The Song of the Banana Man. Touris, white man, wipin his face, Met me in Golden Grove market place. He looked at m’ol’ clothes brown wid stain , An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain, He cas his eye, turn up his nose, He says, ‘You’re a beggar man, I suppose?’ He says, ‘Boy, get some occupation, Be of some value to your nation.’ I said, ‘By God and dis big right han You mus recognize a banana man. ‘Up in de hills, where de streams are cool, An mullet an janga swim in de pool, I have ten acres of mountain side, An a dainty-foot donkey dat I ride, Four Gros Michel, an four Lacatan, Some coconut trees, and some hills of yam, An I pasture on dat very same lan Five she-goats an a big black ram, Dat, by God an dis big right han Is de property of a banana man. ‘I leave m’yard early-mornin time An set m’foot to de mountain climb, I ben m’back to de hot-sun toil, An m’cutlass rings on de stony soil, Ploughin an weedin, diggin an plantin Till Massa Sun drop back o John Crow mountain, Den home again in cool evenin time, Perhaps whistling dis likkle rhyme, Praise God an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man. ‘Banana day is my special day, I cut my stems an I’m on m’way, Load up de donkey, leave de lan Head down de hill to banana stan, When de truck comes roun I take a ride All de way down to de harbour side- Dat is de night, when you, touris man, Would change your place wid a banana man. Yes, by God, an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man. ‘De bay is calm, an de moon is bright De hills look black for de sky is light, Down at de dock is an English ship, Restin after her ocean trip, While on de pier is a monstrous hustle, Tallymen, carriers, all in a bustle, Wid stems on deir heads in a long black snake Some singin de sons dat banana men make, Like, (Sung) Praise God an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man. ‘Den de payment comes, an we have some fun, Me, Zekiel, Breda and Duppy Son. Down at de bar near United Wharf We knock back a white rum, bus a laugh, Fill de empty bag for further toil Wid saltfish, breadfruit, coconut oil. Den head back home to m’yard to sleep, A proper sleep dat is long an deep. Yes, by God, an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man. ‘So when you see dese ol clothes brown wid stain, An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain, Don’t cas your eye nor turn your nose, Don’t judge a man by his patchy clothes, I’m a strong man, a proud man, an I’m free, Free as dese mountains, free as dis sea, I know myself, an I know my ways, An will sing wid pride to de end o my days (Sung)Praise God an m’big right han I will live an die a banana man.’- Song of the Banana Man by Evan Jones Picture ( Oil Painting ) by Andy Ballentine. Prints can be bought online. fineartamerica/profiles/andy-ballentine.html One of our all-time absolute favourite pieces of poetry is The Song of the Banana Man by Evan Jones. It was the first inspirational piece of literature that we had ever read that spoke, in such self-defining terms, of issues such as national and personal pride, the love of country, love of our land and love of our work and love of self. In fact, we adored that piece so much that, not only did we memorise every single word by heart, but also, the poem was the source of inspiration for last weeks episode on the banana. It is the same honour and pride of a Banana Man referenced by Evan Jones in the poem that is behind the creation of the powerhouse Jamaica Producers Group. Jamaica Producers was, in fact, originally formed as a shipping company and a co-op of small banana farmers. Its creation opened a direct line of access to the UK for our local banana farmers that was controlled by the farmers themselves and thus able to bypass the industrys class bully, the United Fruit Company, which maintained complete dominance of the regional banana industry. What strategy; what brilliance! The creation of the co-op ensured that the local banana industry was suddenly not reliant on anyone outside of ourselves for survival; this struck fear into the heart of the powers that be in the world of banana who were not so happy with the concept of a unified group of small farmers who were self-sustainable. Naturally, phrases like tek it to dem and a so we dweet come immediately to mind, for everyone knows that we Jamaicans demand fairness and have a strong aversion to injustice. The history of the banana trade in the Latin American and Caribbean region dates back to the end of the 19th century, with firms such as the United Fruit Company (now Chiquita Banana) dominating the export market particularly in Central America, which, as the sugar industry did in the Caribbean, redefined the social, political and cultural landscape of the Central American region. Today, still, most bananas - particularly in Latin America - are grown on large plantations for export. Despite various challenges like near bankruptcy, however, the Jamaica Producers Group Limited (formerly Jamaican Banana Producers Association Ltd) is still going strong after 85 years and, most importantly, remains a 100 per cent Jamaican-owned institution (shareholders must be resident in Jamaica) whose values are based on the principles of equanimity and equality. In fact, the Group as it exists today, has expanded and boasts multiple subsidiaries and operations in territories such as Costa Rica and the Netherlands. Finding an edge in any market is challenging, but through constant research and dedication, the company has successfully managed to diversify and in the process has developed a wide range of innovative and delicious snack products made from local produce such as banana, plantain and cassava chips that fill the needs and palates of the local consumer. Even more interesting to us was the innovative way the JP Group has managed to not only supply the local demand, but also provide employment opportunities and tap into the our entrepreneurial spirit with the creation of what we term the roadside vendor programme. JP provides roadside banana vendors with product and branding (those cant-miss green and yellow bibs) allowing individuals to earn a respectable living by selling ripe bananas and associating themselves with a reputable and trustworthy brand like Jamaica Producers, while providing a heart healthy and convenient grab an go snack! Pure brilliance, simply put: the perfect merger of tradition and modernity! The great Evan Jones summarises this all perfectly in the closing lines of Song of the Banana Man.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 23:31:16 +0000
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