Jamaican literature
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Jamaican literature is internationally renowned, with the island of
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
being the home or birthplace of many important authors. One of the most distinctive aspects of Jamaican literature is its use of the local
dialect The term dialect (from Latin , , from the Ancient Greek word , 'discourse', from , 'through' and , 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of linguistic phenomena: One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a ...
— a variation of English, the country's official language. Known to Jamaicans as "
patois ''Patois'' (, pl. same or ) is speech or language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. As such, ''patois'' can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects or vernaculars, but not commonly to jargon o ...
", and now sometimes described as "
nation language "Nation language" is the term coined by scholar and poet Kamau Brathwaite McArthur, Tom,"Nation language" ''Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language'', 1998. and now commonly preferred to describe the work of writers from the Caribbean and ...
", this creole has become an important element in Jamaican fiction, poetry and theater. Notable writers and intellectuals from elsewhere in the Caribbean region studied at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, including St. Lucian
Nobel prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
-winner, Derek Walcott, the late Guyanese historian and scholar
Walter Rodney Walter Anthony Rodney (23 March 1942 – 13 June 1980) was a Guyanese historian, political activist and academic. His notable works include '' How Europe Underdeveloped Africa'', first published in 1972. Rodney was assassinated in Georgeto ...
, and Grenadian poet and short story writer Merle Collins.


Folk beginnings

The tradition of storytelling in Jamaica is a long one, beginning with folktales told by the slaves during the colonial period. Jamaica's folk stories are most closely associated with those of the
Ashanti tribe The Asante, also known as Ashanti () are part of the Akan ethnic group and are native to the Ashanti Region of modern-day Ghana. Asantes are the last group to emerge out of the various Akan civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asant ...
in
West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...
, from which many of the slaves originated. Some
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
an tales were also brought to the island by immigrants, particularly those from the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. In folktales, the local speech style is particularly necessary. It infuses humor into the stories, and is an integral part of the retelling. Perhaps the most popular character in Jamaican tales, Anancy (also spelled Anansi, 'Nancy Spida, and Brer Nansi) is an African spider-god who makes an appearance in tales throughout the Caribbean region. He is a trickster god, and often goes against other animal-god characters, like Tiger and Donkey, in his stories. These stories are thought to be one way the slaves told about outsmarting their owners as well.


Development of the literature

Jamaican Thomas MacDermot (1870–1933) is credited with fostering the creation of Jamaican literature (according to critic Michael Hughes, MacDermot was "probably the first Jamaican writer to assert the claim of the
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
to a distinctive place within English-speaking culture"),Michael Hughes, ''A Companion to West Indian Literature'', Collins, 1979, p. 75. and his ''Becka's Buckra Baby'' as the beginning of modern Caribbean literature. Jamaican-born Claude McKay (1889–1948) is credited with inspiring
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
's Negritude (“Blackness”) movement, as well as being a founding father of the Harlem Renaissance. Having established himself as a poet in Jamaica, he moved to the U.S. in his 20s and proceeded to travel to France, but never returned to his birthplace. Una Marson (1905–1965) was also well known for her poetry, her activism as a feminist, and for her role as producer of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
literary radio programme '' Caribbean Voices'' in the 1940s.
Louise Bennett-Coverley Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley or Miss Lou (7 September 1919 – 26 July 2006), was a Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator. Writing and performing her poems in Jamaican Patois or Creole, Bennett worked to preserve the practice of p ...
(1919–2006) was a Jamaican poet and folklorist celebrated for her unique voice as "Miss Lou". Writing and performing her poems in Jamaican patois, Bennett was instrumental in having this "dialect" of the people given literary recognition in its own right ("
nation language "Nation language" is the term coined by scholar and poet Kamau Brathwaite McArthur, Tom,"Nation language" ''Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language'', 1998. and now commonly preferred to describe the work of writers from the Caribbean and ...
"). Other Jamaican writers who have gained international acclaim include Hazel Dorothy Campbell (1940–2018),
Mikey Smith Michael Smith, usually referred to as Mikey Smith (14 September 1954 – 17 August 1983), was a Jamaican dub poet. Along with Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Mutabaruka, he was one of the best-known dub poets. In 1978, Smith represented Jamaica at ...
(1954–1983) and
Linton Kwesi Johnson Linton Kwesi Johnson (born 24 August 1952), also known as LKJ, is a Jamaica-born, British-based dub poet and activist. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black one, to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series. His p ...
. In 2014, Mervyn Morris was appointed Poet Laureate of Jamaica. He was succeeded in 2017 by
Lorna Goodison Lorna Gaye Goodison CD (born 1 August 1947)Debo ...
.


Notable Jamaican writers

* Opal Palmer Adisa, writer, poet, performance artist *
Lindsay Barrett Carlton Lindsay Barrett (born 15 September 1941), also known as Eseoghene, is a Jamaican-born poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist and photographer, whose work has interacted with the Caribbean Artists Movement in the UK, the Black ...
, poet,
novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others asp ...
, journalist * Edward Baugh, poet and scholar *
Louise Bennett-Coverley Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley or Miss Lou (7 September 1919 – 26 July 2006), was a Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator. Writing and performing her poems in Jamaican Patois or Creole, Bennett worked to preserve the practice of p ...
, poet, folklorist, actress, educator * James Berry, poet, anthologist *
Eliot Bliss Eliot Bliss (12 June 1903 – 10 December 1990) was a Jamaican-born English novelist and poet of Anglo-Irish descent, whose literary friendships encompassed Anna Wickham, Dorothy Richardson, Jean Rhys, Romer Wilson and Vita Sackville-West.Virgi ...
, novelist and poet * Jonathan Braham, novelist *
Erna Brodber Erna Brodber (born 20 April 1940) is a Jamaican writer, sociologist and social activist. She is the sister of writer Velma Pollard. Biography Born in the farming village of Woodside, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, she gained a B.A. from the Unive ...
, novelist, poet * Margaret Cezair-Thompson * Colin Channer, novelist, short-story writer *
Kwame Dawes Kwame Senu Neville Dawes (born 28 July 1962) is a Ghanaian poet, actor, editor, critic, musician, and former Louis Frye Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of South Carolina. He is now Professor of English at the University of N ...
, poet, critic *
Jean D'Costa Jean Constance D'Costa (born 13 January 1937) is a Jamaican children's novelist, linguist, and professor emeritus. Her novels have been praised for their use of both Jamaican Creole and Standard English. Early life and education Jean Constance ...
, novelist, scholar * Herbert de Lisser, journalist and author * Ferdinand Dennis, novelist, journalist and broadcaster *
Nicole Dennis-Benn Nicole Dennis-Benn (born 1982) is a Jamaican novelist. She is known for her 2016 debut novel, ''Here Comes the Sun'', which was named a "Best Book of the year" by ''The New York Times'', and for her best-selling novel, ''Patsy'', acclaimed by ''Ti ...
, novelist *
Marcia Douglas Marcia Douglas is a novelist, poet, and performer. Life and education Douglas was born in the United Kingdom to Jamaican parents. Her family returned to Jamaica when Douglas was six, and she grew up in Kingston. Douglas received an MFA in cre ...
, novelist, poet, performer * Gloria Escoffery, painter, poet and art critic * Esther Figueroa, novelist, environmental activist, filmmaker * John Figueroa, poet, educator * Honor Ford-Smith, actress, playwright, scholar and poet * Ifeona Fulani, novelist, educator *
Lorna Goodison Lorna Gaye Goodison CD (born 1 August 1947)Debo ...
, poet * John Hearne, novelist, journalist and teacher * A. L. Hendriks, poet and critic *
Nalo Hopkinson Nalo Hopkinson (born 20 December 1960) is a Jamaican-born Canadian speculative fiction writer and editor. Her novels ('' Brown Girl in the Ring'', '' Midnight Robber'', '' The Salt Roads'', ''The New Moon's Arms'') and short stories such as th ...
, science fiction writer * Marlon James, novelist * Evan Jones, poet, novelist *
Linton Kwesi Johnson Linton Kwesi Johnson (born 24 August 1952), also known as LKJ, is a Jamaica-born, British-based dub poet and activist. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black one, to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series. His p ...
, poet * Barbara Lalla, novelist, scholar * Thomas MacDermot, poet, novelist and editor * Roger Mais, novelist * Rachel Manley, memoirist, poet * Una Marson, poet, playwright * Shara McCallum, poet, essayist * Diana McCaulay, novelist, short story writer, environmental activist * Claude McKay, poet and novelist * Anthony McNeill, poet *Una Marson, poet, playwright, journalist *
Kei Miller Kei Miller (born 24 October 1978) is a Jamaican poet, fiction writer, essayist and blogger. He is also a professor of creative writing.Pamela Mordecai, poet, novelist, short story writer * Mervyn Morris, poet, scholar, essayist *
Mutabaruka Allan Hope (born 1952), better known as Mutabaruka, is a Jamaican Rastafari dub poet, musician, actor, educator, and talk-show host, who developed two of Jamaica's most popular radio programmes, ''The Cutting Edge'' and ''Steppin' Razor''. His ...
, poet * Rex Nettleford, scholar, social critic * Cyril Palmer, writer * Orlando Patterson, historical and cultural sociologist *
Geoffrey Philp Geoffrey Philp (born 1958) is a Jamaican poet, novelist, and playwright. Philp used to reside in Jamaica, where he was born and attended Jamaica College, but he relocated in 1979 to Miami, Florida. He is the author of the novel ''Benjamin, My ...
, poet, novelist, playwright *
Velma Pollard Velma Pollard (born 1937) is a Jamaican poet and fiction writer. Among her most noteworthy works are ''Shame Trees Don't Grow Here'' (1991) and ''Leaving Traces'' (2007). She is known for the melodious and expressive mannerisms in her work. She is ...
, poet, novelist, short story writer * Patricia Powell, novelist *
Claudia Rankine Claudia Rankine (; born September 4, 1963) is an American poet, essayist, playwright and the editor of several anthologies. She is the author of five volumes of poetry, two plays and various essays. Her book of poetry, '' Citizen: An American L ...
, poet, playwright * V. S. Reid, novelist *
Trevor Rhone Trevor Dave Rhone (24 March 1940 – 15 September 2009) was a Jamaican writer, playwright and film maker. He co-wrote, with director Perry Henzell, the internationally successful film '' The Harder They Come'' (1972). Life Trevor Rhone, w ...
, playwright and film maker * Leopold Anthony Richards, scholar, educator, author * Leone Ross, novelist, short story writer, journalist * Heather Royes, poet * Gillian Royes, novelist * Andrew Salkey, novelist, poet * Dennis Scott, poet, playwright * Olive Senior, poet, novelist, short story writer * Tanya Shirley, poet, scholar * M. G. Smith, poet *
Mikey Smith Michael Smith, usually referred to as Mikey Smith (14 September 1954 – 17 August 1983), was a Jamaican dub poet. Along with Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Mutabaruka, he was one of the best-known dub poets. In 1978, Smith represented Jamaica at ...
, poet * Ralph Thompson, poet * Anthony C. Winkler, novelist *
Sylvia Wynter ''The Honourable'' Sylvia Wynter, O.J. ( Holguín, Cuba, 11 May 1928) is a Jamaican novelist, /sup> dramatist, /sup> critic, philosopher, and essayist. /sup> Her work combines insights from the natural sciences, the humanities, art, and anti-c ...
, novelist, dramatist, critic, essayist * Kerry Young, novelist"Kerry Young"
Literature British Council.


See also

* List of Jamaican books * List of Jamaican writers


References


External links


''Becka’s Buckra Baby''
from the
Digital Library of the Caribbean The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) is an international digital library operated collaboratively by the contributing partners. Partners Current partners continue to grow on a regular basis and are listed on thdLOC Partner Page Partners in ...
(1904)
''One Brown Girl and - a Jamaica Story''
from the
Digital Library of the Caribbean The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) is an international digital library operated collaboratively by the contributing partners. Partners Current partners continue to grow on a regular basis and are listed on thdLOC Partner Page Partners in ...
(1909) *Also in the ''All Jamaica Library'', but not written by Thomas MacDermot
''Maroon Medicine,''
by E. A. Dodd (listed as E. Snod) from the
Digital Library of the Caribbean The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) is an international digital library operated collaboratively by the contributing partners. Partners Current partners continue to grow on a regular basis and are listed on thdLOC Partner Page Partners in ...
{{North American topic, , literature North American literature