Carolyn Cooper | Wa wrong wid Hillel history lesson?

 

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

 

Whole heap a people a nyam up demself bout di history lesson weh di teacher a Hillel gi di grade nine student dem. Im tell dem fi study di weapon dem weh di wicked white people dem did tek an torture black people. Mi no see nutten wrong wid dat. Plenty pikni no know nutten bout slavery eena Jamaica. An if dem no fi learn bout dat eena history class, a weh dem a go find out bout all a di wickedness weh fi wi long-time people dem suffer eena dis ya country?

By di way, wa mek history a no one a di subject dem weh all pikni must an bound fi study fi CXC? Marcus Garvey done tell wi seh, "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." It look like seh Ministry of Education no want di pikni dem stand up strong. Marcus Garvey a national hero. But im a face card. Govament nah tek Marcus Garvey teaching serious.

Den Bert Samuels write one column weh Gleaner publish last week wid dis ya headline: 'Convert Hillel rage into reparation demand'. Im copy di question weh di history teacher gi: "Your opinion: The justification for the enslavement of African people was their lack of civility. Discuss your chosen punishment type as a demonstration of European civility."

Ascorden to Samuels, "This question, in particular, evoked the most rage. It touched the raw nerves of many descendants of enslaved Africans here. It resurrected our memory of, and brought into sharp focus, the fact that chattel slavery is classified as the worst example of man's mistreatment of man in recorded history."

 

DI 'JUSTIFICATION' NO MEK NO SENSE!

 

Good! Dat a wa di question suppose fi do. Open di pikni dem eye. An it look like seh all a di people dem weh bex no understand di question. Di first part a di key: "The justification for the enslavement of African people was their lack of civility." One fault mi find wid di question. 'Civility' a no di right word. Dat mean good manners. A 'civilisation'! An di sentence woulda ha fi change up.

Di question a aks di pikni dem fi gi fi dem opinion bout dat deh eedyat argument seh di African people dem never civilise. Anybody wid sense - man, woman or pikni - woulda see seh a no di African people dem no civilise. A di European dem weh study dem head fi mek all a dem deh weapon fi torture di African dem. A dem a di animal.

Dat a di right answer fi di question. Di teacher nah aks di pikni dem fi justify torture. Im a aks dem fi use dem brain an see seh di "justification" fi slavery no mek no sense! So wi suppose fi bex bout slievri. An wi ha fi demands payback. But wi no fi bex wid di Hillel history teacher. Im a tek lesson from Marcus Garvey. Respect due!

 

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

 

Uol iip a piipl a nyam op demself bout di ischri lesn we di tiicha a Hillel gi di gried nine stuuydent dem. Im tel dem fi stodi di wepan dem we di wikid wait piipl dem did tek an taacha blak piipl. Mi no si notn rang wid dat. Plenti pikni no nuo notn bout slievri iina Jamieka. An if dem no fi laan bout dat iina ischri klaas, a we dem a go fain out bout aal a di wikidnis we fi wi lang-taim piipl dem sofa iina dis ya konchri?

Bai di wie, wa mek Ischri a no wan a di sobjek dem we aal pikni mos an boun fi stodi fi CXC? Marcus Garvey don tel wi se, "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." It luk laik se Minischri a Edikieshan no waahn di pikni dem tan op chrang. Marcus Garvey a nashinal iiro. Bot im a fies kyaad. Govament naa tek Marcus Garvey tiichin siiryos.

Den Bert Samuels rait wan kalam we Gleaner poblish laas wiik wid dis ya edlain: 'Convert Hillel rage into reparation demand'. Im kapi di kweschan we di ishri tiicha gi: "Your opinion:The justification for the enslavement of African people was their lack of civility. Discuss your chosen punishment type as a demonstration of European civility."

Azkaadn tu Samuels, "This question, in particular, evoked the most rage. It touched the raw nerves of many descendants of enslaved Africans here. It resurrected our memory of, and brought into sharp focus, the fact that chattel slavery is classified as the worst example of man's mistreatment of man in recorded history."

 

DI 'JUSTIFICATION' NO MEK NO SENS!

 

Gud! Dat a wa di kweschan supuoz fi du. Uopn di pikni dem yai. An it luk laik se aal a di piipl dem we beks no andastan di kweschan. Di fos paat a di kii: "The justification for the enslavement of African people was their lack of civility." Wan faalt mi fain wid di kweschan. 'Civility' a no di rait wod. Dat miin gud manas. A 'civilisation'! An di sentens wuda a fi chienj op.

Di kweshan a aks di pikni dem fi gi fi dem opinyan bout dat de iidyat aagyument se di Afrikan piipl dem neva sivilaiz. Enibadi wid sens - man, uman ar pikni - wuda si se a no di Afrikan piipl dem no sivilaiz. A di Yuuropiiyan dem we stodi dem ed fi mek aal a dem de wepan fi taacha di Afrikan dem. A dem a di animal.

Dat a di rait ansa fi di kweschan. Di tiicha naa aks di pikni dem fi jostifai taacha. Im a aks dem fi yuuz dem brien an si se di "justification" fi slievri no mek no sens! So wi supuoz fi beks bout slievri. An wi a fi dimaans piebak. Bot wi no fi beks wid di Hillel ischri tiicha. Im a tek lesn fram Marcus Garvey. Rispek juu!

- Carolyn Cooper is a consultant on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.