More Jamaica Old-Time Sayings

About the Book

Jamaicans, like others around the world, often experience a tugging at the heart that can only be assuaged by pleasant memories. In her collection of old Jamaican proverbs, Edna Bennett shares the powerful messages and folk wisdom of the Jamaican people, conveying not only the mellowness of nostalgia, but also the gentleness of the island culture. Led by a desire to keep her culture alive, Bennett urges others to take five, cock up yu foot, and ‘member what yu old people used to say as she offers collective wisdom presented in Jamaican dialect with English translations. Unforgettable sayings gathered from over three hundred years of Jamaican history include ban’ yu belly (be prepared for hardships), cotton tree fall dung, nanny goat jump over it (when the mighty falls, the humblest may take advantage of him), and yu se’ man face, yu nuh se’ ’im heart (you cannot tell a man’s true feelings by the look on his face). More Jamaica Old-Time Sayings will spur memories, transport Jamaicans back to the roots of their culture, and encourage others to not live their lives like a kitchen without a knife, but to focus on the whetstone of Jamaican wisdom.

About the Author

Edna Bennett was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and has worked as a nurse, midwife, and family planning clinician in three countries. In 1987, she immigrated to the United States with her family. Now widowed, she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren.