards of the same suit, as an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten (quint major), or a king, queen, jack, ten, and nine (quint minor).

Quattie: something of little or no value, the term comes from the name that was given to the 1 ½ penny (a penny plus half a penny) that was used in Jamaica during British rule. It was often referred to as penny ha' penny.

Patterson, Port Royal & Pickney

2012-04-18T11:23:00.001-05:00

The Most Hon. P.J. Patterson

The Most. Hon. P.J. Patterson, ON, PC, QC, MP, B.A. (Hon.), LL.B. was Jamaica’s 6^th Prime Minister. He took office in 1992 and served for 14 years. He previously served in other ministerial capacities. He studied at the University of the West Indies, the London School of Economics and the Inns of Court.

Patterson has had vast experience as a negotiator on a national and international level, which helped in his role while he was the Chairman of Caricom. He’s a strong believer in regionalization for the Caribbean.

He was instrumental in the modernizing the country’s infrastructure, as well as the financial sector. Jamaica’s borrowing relationship (18 years) with the IMF ended during his stint as Prime Minister and the country experienced a decline in poverty levels. His strong belief in education led him to start a program to transform the island’s education system.

He has received an Order of the Nation Award and in 2006 was awarded the Order of Excellence of Guyana and is a member of the Global Leadership Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation whose mandate is to improve the quality of political leadership and governance through availing current national leaders of the expertise of former leaders.

Now fasten your seat belts for a trip to Port Royal.

Port Royal

Port Royal is located at the southeastern tip of Jamaica. It is positioned on a strip of land at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour. It was established in 1518 and during the second half of the 17^th century was a centre of business within the shipping industry.

It was the headquarters for pirates from several European countries. When the English came in 1655, their intention was to conquer the Spanish in Hispaniola. They were unsuccessful and took Jamaica from the Spanish instead. The English used the help of the pirates to secure the island and because of the city’s proximity to crucial trade routes.

Museum at Port Royal

These pirates were legitimized under the name ‘privateers’. Their escapades—read that as raiding Spanish ships—made Port Royal one of the richest cities in North America. The income from privateering far surpassed the money made from the production of sugar.

Over time, Port Royal gained the reputation as ‘the wickedest city in the world’ based on its community of pirates, drunks, robbers and prostitutes. It also had the reputation of having one tavern for every ten residents. After Henry Morgan was appointed governor, the face of the city changed and in 1687, anti piracy laws came into effect. Port Royal now became famous for the execution of pirates.

Fort Charles

On June 7, 1692, a massive earthquake rocked the city, which didn’t stand much of a chance, built as it was on the sand. Studies have shown that the sand turned liquid and flowed into the harbor, in a process called Liquefaction. This happens when earthquakes hit land which is sandy in nature, and water-saturated. The increased water pressure forces the particles to separate and form a sludge-like matter that resembles quicksand. Picture buildings sinking and others sliding into the sea.

Thousands died and many others succumbed to illnesses brought on by the lack of medicine, water, and proximity to dead bodies, or which there were many. Fort Charles survived while many others sank. The earthquake was thought to be God’s punishment for the sinfulness of the city’s inhabitants.

Ruins at Port Royal

The attempts to rebuild the city met with limited success. Fires, hurricanes and flooding hampered the reconstruction efforts. As time passed, Kingston grew in importance and in 1815 another disastrous fire put paid to the redevelopment attempts at Port Royal, along with an outbreak of cholera in 1850.

The last earthquake in 1907 again liquefied the sand on which Port Royal was built and flattened the city. Port Royal served as the capital until after the earthquakes, at which time the capital moved to Spanish Town.

Giddy House at Port Royal

Port Royal is a wonderful place to visit as it is rich in history. These days, Port Royal is a quiet fishing village where you can get the best fish meals served on the beach. Port Royal also houses a museum and the Caribbean Maritime Institute, as well as many relics from the past. The sites still below the sea are important archeological 'digs'. Teams of archeologists have been harvesting material from the ships that sank in the harbor in the 17^th & 18^th century. Go to this link if you're interested in further details on the excavations.

An aside here: I couldn’t resist adding the Giddy House. If you stand inside this building (see picture above), which was left this way by one of the earthquakes, you become giddy, hence the name.

I give you a few more Jamaican terms:-

Pickney: child/kid. Plural is ‘pickney dem’. Origin is from the slave term pickaninny, which is a pidgin term meaning children of Negroes. Wikipedia has an interesting take on the word’s origins.

Passa Passa: Apart from being a popular weekly dancehall event on Spanish Town Road, a Passa Passa can be a disagreement and/or conflict that involves high drama.

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Oku Onuora, Old Harbour Bay & The Ortanique

2012-04-17T13:23:00.004-05:00

Oku Onuora

Oku Onuora: born Orlando Wong is known as the father of Jamaican Dub Poetry. He has led a colourful life in that he demonstrated against police violence and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for his involvement in the robbery of a post office. It is said that the proceeds were supposed to help fund a community project.

He started writing poetry in 1971, and while in prison, had his poems confiscated as they were deemed subversive. He won several awards in a local literary competition on 1976 and has since been published. A campaign was launched by university students and local literary personalities for Onuora’s release. He received a pardon and was released in 1977.

Since then, he has toured extensively in Europe. He has written several plays and recorded dub instrumental albums. His last release was in 2010.

Scene from Old Harbour Bay

Old Harbour: After slavery was abolished, the slaves were not keen to work the plantations and therefore another source of labour had to be found. Like the Chinese, East Indians came to help fill the labour gap and were paid even less than the ex-slaves. Between 1845 and 1921 more than 36,000 Indians arrived in Jamaica.

The first group disembarked at Old Harbour Bay and were followed by five times the amount in the following year. The Indians continued to arrive until World War 1, at which time they were sent to various plantations where they were subjected to substandard conditions and often could not buy passage back home to India.

Ortaniques on the tree.

Today, Old Harbour Bay has the largest fishing village in Jamaica. The harbor is home to one of the best deep-water piers in the island. The main generating power plant owned by the Jamaica Public Service is located in Old Harbour Bay.

I learned several interesting factoids: The Indians introduced ganja smoking and the chillum pipe to Jamaica. They have also contributed their jewellery designs and food to the Jamaican culture. They also were the first to grow rice in Jamaica.


Ortanique

The ortanique was discovered in Jamaica in the 1900s. It’s a hybrid – a combination of the sweet orange and the tangerine – and classified as a tangor. It’s name comes from the ‘or’ in orange, the ‘tan’ in tangerine and the ‘ique’ is for unique. The ortanique is extremely sweet and the variety grown in Jamaica has no seeds. It’s wider than the ordinary orange. I’d describe it as squat in comparison. The skin is thin and it is hard to peel without creating many ‘windows’ in the rind. The juiciness is worth it though.

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Nethersole & Negril

2012-04-16T10:08:00.000-05:00

Noel Nethersole: was Minister of Finance between 1955 and 1959. He was a Rhodes Scholar who distinguished himself within the Supreme Court of Jamaica. In his ministerial capacity, he sought to achieve centralized financial control, the establishment of modern techniques for financial management and the growth of modern financial institutions.

Statue of Noel Nethersole @ BOJ

Part of his vision was the establishment of a stock exchange, a development and central bank through which sound fiscal policies would be governed. Nethersole did not live to see the establishment of a central bank, but plans were well underway by 1959. He is considered the ‘Father of the Central Bank’ and his statue stands in front of the Bank of Jamaica.

Negril: might bring spring break to mind for some, but for Jamaicans, it represents what used to be a quaint, seaside town. Negril is located just over an hour’s drive from Montego Bay in the parish of Westmoreland. It was named Negrillo by the Spanish in 1494 and the name was shortened over time. It is a resort town on the white-sand beach that’s reputed to be seven miles long, but isn’t. It has been rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world. West End is used in reference to the cliff resorts south of downtown.

Seven-mile beach, Negril

Negril isn’t the same as Ocho Rios or Montego Bay, in that it’s more rustic in nature. Tourism development started in the 1950’s with vacationers renting rooms in people’s homes. Negril’s reputation as a warm and welcoming town spread and in the 1960’s several resorts sprang up.

Cliff @ Rick's Cafe

Negril is home to an extensive coral reef and the The Negril Marine Park, The Negril Lighthouse, a branch of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Rick’s Cafe and a duty free shopping zone. The developments have had adverse environmental effects; however, people can still enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling in the protected reef areas.
An aside here: In digging up information, I found out that tourists have hurt themselves jumping off the cliff/s (which are approximately 30 and 40 ft.). It brings to mind the Jamaican proverb that says ‘coward man keep sound bones’.

For the letter N, I give you some Jamaican terms:

Nanny- A Jamaican $500 bill that carries the picture of ‘Nanny’ Jamaica’s only female National Hero. If I’d thought of her first, I’d have featured her in the person category. She was one heck of a Maroon warrior and gave the British soldiers hell in the 1700’s.

Nengey-nengey – to grouse or complain constantly.

Nuff- Plenty, too much, many, tons, a lot, ECT.
Nyabinghi- The traditional and orthodox Rastafarian movement which espouses black supremacy (which is supposed to be symbolic) and visions of an Ethiopian Zion; a Rasta spiritual gathering with drumming and chanting.
Nyami-Nyami- describes someone who eats too much.

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If you have read the stories, and are so inclined, I'd appreciate a short review wherever you choose to post. Thanks!

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Manley, Morant Bay & Manatee

2012-04-14T22:52:00.002-05:00

Rt. Hon. Micheal Manley

Michael Manley (Rt. Hon.): was Jamaica’s fourth Prime Minister. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during WW11, before enrolling in the London School of Economics in 1945. He eventually returned to Jamaica, where he got involved in the trade union movement. He entered politics in 1962, embracing ‘democratic socialism’.

Thanks to Manley, a minimum wage was established for all workers. He introduced free primary, secondary and tertiary level education. He was also responsible for introducing equal pay for women, maternity leave with pay, outlawing illegitimacy (every child born out of wedlock was officially a bastard on the lawbooks), a labour relations act which improved workers’ rights, establishing a national housing agency through which the ordinary man could own a home, and subsidies of meals and uniforms for poor children. The list extends much further than the space I’ve allowed myself. Manley’s championing the cause of the poor was the exception in his time as he was from a well-to-do family.

In 1992, Manley stepped down from his role as Prime Minister and leader of the PNP for health reasons. After he left politics, Manley was sought after internationally as a speaker. He was charismatic, which is evidenced by his popularity with the Jamaican people and the women. Manley was married five times. He was also a writer and is noted for the award-winning A History of West Indies Cricket. Among the awards he has received are Jamaica's Order of Merit (OM), Order of the Nation (ON), Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC), UN Gold Medal and the World Peace Council's Juliot Curie Peace Award. Manley died in March 1997.

Morant Bay Court House/Statue of Paul Bogle

Morant Bay: is significant because of the Morant Bay Rebellion in 1865. Morant Bay within the parish of St. Thomas on the eastern side of the island. Paul Bogle, a Jamaican Baptist deacon, led a group of citizens from Stony Gut to Morant Bay in protest over the prevailing conditions. Though the former slaves had earned the right to vote, they were excluded based on a ‘poll tax’. At the time, less than 2,000 black Jamaicans out of a total of over 400,000 could vote, even though the ration to whites was 32:1.

The rebellion started through the arrest of one person in the group who had gone to Morant Bay. Fellow protestors broke him out of prison and things turned sticky from there. Bogle was eventually accused of inciting the riot and a warrant issued for his arrest. He staged another protest march to Morant Bay, where the group was met with gunfire from ‘volunteer militia’ who panicked. Another riot ensued, which was suppressed, with nearly 500 people being killed by soldiers after the declaration of martial law. The riot in Morant Bay changed the course of Jamaica’s history. In response to the killings, the British government dissolved the House of Assembly, which meant that Jamaica reverted to Crown Colony government.

Paul Bogle, National Hero

The governor at the time dispatched troops to arrest Paul Bogle and quell the uprising. According to an account from one soldier, "we slaughtered all before us… man or woman or child". The soldiers killed more than 400 black Jamaicans and arrested approximately 350 who were eventually executed, in some instances without a proper trial. Paul Bogle was executed in front of the courthouse in Morant Bay. Others (more than 600 men and women) were whipped and/or given lengthy prison sentences. Another national hero, George William Gordon, who had dubious involvement in the riots was also tried and executed. Governor Eyre was eventually charged with murder due to the loss of British lives and his poor handling of the riots, but the cases came to naught. I found an interesting factoid on Wikipedia. Some English liberals agreed with the charges brought against, Eyre, but An opposing committee, which included such Tories and Tory socialists as Thomas Carlyle, Rev. Charles Kingsley, Charles Dickens, and John Ruskin, sprang up in Eyre's defence.

Manatees: are commonly called Sea Cows based on their size. They are warm-blooded, docile and live in shallow water. They are grey with small flippers and a flat tail. Manatees are protected under Jamaican law as they are an endangered species.

Indian Mongoose

The Mongoose: (and no, the plural form is not mongeese) was brought to Jamaica from India in the 1800’s to rid the cane fields of rats. This was so successful, an enterprising land owner exported some of them to the Hawaiian islands, which didn’t have such good results over there. Other than streaking across roads that bisect cane fields and becoming road kill, mongoose aren’t a common sight in Jamaica these days.

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Barrington Levy, Lovers' Leap & Labrish

2012-04-13T23:01:00.001-05:00

Barrington Levy

Barrington Levy: is a singer/DJ with a distinctive voice. During the 80’s he was very popular in Jamaica and the United Kingdom with hits such as Under Mi Sensi (I wonder how many of you will guess correctly what “Sensi is), Here I Come (which peaked at 41 in the UK Singles Chart in 1985), Too Experienced and Living Dangerously. The song Here I Come is featured in Saints Row 2 and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (video games).

Levy has collaborated with Shaggy, Heavy D and several other rappers. He divides his time between Jamaica and the U.K. These days he tours extensively.

Lovers’ Leap: is found in the parish of St. Elizabeth (where my maternal family comes from) and is part of the Santa Cruz mountains. This lookout stands approximately 1,700 foot above Cutlass Bay and provides an awesome view of the Caribbean Sea. The place got its name because of two star-crossed slaves.

View from Lovers' Leap

According to legend, the Master or ‘massa’ of the estate had a yen for the female slave, wanted to keep her for himself, and so arranged for her lover to be sold to another estate. The two lovers ran out of luck when they were chased to the edge of a cliff. They ended their lives by embracing each other and jumping off the cliff, rather than face being separated from each other. Their story inspired a Jamaican author, Horane Smith, to write a novel based on these happenings. A wooden carving stands at the site in honour of their memory. A lighthouse has also been built at Lover’s Leap, as well as a restaurant.

Lighthouse at Lovers' Leap

In lieu of anything Jamaican starting with the letter ‘L’, I give you the following terms.

Labrish, which means to gossip.

Labba-labba, which is similar and also means to talk a whole heap

Ley-ley, (could be lay-lay too) which means to idle/waste time, and

Link (up), which is another bit of slang which means meeting up/partying with friends.

Those with an interest in etymology should have a ball with Jamaican parlance – for example, we’ve turned the word accoutrement into ‘kuchiment’ and ‘compulsory’ into ‘compultry’.

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William Knibb, Kingston (Jamaica) & Kata

2012-04-12T20:58:00.000-05:00

William Knibb: was born in 1803 in Kettering, Northamptonshire. He came to Jamaica as a Baptist missionary and based on what he saw, was determined to ‘slay the monster’ of slavery, which proved a challenge as missionaries depended on the benevolence of the plantation owners. Knibbs was jailed for ‘inciting a rebellion’, threatened with tar and feathers and had his church and classrooms burned to the ground. He was exonerated of all the charges brought against him.

William Knibb, Missionary

In one impassioned speech, he is reported to have said, “I call upon children, by the cries of the infant slave who I saw flogged on the Macclesfield Estate, in Westmoreland. . . . I call upon parents, by the blood streaming back of Catherine Williams , who, with a heroism England has seldom known, preferred a dungeon to the surrender of her honour. I call upon Christians by the lacerated back of William Black of King's Valley, whose back, a month after flogging, was not healed. I call upon you all, by the sympathies of Jesus.”

He lobbied tirelessly on the island and in England for the abolition of slavery. His work was not in vain and he continued making representation before the Houses of Parliament until slavery was abolished. Beyond that, he travelled to and from Jamaica again when the slaves were being taken advantage of under amelioration. This lobby resulted in the period of amelioration being reduced from six to four years. On the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery (1988) in British territories, William Knibb was conferred with the Order of Merit, Jamaica's highest honour granted to civilians. A high school and church were named in his honour.

Downtown Kingston & harbour

Kingston: the capital city of Jamaica, is full of contrasts. The city is home to businesses, shopping centres, tons of churches, upscale homes (further uptown in St. Andrew) and shanty towns. It’s found at the south eastern end of the island and faces on to the harbor, which is the seventh largest natural one in the world.

Kingston was founded in the late 1600’s after an earthquake destroyed the city of Port Royal, which was described at the time as the wickedest city in the world, thanks to the pirates. An aside here, Calico Jack met his death in 1672 by hanging (at the harbour). This was to discourage piracy. Sir Henry Morgan, another pirate became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica in 1720.

SpanishTown was the seat of government, but over time (in 1872), Kingston came to replace it as the capital city. Most of the island’s economic activity still takes place in Kingston. Today, Kingston is home to several universities, theatres, botanical gardens, a defunct railway station and several museums. I should mention that Kingston never sleeps. The nightlife is awesome, if that’s your thing.

Kata is between head tie & basket

Kata: is a Japanese word that describes a choreographed series of movements. In Jamaica, a Kata is a wound piece of cloth that cushions the head from heavy loads. These were used in the olden days when transportation was limited. It is thought that the practice of using a kata came over with the slaves from Africa.

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Grace Jones, St James & Jackfruit

2012-04-11T12:27:00.004-05:00

Grace Jones: actress, vocalist, songwriter and model, was born in Jamaica in 1963. Her family migrated to New York in 1965, where she studied theatre at Syracuse University. Ms. Jones started out as a model and began her musical career with a deal from Island Records in 1977. She’s had hit singles, including Pull up to the Bumper and I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You. (My favourite is My Jamaican Guy) Jones has a unique singing voice (contralto), which covers just over two ranges. An aside here: Grace Jones/Tina Turner--when I grow up, I wanna be just like these ladies! Kick-ass and don't care! And just for kicks, a link to her performance with Pavarotti.

Jones...in all her spray-painted wonder.

She became famous for her unique look—severe, square haircut and outrageous, boxy-looking clothing. She has appeared in more than twenty films, including Conan the Destroyer, Wolf Girl and A View to a Kill. Jones has been nominated for several awards, including the Saturn Award, a Grammy award, an MTV Video Music Award, the Razzie Award and she won the Q Awards (UK Annual Music award). She has the distinction of having ranked 82nd on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll.

St James: is located at the northern end of Jamaica, and Montego Bay, Jamaica’s second city is part of this parish. The parish was named in honour of King James II by Sir Thomas Modyford, the island's first English Governor. When the English conquered the Spanish, the parish had no towns. Few people were in residence and business was non-existent, barring the export of lard from wild hogs.

Source

After a treaty was signed with the Maroons in 1739, St James became one of the most important producers of sugar. Over time, the parish grew as merchants and planters built homes. Today, St. James is one of the fastest growing parishes in Jamaica, mostly because of Montego Bay, which is seen as Jamaica’s tourism mecca. Over 500,000 tourists visit St James annually, providing one-third of the revenue generated by tourism across the island. Apart from its fabulous hotels, St. James is known for its beaches—these include Aquasol (Theme Park), Cornwall Beach and Doctor's Cave Beach—golf courses and night life.

Jackfruit

Jackfruit: is a malodorous monster of a fruit that came to Jamaica from Southern Aisa. It’s fleshy and sweet and best eaten at home as it carries a pungent odor and a sticky substance that glues lips together. In other cultures, the seeds are roasted and eaten and some curry the fruit as a meal. As bad as it smell, it’s something that I enjoy!

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Inner Circle, Ironshore & Immigrants

2012-04-10T12:01:00.002-05:00

Source

Inner Circle is a Jamaican band that was formed in 1968 by the Lewis brothers. Jacob Miller was the lead singer when the band was in its hey days in the 70’s. Miller died in a car crash in 1980. There have been several lead vocalists since that time. The band produced the song Bad Boys, which is used as Fox Network’s theme song for COPS. Over the years, the band members changed, but the original group included two members who would form part of Third World. Another of their hits include ‘Sweat’, which hit the UK Singles Chart. Today, members of the group run Circle House Studios in Miami.

Ironshore Golf Club

Ironshore is an upscale suburb approximately five miles from Montego Bay. If you like the comforts of home, then the villa life at Ironshore is for you. Interspersed with the villas, are the homes of middle-class and well-to-do Jamaicans. The Ironshore Golf Course (1,000 acres) is in close proximity. I found a fascinating document, which I thought would tell me ore about the origins of the estate, but it’s mostly to do with the goings-on of James Irving and his descendants. Irving owned land in Ironshore.

Source: National Library of Jamaica

The Immigrants who came after slavery helped make up Jamaica’s working population. Post Emancipation, some slaves refused to work on the plantations. The estate owners decided to import Chinese & East Indians as replacement workers. Between 1854 and 1884, three groups of immigrants arrived via Panama, Trinidad, British Guiana and China.

Restrictions were imposed in 1905, however, by 1930, approximately 4,000 Chinese were resident in the island. The numbers continued to grow and many remained in Jamaica after their contracts expired as they were reluctant to return to communist China. Some went into the retail business and today, many wholesales are haberdasheries are owned by Chinese businesspeople. The Chinese have made a significant contribution to Jamaica’s economy and the diverse cultural makeup of the island.

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If you'd like to learn a tad more about the Jamaican lifestyle, read my award-winning collection of short stories - Don’t Get Mad...Get Even. It's now FREE on Amazon. Download a copy here.

Holding, Half-Way-Tree & Hampers

2012-04-09T09:29:00.000-05:00

Michael Holding

Michael Holding: is one of the best cricketers Jamaica has produced, and has the distinction of being one of the best fast bowlers in Test Cricket. Holding was at the height of his career during the 70’s and 80’s, when he played for Jamaica, the West Indies, Canterbury, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Tasmania. He was also a member of the International Cricket Council until his resignation over a change in a match result, with which he disagreed.

Currently, he is part of the Sky Sports cricket commentary team. Holding has always been frank and outspoken, hence his popularity as a commentator.

Half-Way-Tree: is reputed to have been named after a huge cotton tree that was planted before 1655 when the British chased the Spanish from Jamaica. The tree marked the half-way point between Greenwich, St. Andrew (a military base), to a fort in Spanish Town. Today, it marks the mid-point between downtown Kingston and the upscale communities of upper St. Andrew. Half-Way-Tree is now filled with shopping malls and businesses.

St. Andrew Parish Church

The St. Andrew Parish Church (AD1655) and the clock are well-known landmarks. I’ve included the clock on the cover of my book. (An aside here...Don’t Get Mad...Get Even is now FREE on Amazon. If you’d like to learn a little more about the Jamaican lifestyle, download a copy here.

Source

To Hamper denotes being restricted or restrained. In Jamaican terms, a hamper stands for several things. In sporting terms, it’s a gift basket for winners. In household terms, it has to do with a laundry receptacle, and in farming terms, it’s a basket that’s placed on a donkey for transporting produce to market. Once loaded, the donkey can only carry produce, so the ‘rider’ has to walk. Not sure how many people still use this mode of transport today, but I’m sure in some remote villages...

2011Posting for ‘H’ in the A-Z Challenge.

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Goodison, Gray's Inn & Guava

2012-04-07T12:23:00.000-05:00

Source

Lorna Goodison: is recognised as one of the Caribbean’s best Poets. She attended high school in Jamaica, as well as the Jamaica School of Art, (now known as the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts) before studying at the Art Students League in New York. She lectures at the University of Michigan. Goodison has been writing poetry since her teenage years, and is also an artist. She has published eleven (11) poetry collections, and her paintings have been exhibited internationally. Goodison has won various awards, including a Musgrave Gold Medal for her contribution to Jamaican literature.

Gray’s Inn Estate: is located in the parish of St. Mary. The estate operated both a watermill and cattle mill. The estate originally belongs to John Elmslie’s heirs, one of whom drew up a detailed plan of the estate. The numbers of slaves on the plantation dwindled from 300 in 1820 to 250 in 1834 since sugar production is a labour-intensive business.

With Emancipation in 1838, the estate owner began collecting ‘rent of Negro houses’—read this as rental of the former slave quarters. Some slaves would have stayed on to work on the plantation in the fields and sugar factory. The great house was built on a hill, with a view of the sea. Ironically, the great house was called Fairy Land. Source. Many sugar factories in Jamaica continued operations until recent times. The Gray’s Inn Factory has been closed for some time and is part of the quiet town of Annotto Bay.

Source

Guava: is a pungent fruit that is encased in a lemon-yellow skin. The flesh is grainy and comes in several shades running from yellow to near red. The seeds are hard and also vary between white and yellow. The flesh is mostly sweet and some run to bitter. The name came from the early Indians, who called it guayabo. Jamaicans use this fruit in a variety of ways. The drink has a unique taste, and jams and jellies are favourites.

According to BestJamaica.com, ‘the guava is rich in vitamins A and C. The seeds contain omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and high in dietary fiber. Quite amazingly a single Jamaican guava contains four times the vitamin C that is in an orange.’

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Fraser, Fern Gully & Good Friday

2012-04-06T10:22:00.001-05:00

Source

Dean Fraser: It would be fair to say that Dean Fraser is Jamaica’s best known saxophonist. He started playing the clarinet at age 12 and graduated to the saxophone during his 15^th year. He has received the Musgrave Medal in recognition of his contribution to Jamaican music. He has done work on hundreds of recordings with artistes, including Luciano and Tarrus Riley. Fraser has recorded several instrumental albums.

Source

Fern Gully: winds for several miles from Colgate and ends in Ocho Rios. It got its name from the several hundred varieties of ferns which are found there. The ferns cover both sides of the mountain, through which the road is cut. The road was laid down in 1907 after a massive earthquake reconfigured the landscape. An old river bed was paved and the road established.

It is doubtful that there is anywhere else in the world with as many varieties of fern in one place. I won’t stick my neck out, except to say that there is somewhere between 300-600 varieties of Fern in the gully. Another feature of Fern Gully is that craft vendors have stalls inside the gully where they sell carvings and paintings.

Souce

Friday (Good): Today the church observes Christ’s Crucifixion and death. For Catholics like myself, holy week and particularly the Pashcal Triduum means a lot of time spent around church activities (hence my spotty participation in the Challenge up to this point). Good Friday and Easter Monday are observed as public holidays. Happy Easter to those who partake in this holy season!

I'll catch up with you later this evening.

Last Years 'F' Post in the A-Z Challenge.

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Eccles, Edinburgh Castle & Emancipation

2012-04-05T11:53:00.001-05:00

Source

Clancy Eccles: was one of the pioneers from the ska era. He had a varied musical career which ranged from song writer to talent scout. He had his first hit in 1961, left the music industry briefly and returned as a recording artiste and producer. He produced several songs for the PNP for their political campaign in the sixties and is credited with encouraging the younger set to vote. Eccles hits include Sweet Jamaica, What Will Your Mama Say and Sammy No Dead. Eccles died in Jamaica in 2005.

Source

Edinburgh Castle: was built in the 1700’s in Pedro, St. Ann. The original owner Lewis Hutchinson was known as the Mad Master of Edinburgh Castle. He came from Scotland to run an estate and is reputed to have studied medicine at some point before his arrival in Jamaica. Hutchinson became known as Jamaica’s first serial killer as he would shoot unsuspecting passersby for the fun of it. He also killed invited guests to his home.

He is reputed to have drunk their blood, dismembered the bodies and forced his slaves to dump them in a sinkhole. Over time, Hutchinson grew more reckless and shot two people in view of another white person. Hutchinson attempted to escape via ship, but was jailed, tried and hung in 1773. No one knows for sure how many people were murdered at Edinburgh Castle, however, when the authorities searched the castle, they found forty-three watches and scads of clothing. The only thing left of the castle today is the ruins. The site is now listed in the heritage sites kept by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.

Jamaican Flag

Emancipation Day: although slavery was abolished in 1934, it wasn’t until 1838 that the slaves were emancipated. Since 1834 the British Parliament issued directives regarding how the slaves were to be granted improved living and working conditions. This included putting an end to flogging women. The Jamaican authorities refused to comply and the slaves became restive, which led to massive riots across the island. The slaves believed they had been freed, but were being held in the same condition by the planters. The rebellion pushed the British government toward ending slavery and on Friday, August 1, 1838, all slaves became free men.

Today, Jamaicans celebrate both Emancipation Day and Independence Day, which are public holidays. This year we’ll be celebrating JAMAICA 50.

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Last year's A-Z 'E' Posting