Bible verses to be read in patois on Easter Sunday
KINGSTON, Jamaica – As Easter Sunday approaches, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has launched its podcasts dubbed, ‘Scriptures in Patois’, where Jamaicans will get the chance to catch up on their Bible readings in patois.
On Easter Sunday, patois scriptures will be read by minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange; state minister Alando Terrelonge; wife of the prime minister, Juliet Holness; actress Karen Harriott and actor Lenford Salmon.
According to a release, they are expected to read the patois version of Matthew 28, verses 1 to 10.
People can listen to the podcast, which will be posted on the Ministry’s social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications at the Ministry, Oliver Watt, said the main aim of the initiative is to celebrate the Jamaican language and “to do something practical and meaningful that we all can participate in and look forward to.”
“We need to celebrate every aspect of our Jamaicaness, the things that make us unique. This is one thing that all of us use, but sometimes we don’t come out ourselves and look back at it or listen to it,” he added.
Watt noted that the response has been good and that people now understand the meaning of the Bible verses.
“People who listen to it say they finally get what the bible verses mean. They feel they have a greater emotional connection to what happens,” he said, adding that some of the verses read were on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Watt pointed out that persons are recognising the importance of the language.
“This language is incredibly important. It is part of the essence of who we are as Jamaican people; whether we are uptown or downtown, this is the language that we use,” he said.
