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'Ole naygah' and 'topanaris'
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
"See the hypocrites dem a galang deh..."- Bob Marley and the Wailers
In Jamaica, the two social extremes are "ole naygah (old ************************) and "topanaris" ( so-called aristocrat). In between are the middle class and upper middle class which can be further dissected into "the working poor" (persons who live from salary to salary), the "butocracy" or "never see come see" (those "ole naygahs" who by virtue of sudden wealth and status enter the upper strata of the Jamaican society with an in-your-face attitude).
Of course, among all of these groupings are hard-working, honest, decent, law-abiding Jamaicans who are not necessarily caught up with this class thing. It has to be borne in mind, too, that the plantocracy is alive and well, although it has suffered some body blows with the advent of the "butocracy" whose members now have the capacity to erect modern, ostentatious great houses next door to the last vestiges of colonial architecture. In this scenario, Jamaica is made up primarily of hypocrites (false pretenders) and schizophrenics (persons with split personalities).
This may sound harsh, but the glaring reality is that underpinning Jamaica's socio-economic landscape is a class tension which is being conveniently ignored by the powers that be, but which has the potential to blow up in our faces one of these days. In this vein, when the Jamaica Labour Party came to power in 2007, representatives of the "topanaris" saw this as a great opportunity to put the ole naygahs in their place. In other words, preserve the status quo of having two Jamaicas - "dem" and "us". Indeed, a good friend of mine told me about attending a cocktail party after the JLP victory and overhearing a group of "topanaris" declaring, "It's them against us. So we better make sure it's our time now."
The People's National Party, ironically, which was seen as mainly a middle-class political movement with a strong intellectual base, was branded "the ole naygah party" after Portia Simpson Miller became its president and subsequently prime minister. Up to this day, many individuals in the upper echelons of the society have a problem with how Sista P speaks, and they question whether she comfortably has within her grasp the social graces. The obverse of this is that the JLP is seen now as the "brown man" party and whether wittingly or unwittingly, a cursory glance at the hierarchy of that body reveals a substantial lack of melanin.
This is not to say that the JLP is a racist organisation. Far from it, but as some may want to argue, class is class (put your own interpretation to this). Then again, within the PNP there are still persons who are uncomfortable with the leadership presence of a Portia Simpson Miller. And let us not forget that in all this class "mix-up and blenda" business, there are those who are called "roast breadfruits" (black Jamaicans who are white inside).
And lest we forget, during Sir Alexander Bustamante's heyday, the JLP was seen as a party of the poor and unkempt. Indeed, it was from this perception, if not branding, that emerged the oft-used term "dutty Labourite". But Busta survived because he was a tall brown man. So too did Michael Manley, because of his pigmentation and class background, notwithstanding the fact that he was seen as having betrayed his class at times.
Let's face it, the class issue is not something most of us want to discuss openly and for the most part we become very uncomfortable exploring this touchy subject. But I do believe that the time has come when it should be faced squarely and dealt with within the context of creating as far as is possible one Jamaica. It is no secret that many black Jamaican men see as part of their upward mobility marrying a "browning". And it remains a stark fact that no fully black Jamaican from the ole naygah class has made it so far to the PSOJ Hall of Fame. Whose fault is it?
In the meantime, on the international scene it is a Usain Bolt, Rex Nettleford, Merlene Ottey, Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, and Veronica Campbell Brown, among others, who have emerged from the cane piece that have brought us fame and glory, truly representing what is the Jamaican brand.
As an ole naygah myself, I have known what it is to be tolerated in certain social settings in this Jamaican society of hypocrites. The cocktail circuit is rife with this hypocritical approach to national life. It is my considered opinion that most of Jamaica's deep-rooted problems lie in this issue of class which has created a society of inequities and iniquities, much to the detriment and disadvantage of the ole naygah.
Perhaps this explains why Education Minister Andrew Holness was quoted as saying that in the transformation of Tivoli Gardens the residents there would be taught middle-class values. His comments came in the wake of yet another crass statement allegedly made by North Western Manchester Member of Parliament Dean Peart in which he spoke about dealing effectively with the "ole naygahs". Clearly, it can be seen here that class biases cut across partisan lines.
Our young men and women at the lower echelon of the social ladder continue to bleach in order to reach, our athletes and entertainers when interviewed seek to "twang" , while our politicians on the hustings talk the language of the ole naygahs when they want their votes, rubbing shoulders with them, but after they have won, they pursue ways and means of keeping the ole naygahs in their place.
This has been the essence of Jamaican politics since 1962 - keeping ole naygahs in their place. Because as Bob Marley has sung, all they have ever had are redemption songs.
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...anaris_7731847
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
"See the hypocrites dem a galang deh..."- Bob Marley and the Wailers
In Jamaica, the two social extremes are "ole naygah (old ************************) and "topanaris" ( so-called aristocrat). In between are the middle class and upper middle class which can be further dissected into "the working poor" (persons who live from salary to salary), the "butocracy" or "never see come see" (those "ole naygahs" who by virtue of sudden wealth and status enter the upper strata of the Jamaican society with an in-your-face attitude).
Of course, among all of these groupings are hard-working, honest, decent, law-abiding Jamaicans who are not necessarily caught up with this class thing. It has to be borne in mind, too, that the plantocracy is alive and well, although it has suffered some body blows with the advent of the "butocracy" whose members now have the capacity to erect modern, ostentatious great houses next door to the last vestiges of colonial architecture. In this scenario, Jamaica is made up primarily of hypocrites (false pretenders) and schizophrenics (persons with split personalities).
This may sound harsh, but the glaring reality is that underpinning Jamaica's socio-economic landscape is a class tension which is being conveniently ignored by the powers that be, but which has the potential to blow up in our faces one of these days. In this vein, when the Jamaica Labour Party came to power in 2007, representatives of the "topanaris" saw this as a great opportunity to put the ole naygahs in their place. In other words, preserve the status quo of having two Jamaicas - "dem" and "us". Indeed, a good friend of mine told me about attending a cocktail party after the JLP victory and overhearing a group of "topanaris" declaring, "It's them against us. So we better make sure it's our time now."
The People's National Party, ironically, which was seen as mainly a middle-class political movement with a strong intellectual base, was branded "the ole naygah party" after Portia Simpson Miller became its president and subsequently prime minister. Up to this day, many individuals in the upper echelons of the society have a problem with how Sista P speaks, and they question whether she comfortably has within her grasp the social graces. The obverse of this is that the JLP is seen now as the "brown man" party and whether wittingly or unwittingly, a cursory glance at the hierarchy of that body reveals a substantial lack of melanin.
This is not to say that the JLP is a racist organisation. Far from it, but as some may want to argue, class is class (put your own interpretation to this). Then again, within the PNP there are still persons who are uncomfortable with the leadership presence of a Portia Simpson Miller. And let us not forget that in all this class "mix-up and blenda" business, there are those who are called "roast breadfruits" (black Jamaicans who are white inside).
And lest we forget, during Sir Alexander Bustamante's heyday, the JLP was seen as a party of the poor and unkempt. Indeed, it was from this perception, if not branding, that emerged the oft-used term "dutty Labourite". But Busta survived because he was a tall brown man. So too did Michael Manley, because of his pigmentation and class background, notwithstanding the fact that he was seen as having betrayed his class at times.
Let's face it, the class issue is not something most of us want to discuss openly and for the most part we become very uncomfortable exploring this touchy subject. But I do believe that the time has come when it should be faced squarely and dealt with within the context of creating as far as is possible one Jamaica. It is no secret that many black Jamaican men see as part of their upward mobility marrying a "browning". And it remains a stark fact that no fully black Jamaican from the ole naygah class has made it so far to the PSOJ Hall of Fame. Whose fault is it?
In the meantime, on the international scene it is a Usain Bolt, Rex Nettleford, Merlene Ottey, Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, and Veronica Campbell Brown, among others, who have emerged from the cane piece that have brought us fame and glory, truly representing what is the Jamaican brand.
As an ole naygah myself, I have known what it is to be tolerated in certain social settings in this Jamaican society of hypocrites. The cocktail circuit is rife with this hypocritical approach to national life. It is my considered opinion that most of Jamaica's deep-rooted problems lie in this issue of class which has created a society of inequities and iniquities, much to the detriment and disadvantage of the ole naygah.
Perhaps this explains why Education Minister Andrew Holness was quoted as saying that in the transformation of Tivoli Gardens the residents there would be taught middle-class values. His comments came in the wake of yet another crass statement allegedly made by North Western Manchester Member of Parliament Dean Peart in which he spoke about dealing effectively with the "ole naygahs". Clearly, it can be seen here that class biases cut across partisan lines.
Our young men and women at the lower echelon of the social ladder continue to bleach in order to reach, our athletes and entertainers when interviewed seek to "twang" , while our politicians on the hustings talk the language of the ole naygahs when they want their votes, rubbing shoulders with them, but after they have won, they pursue ways and means of keeping the ole naygahs in their place.
This has been the essence of Jamaican politics since 1962 - keeping ole naygahs in their place. Because as Bob Marley has sung, all they have ever had are redemption songs.
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...anaris_7731847
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