Pageant question encourages former Festival queen to ‘Wright’ patois children’s book

During the 2019 Miss Jamaica Festival Queen competition, Khamara Wright was asked the question: Do you believe patois should be taught in schools? Not only did she agree passionately with that view and go on to win the pageant, but she also took matters into her own hands by writing her first children’s book in the local language.

“Once we embed cultural pride in our children, we can ensure that they appreciate their role in being a part of Brand Jamaica. When I won the crown, I knew I wanted to make my answer tangible in some way and available for generations to come,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.

Patois Project wid Nina is a fun and interactive children’s book which addresses the subject, perception, and acceptance of patois as a language. “The story follows a young girl named Nina, who migrated to North America and was teased about how she spoke. She decided she could make a change, and she was the best candidate to do it,” the author explained.

Perfect for children ages six to 12 years old and up, the book is written with a mixture of patois and standard English. With patois, Wright captures the natural emotions and expressions of the characters.

The book teaches some valuable lessons as well. Aside from the obvious theme of acceptance, it promotes friendship and shares Jamaica’s heritage. “My aim is to educate children about the history and uniqueness behind the way we Jamaicans speak, highlighting that they, too, are a part of Brand Jamaica. Equally important is the message of choosing to respond positively and passionately in order to resolve difficult situations,” said Wright.

JAMAICAN HERITAGE

Wright also aspires to bridge the gap for children who may feel displaced living within the diaspora, and in doing so, “allow them to feel included and keep them close to their Jamaican heritage”.

Since beginning the writing journey in 2020, shortly after the start of the global pandemic, it has been a winding and rocky ride on this road to authorship. Confessing to throwing in the towel at least three times, the mission of conquering uncharted territory sometimes became too much for Wright to bear. Frustrated by the daunting process, she made the necessary sacrifices nonetheless and pushed forward to deliver a finished product that best represented her and the brand she was trying to build.

The challenging yet fulfilling journey took new heights when she decided to take the self-publishing route, one which proved to be both a struggle and a blessing at the same time. “Self-publishing journey threw me for a loop. Everything was new: the terms, the measurements, the paper density, the applications, among others. The process rekindled my respect for full-time authors and publishers. It was a lot of work, and I did a lot of reading to understand this new environment that I stepped into. Albeit tedious, the biggest personal lesson I’ve taken away truly is to never stop trying again,” she highlighted. She can now proudly say with the brightest of smiles that she is a self-published author.

Making the dream a printed reality also required funding, so Wright saved assiduously towards achieving that goal. “I hope this book encourages anyone who is on the fence about starting something new to just go for it,” she asserted.

Patois Project wid Nina is available on Amazon as an e-book and in print. For more information, connect with the author on Instagram: @african.pride__

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com