Carolyn Cooper | Norman Range turn inna culture garden

Pure Chaka-Chaka dis ya week. Mi done know seh nuff a unu a go glad fi nuh see nuh Prapa-Prapa. It a come back next month, if life spare. All who still nah try fi read fi wi Jamaican language can go pon mi blog fi ketch di English version: carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com

History time! Inna 1883, Sir Henry Norman tek over from Sir Anthony Musgrave an turn Governor a Jamaica. Musgrave did have nuff vision. A im did set up di Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) fi promote science, literature an di rest a di arts dem. An a im di IOJ Musgrave Medal name after. Mi did glad so till fi get one gold medal fi literature last year.

Sir Henry Norman was a warmonger. Im did born inna England inna 1826. Im fambily did move go a India. Im join one a di army dem weh did a fight gainst di Indian people dem. Im gwaan an gwaan so til im turn Minister fi War inna India. An a im di Colonial Office sen a Jamaica inna 1883 fi try set up one new constitution fi control fi wi local govament. Dem deh time, a ongle di white planter dem did a run tings ya so. Nuh black smaddy never have nuh talk inna govament. Still for all, di planter dem did a fight gainst di British coloniser dem fi defend fi dem right fi rule demself.

Inna 1888, Governor Norman open one gun range. It name after im. A deh so di Kingston Volunteer Militia did ketch dem practice. Long after dat, Norman Range turn inna one housing development, Norman Gardens. It did sound like seh wi swop gun fi flowers an food. Nutten never go so. Di people dem weh name di street dem keep up di gun culture. It never mek nuh sense: Trigger Road, Butts Crescent, Cartridge Road, Range Crescent, Target Street, Practice Road and Rifle Road. Mi wonder how dem deh name affect di community.

DEVELOP YOUNG PEOPLE TALENT

Fi mi fambily did move go a Norman Gardens bout 1961. Di contractor fi wi house did careless an never put up nuh fence. One day, one cow end up inna di kitchen. Unu can just imagine di excitement! Wen wi modder done wid di contractor, di fence go up inna two twos. She never easy at all, at all. She was a teacher who did know how fi discipline idle pikni. An big smaddy. An she always a look out fi people pikni. Nuff a dem did live wid wi.

Mi brodder Kingsley tek after wi modder. Im did love fi develop young people talent. Long before 1980, when im an Hilary Phillips did start fi dem entertainment company, Pulse! Inna 1975, Kingsley an some a im fren dem start up one youth club inna Norman Gardens. Im a di president an di executive committee a Donald Ellis, Donny Thompson, Howie Thompson, Michael Badley an Donny Kong. Kingsley an Donny did run Soul Construction disco. Donny tell mi seh a im encourage Kingsley fi thief outa di house an go a im first dance.

Wi did grow up as Seventh Day Adventist so wi did av nuff rule fi follow. Donny seh big problem Friday evening wen dem a play football. Kingsley a di goalie an as soon as it look like seh it a go get dark, an sabbath a go start, im disappear. Goal empty! It never tek Kingsley long fi bruck outa Adventism. It did too strict.

Di youth club did have bout 30 member. An dem did meet pon Sunday at di Norman Gardens primary school. Mi ha fi thank Donny Kong an Marlene Brown fi tell mi di whole story. Dem deh time, mi did a teach English a one Adventist College inna Merica. Dat a one next story. Long after dat, Marlene an Peter Tosh did deh. An a she help Kingsley fi set up di Peter Tosh Museum.

“LASTING IMPACT”

Marlene a ongle 13 wen she join one culture group inna Norman Gardens wid five odder girl: her two sister Carol an Virginia; an dem fren Sharon, Nadia an Donna. Lickle more, three boy join di group: Ronnie, Junior an Toto. Dem call demself ‘Touch of Class.’ Dem did dance, an sing an do modelling. Kingsley did manage di group. Dem used to practice pon wi veradah. Kingsley all get dem pon di tv show, “Where It’s At.” Yu can just imagine how di youth dem from Norman Gardens did glad. Dem did perform same day wid Ken Booth an Susan Cadogan. Big time!

Howard Campbell did write bout di show inna one report inna di Observer weh come out inna 2017: “BACK in the 1970s, the roots man went to dances where the rockers beat held sway and ganja permeated the air. Those who loved ‘funky’ music strutted their stuff on Where It’s At.

That show, which aired on the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC), was the Jamaican version of Soul Train. It made a lasting impact on young people, including Paul Johnson.” Hear weh Johnson tell Campbell: “Where It’s At was influential in fashion, music, lifestyle and family. Family structures were enhanced, and families would gather every Saturday at 6:30 pm to watch the show, together.”

Kingsley did ha fi leave Jamaica fi go a Law School inna Barbados. Di club did get one next president. Marlene an Donny seh im couldn’t manage to dat. An di club bruck up. But all a weh di youth dem did do fi di two year wen di club did a gwaan good-good mek dem know dem power. Dem build up dem community. Di youth club mek nuff talent grow. Norman Range turn inna one culture garden fi true. Kingsley an di whole a di executive committee suppose fi get one 21-gun salute. Lyrically speaking!

Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a teacher of English language and literature and a specialist on culture and development. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com