Archive for December 27th, 2011
Word of God gets patois translation
(BBC): The Bible is, for the first time, being translated into Jamaican patois. It's a move welcomed by those Jamaicans who want their mother tongue enshrined as the national language – but opposed by others, who think learning and speaking English should be the priority. In the Spanish Town Tabernacle near the capital, Kingston, the congregation is hearing the word of God in the language of the street. At the front of the concrete-block church, a young man and woman read alternate lines from the Bible. This is the Gospel of St Luke in Jamaican patois – or more precisely, "Jiizas – di buk we Luuk rait bout im".
The sound of the creole, developed from English by West African slaves in Jamaica's sugar plantations 400 years ago, has an electrifying effect on those listening.
Several women rise to testify, in patois, to what it means to hear the Bible in their mother tongue. "It's almost as if you are seeing it," says a woman, referring to the moment when Jesus is tempted by the Devil.
Teenager drowns at sea
(CNS): The body of a missing teenage boy who drowned after diving into the ocean from cliffs in the Pedro Castle area along Grand Cayman’s south coast has been found. Officials confirmed that the body of 17 year old Justin Henry from George Town was recovered at around 9:30 this morning following what was described by the police as an extensive search of the Pedro bluff. The circumstances surrounding the incident are now under investigation but earlier reports indicate the teenager was cliff diving in the area with friends yesterday afternoon when he got into difficulty. The search for Justin began in the afternoon around 4:30pm after the incident was reported to the 911 emergency centre but called off before 7pm Monday night. (Photo Dennie Warren jr)
Police recommenced the full scale search at first light with the marine and air support units.
In July emergency services rescued two students from St Matthews University who were also cliff diving from the same spot. At that time with plenty of daylight remaining,as the men got into difficulty around lunchtime, the police were able to find and rescue the students in what is known to be a dangerous area.
Yesterday emergency services were forced to call off the search in the evening due to the fall of darkness and the ocean conditions.