Patois Jamaican Creole Language

I lost my language and have recently retrieved it back as a treasure but there is no place in my life to use it. Though my husband and children understand Patois, they don’t speak Patois, my close friends and work associates don’t speak Patois- where is it appropriate to speak my native language?

The way my ancestors chose to communicate was amazing it was created out of necessity and beauty, innovation and creativity. Patois Is not just like broken English, it is so much more!

They wanted us slaves not to be able to communicate and rebel, they wanted us to assimilate and become civilized like them, they wanted to make themselves superior by dominating us on their terms.

This simple Pidgin language created into creole by the sheer act of being forced to let go and forced to assimilate is Patois.

I was taught Patois like every child that lives in a bilingual household, by hearing it spoken to me and by speaking it back. Unfortunately, I was corrected by white and black teachers in school whenever I used it and laughed at by my brothers and family friends, as I wasn’t immersed in the culture and my accent was a bit more Canadian. So speaking the language, brought shame and hurt with it. There was no pride in speaking Patois- I was praised and rewarded for English. So I excelled at the English language and in the process lost my native tongue.

I remember the language and how to formulate the words but my tongue has been silent for too many years, but then so has the roots of my heritage.

 Patois has the true components of a language and can be taught and understood.

And like many of the things in my culture I have had to redeem it so that I could see the true value and treasure that it is to any Jamaican, even if you live in the diaspora. How is it any different from the language of the Spanish or French? We would never tell a Hispanic or person from another language not to speak their native language. Why is Patois any different. Is it because you don’t like the confidence and attitude that comes when we speak Patois? because you can’t understand what we are saying and don’t want to take the time to learn? The powers to be try to insinuate that we are not speaking the one language that has dominated the world for years, but why should we?- we are Jamaican!

I would love to write a book in Patois to honor the treasured Jamaicans! It would be my ode to the land that I love ... Jamaica.

Me a go duh it yea man!

Black and Loud!

This is for the ones that say black people are so loud, they are vulgar, angry, aggressive, demanding and uncivilized. Why wont they assimilate and become more like us.

I am black and loud

Loud and proud

Yes, I have always been so emotional

Cause my cup ain’t  half empty, it’s a cup that’s full

A woman they say should remain silent

Yes massah, no massah your voice is not your own

Make sure you have permission to talk

Time to speak up- to speak the truth, your truth

Your history, your victory, your message

I be livin loud, livin large

I don’t whisper when I talk

I say it hard

 I don’t say it soft

If your dreams and tomorrow had been suppressed

If you had been cursed and found out you was blessed   

When you finally opened your mouth

I’m sure a scream would come out

The monster you made from an experiment gone bad

Now you wonder why we be so mad

You thought we’d stay broken, downcast and sad

Do I embarrass you with my shout from across the room

Why does what I do reflect back to you?

My laugh so out loud that it makes you uncomfortable

Seeing my sound makes you feel so vulnerable

The intensity of the energy I bring, into your life, into everything

My spirit is strong, rising up from where I belong

But wait, hold up …ain’t you black too?

You ask again, is that anger you hear when I speak?

Chile, maybe just the release of the warrior in me

No need to be in fear

My words are my weapon, lets make it clear

I have made the choice for you to hear my voice

My grammar ain’t off, my intellect intact

I know what I am doing, this be my method for fighting back

In the Silence much has happened, I have seen with my eyes

And the words within me lets out a cry

Saying here am I

Can you see me, feel me, my presence is undeniable

And what has been done has made you liable

My soul has been incarcerated for far too long

Tired of trying to prove I belong

I am created by the same Creator

They hate us because we are so loud

They love us because we are so proud

Loud and proud

Proud to be created with passion, fire, and courage  

Our voice makes a difference in the pilgrimage

As we state our case before the only Judge  

The stereotype made real

 Rappers, spoken word, singers, debaters, word creators

We are the original media masters, using our words so the message is loud

Don’t you love our sound? Vibrations trickling down

The drumbeat, the heartbeat this is our song

Am I disturbing your peace?

Just by being me

Or is that I am unafraid to say what’s on my mind

Seemingly unaware of the place or time

Allowing words to vibrate and ripple throughout the atmosphere

Without hesitation, without fear

I may look like just another angry black woman to you

 But this ain’t  true

Cause I choose to refuse to let myself remain abused

What you hear in my voice is my ancestors echoing what I say

So God can hear his child when she pray

Its time for a change

Amen! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

The words come from within and my brain forgets about etiquette,

The right spoon to use or correct place to sit

My mother’s tongue has created a sound

Resounding in my ears and coming to my mouth

I can’t hold it back so I release it out

Hear when I say I am black and loud

I am loud and proud!

Wooo!  WOW