West Indies Cricket Fans

Jamaica Jamaica land we love

How many posters can identify the origins of the word

History tells us the spanish named the Island Santiago while the Arawaks, although almost forced to extinction by the enthusiasm - and disease's - of their european visitors, are credited with it's original title of Xamayca, which is said to mean " Land "of "wood " and " water ".

The current anglicised rendition, Jamaica, is simply a bastardization of this same Amerindian word however, closer inspection of their language reveals the Amerindian translation into english for Water is *Oniabro, Nia (75) - while Rain in english is translated as *Oni (76), as is the word River - *Oni(Khan) (117).

As far as my research indicates, they did not have a word equivalent to Wood, but they did have a word for Tree - which is *Ada (23). I suspect this may have a lot to do with these peoples cultural attachment to their environment, which was clearly very different from the new arrivals to their shores.

The word for Land that they used was *Hororo, Orora (79)

So taking all this into consideration, should the indigenous name for the Island not credibly be rendered as Hororadania , or Adaniaora (*) Taylor, Douglas 1977 Languages of the West Indies https://archive.org/stream/ros" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

I recognise my skills as a historical researcher may now come into question, which is why I made this presentation in reverse order

However, what is beyond doubt is the dominant Akan presence and cultural influence on the Island, which can still be seen clearly in the music, spiritual customs, food & language. Akans speak Twi and this language highlights some irrefutable truths.

Gyama (pronounced : Jama') - in Twi means Perhaps or Maybe, while Yaka - translates into english as - We are stuck - with Ka meaning to be Stuck or to Bitten, depending on the context.

This gives us the African rendition of Gyamayaka but rather than take my word for it why not hear it first hand, from the source " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

And talking about the Akan/Ashanti/Coromantee influence, here's another one....

"Nanny was a leader of the Maroons at the beginning of the 18th century. She was known by both the Maroons and the British settlers as an outstanding military leader who became, in her lifetime and after, a symbol of unity and strength for her people during times of crisis. She was particularly important to them in the fierce fight with the British, during the First Maroon War from 1720 to 1739. Although she has been immortalised in songs and legends, certain facts about Nanny (or “Granny Nanny”, as she was affectionately known) have also been documented. Both legends and documents refer to her as having exceptional leadership qualities. She was a small, wiry woman with piercing eyes. Her influence over the Maroons was so strong, that it seemed to be supernatural and was said to be connected to her powers of obeah. She was particularly skilled in organising the guerilla warfare carried out by the Eastern Maroons to keep away the British troops who attempted to penetrate the mountains to overpower them. Her cleverness in planning guerilla warfare confused the British and their accounts of the fights reflect the surprise and fear which the Maroon traps caused among them. Besides inspiring her people to ward off the troops, Nanny was also a type of chieftainess or wise woman of the village, who passed down legends and encouraged the continuation of customs, music and songs, that had come with the people from Africa, and which instilled in them confidence and pride. Her spirit of freedom was so great that in 1739, when Quao signed the second Treaty (the first was signed bv Cudjoe for the Leeward Maroons a few months earlier) with the British, it is reported that Nanny was very angry and in disagreement with the principle of peace with the British, which she knew meant another form of subjugation."

http://jis.gov.jm/heroes/nanny-of-the-maroons/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

However, Nanny is a controversial subject, simply because most of what we know about her comes down to use through oral history, and as a result, can be subject to revision. Take the last point, for example. It is reported that Nanny disagreed with the principle of peace, and that comes to us from Maroon oral history. But, on the other hand, there is documentary evidence to show that Nanny signed a similar and separate peace with the British, under the same conditions, after the treaties of 1739 and 1740. The information about "Nanny and her Negroes" being allocated land by the colonial authorities was first published in this book by Edward Kamau Brathwaite inn 1977:

https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/ ... edir_esc=y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's another controversial Maroon leader - Cudjoe:

'The escaped slaves of Jamaica had one big advantage over slaves in many other places, that the geography of the island provided them with areas where they could hide and live with much less fear of discovery. The original Maroons were freed or runaway Spanish slaves, whose name is thought to come from the Spanish word cimarrón, meaning wild or untamed. Over time two main areas of Maroon settlement developed, the Trelawney Maroons lived in an area around Maroon Town and Accompong in the Cockpit country, and the Windward Maroons lived on the northern slopes of the Blue Mountains. The territory occupied by the Maroons was ideally suited to guerrilla warfare, although that name for the technique would not be used until the time of the Peninsular War at the end of the 18th century. Led by an extremely able commander called Cudjoe, with his brothers Accompong and Johnny in the West, and sub-chiefs Quao and Cuffee in the East, the Maroons avoided open fights preferring ambush. Camouflaged from head to foot in leaves, surprise and their accurate shooting often brought them quick victory after which they would melt back into the woods to prepare another attack. Various armed attempts to subdue them were made by British troops and in 1734 a Captain Stoddart led a party that attacked and destroyed Nanny Town in the Blue Mountains. The town was never resettled and even now is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of those who died. Nanny the Maroon chieftainess after whom the place was named is now a National Hero of Jamaica. Although the Maroons had suffered severely under this attack many escaped, some to build a new village further inland and others removed to the Cockpit area of Trelawney. Maroon raids increased and so did the fear of the colonists that they would encourage a mass uprising of slaves on the plantations, where they now outnumbered white settlers by about 14 to 1. The Jamaican Assembly voted money for a large-scale campaign and the Maroons found themselves in a desperate situation, however the government did not realise this and, eager to end the fighting, they sent Colonel James Guthrie with a detachment of militia, and Lieutenant Francis Sadler with a party of soldiers, to seek out Cudjoe and offer him favourable terms for a peace.`The negotiators exchanged hats as a sign of friendship, as depicted above, and the treaty was agreed on 1 March 1739 beneath a large cotton tree, afterwards known as Cudjoe’s Tree. Under the settlement Cudjoe and his followers were all to be free, and any slaves who had joined them were given the choice of remaining with the Maroons or returning to their masters. It would be interesting to know if any did, somehow I doubt it! A land grant was made to the Maroons of 1500 acres in Trelawney, where they would have hunting rights and it was agreed “That they shall have liberty to plant the said lands with coffee, cocoa, ginger, tobacco, and cotton, and to breed cattle, hogs, goats, or any other flock, and dispose of the produce or increase of the said commodities to the inhabitants of this island”. In addition Cudjoe and his followers were to assist the British in pursuing any remaining rebels and in the case of foreign invasion they would assist the British against the invader and in return would receive their protection. The Maroons agreed not to harbour runaway slaves but to return them for a reward of ten shillings per slave. Cudjoe himself was given the right to dispense justice within his community and the succession was assured, naming Accompong, Johnny, Quao and Cuffee, and after their deaths such leaders as might be appointed by the Governor. The Maroons were required to build and maintain a road to Trelawney Town, and four white persons were to be nominated to live with the Maroons in order to facilitate communication with the government.'

http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/2011/11/t ... t-of-1739/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The last part is what's so contentious...after a group of runaway slaves, led by Cudjoe in the west and Nanny in the east, had fought the mighty British army to a standstill, forcing them to offer terms of peace, after 1740 the Maroons helped the British colonial authorities to suppress slave revolts and catch runaways. Great freedom fighter or collaborator? Either way, Cudjoe was great....

"Allan Rae, who died on February 27 aged 82 in his native Kingston after a long illness, was one of the vanishing breed of West Indies Test players who regarded their transition into administration as an undeniable duty. His productive, if brief, Test career as a solid left-handed opening batsman, dependable enough to average 46.18 in his 15 Tests, and his far longer involvement in management that saw him rise to the presidency of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control between 1981 and 1988, coincided with golden eras of West Indies cricket. Yet his administrative roles spanned two of the most contentious issues of the day - the intrusions of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket in the late 1970s and apartheid-era South Africa in the 1980s. In spite of such challenges, West Indies were never stronger than during his presidency."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/ ... 52801.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'George Alphonso Headley OD (30 May 1909 – 30 November 1983) was a West Indian cricketer who played 22 Test matches, mostly before the Second World War. Considered one of the best batsmen to play for West Indies and one of the greatest cricketers of all time, Headley also represented Jamaica and played professional club cricket in England. West Indies had a weak cricket team through most of Headley's playing career; as their one world-class player, he carried a heavy responsibility and the side depended on his batting. He batted at number three, scoring 2,190 runs in Tests at an average of 60.83, and 9,921 runs in all first-class matches at an average of 69.86. He was chosen as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1934. Headley was born in Panama but raised in Jamaica where he quickly established a cricketing reputation as a batsman. He soon gained his place in the Jamaican cricket team, and narrowly missed selection for the West Indies tour of England in 1928. He made his Test debut in 1930, against England in Barbados, and was instantly successful. Further successes followed in series against Australia and in three more against England, as Headley dominated the West Indian batting of the period. Following his tour of England in 1933, Headley signed as a professional at Haslingden in the Lancashire League, where he played until the outbreak of war in 1939. The war interrupted Headley's career; although he returned to Tests in 1948 he was hampered by injuries and did not achieve his previous levels of success. Even so, he was chosen as West Indies captain in 1948 against England, the first black player to be appointed to the position, although a combination of injuries and politics meant he only led his team for one Test match. He did not play Tests between 1949 and 1953, but resumed his career in English league cricket, first in Lancashire and later in the Birmingham League. His playing career ended in 1954 on his return to Jamaica, after a public subscription paid his fare from England. After retiring as a player, Headley was employed as a cricket coach by the Jamaican government until 1962. He lived until 1983; his son Ron and his grandson Dean each played Test match cricket, for West Indies and England respectively.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Headley" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"THE late Honourable Dr Aston Wesley Powell was the inspirational and ever vigilant founder of the EXED Group of Schools which comprises of the Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary levels, and the first and largest Community College in Jamaica, Excelsior Community College. Dr Powell was a product of Campbell Town in Kingston, Jamaica. He did not start out as the strong leader we knew him to be before his passing in 1996, but was more of a time-waster and school absentee during his Calabar Elementary School days. Many of those days were spent missing his classes while enjoying many cricket games with his friends. His life changed dramatically when his father, who was a graduate of Mico Teachers' College, returned to Jamaica after working in Cuba. After some time, Powell was ready to continue his education. Sadly, by the time he was fit to re-enter school, Powell, being 15-years-old, was too old and was refused entrance to Calabar High School. This fuelled him to start his own school for people who were too old and who were unable to afford admission to secondary schools at the standard age of 11. Dr Powell founded Excelsior on January 19, 1931 with five students on the verandah of his parents' house in Campbell Town. By the 1970s the school had grown to almost 2,000 students and was then situated on Mountain View Avenue. The institution gained government grant-in-aid status when it was acquired by the Jamaica District of the Methodist Church in 1950."

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/teenage/ ... ll_8062749" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'Norman Washington Manley MM, QC, National Hero of Jamaica (4 July 1893 – 2 September 1969), was a Jamaican statesman. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s. Manley was an advocate of universal suffrage, which was granted by the British colonial government to the colony in 1944. Together with Osmond Fairclough, the brothers Frank and Ken Hill, Hedley P. Jacobs and others in 1938 he founded the People's National Party which later was tied to the Trade Union Congress and even later the National Workers Union. He led the PNP in every election from 1944 to 1967.[citation needed] Their efforts resulted in the New Constitution of 1944, granting full adult suffrage. Manley served as the colony's Chief Minister from 1955 to 1959, and as Premier from 1959 to 1962. He was a proponent of self-government but was persuaded to join nine other British colonies in the Caribbean territories in a Federation of the West Indies but called a referendum on the issue in 1961. Voters chose to have Jamaica withdraw from the union. He then opted to call a general election even though his five-year mandate was barely half way through.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Manley" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'(Alexander Bustamante) became a leader in activism against colonial rule. He gained recognition by writing frequent letters on the issues to the Daily Gleaner newspaper. In 1937 he was elected as treasurer of the Jamaica Workers' Union (JWU), which had been founded by labour activist Allan G.S. Coombs. During the 1938 labour rebellion, he quickly became identified as the spokesman for striking workers, who were mostly of African and mixed-race descent. Coombs' JWU became the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) after the revolt, and Bustamante became known as "The Chief". In 1940, he was imprisoned on charges of subversive activities. The widespread anti-colonial activism finally resulted in Parliament's granting universal suffrage in 1944 to Jamaica. Released from prison in 1943, Bustamente founded the Jamaica Labour Party the same year. Previously he had belonged to the People's National Party (founded in 1938 by his cousin Norman Manley). Bustamante's party won 22 of 32 seats in the first House of Representatives elected by universal suffrage. He became the unofficial government leader, representing his party as Minister for Communications, until the position of Chief Minister was created in 1953. He held this position until the JLP was defeated in 1955. In 1947 and 1948, he was elected as mayor of Kingston. In 1952 he was arrestted by the American authorities while he was on official business in Puerto Rico. Though initially a supporter of the Federation of the West Indies, during the 1950s, Bustamente gradually opposed the union. He agitated for Jamaica to become independent of Great Britain. He said that the JLP would not contest a by-election to the federal parliament. His rival and cousin, Premier Norman Manley, called a referendum on the issue in 1961; Jamaicans voted for the nation's withdrawal from the Federation. After Jamaica was granted independence in 1962, Bustamante served as the first Prime Minister until 1967. In 1965, after suffering a stroke, he withdrew from active participation in public life, and the true power was held by his deputy, Donald Sangster.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Bustamante" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now, I wanted to do something on the Spanish Maroons, but there's nothing on the internet about them that I can provide a link to. That's unfortunate, because they were great Jamaicans in their own right too. So, instead, I had to pull a book off my shelf, and quote this excerpt on Juan de Bolas, called Juan Lubolo by the Spaniards. The English never could pronounce Spanish names - look at how they misquoted Los Chorreras, giving it the ridiculous name of Ocho Rios!

'Juan Lubolo's palenque of one hundred and fifty was stationed...on the south side of the island in the Clarendon mountains....The British had, from very early, made overtures to this group....Exactly when Lubolo agreed to the British overture is imprecise. The formal proclamation announcing the rapprochement was not issued until February 1662/3. But there is evidence to show that Lubolo had been working with the British against the Spaniards and apparently against even against other Maroons in the hills, at least since 1660....The degree to which the Spaniards depended on the blacks not only symbolically but also inn terms of their security is demonstrated in Ysassi's reaction to what he considered Lubolo's defection. The council of war was specifically called to determine what should be done in view of his action. Here they decided to leave the island not out of fear of the British so much as fear of the Maroons - the "rebellious blacks." They argued that the "Negroes" were "so experienced and acquainted with the mountains" that they could not hope to succeed against them....The Spanish governor then issued an order commanding the remnants of his army to remove from the spot quickly, pointing out that the blacks were bound to disclose to the British their rendezvous. Three days after leaving, as the governor predicted, their settlement was reached and routed by the enemy, accompanied by Lubolo and his men....The charter acknowledged the fidelity and affection of Lubolo to the British, in return for which he and his people were to receive their freedom, with thirty acres of land to those eighteen years of age and over. Lubolo's title of Governor of the Negroes was terminated, and instead he was "honoured with the title of Coll. of the Black Regiment" in the island's militia....Apparently the other bannds of black guerrillas in the hills did not view Lubolo's new alliance with satisfaction; they rather saw him as a renegade who sullied their image by capitulating to the enemy. And perhaps, as if to demonstrate their disapproval of the rapprochement, various attacks on the plantations were soon reported to the authorities....The governor therefore sent Lubolo, now the official bloodhound of the British, or Colonel of the Black militia, whether to treat with or to fight against his black brethren is not clear...Whatever the nature of the mission, Maroons apparently felt that this was their chance to wreak vengeance on the black general. Unlike Lubolo's victories over the Spaniards, in this instance he was up against more than his match. He fell into an ingenious Karmahaly ambuscade and was slain. It is reported that he was "cut into pieces," and this is not difficult to understand considering the supreme contempt they must have had for Lubolo's defection to the enemy. According to Dallas, after Lubolo's death his group decreased in number and morale and thus "sought quiet and protection in the vicinity of towns and settlements; nor were any of them ever known to return to their former haunts in the mountains of Clarendon," where evidently a new cluster of Maroons was being formed.' Mavis Campbell, "The Maroons Jamaica 1655-1796", pp. 20-5.