creative A JAMAICAN EXPRESSION
MARKETING PROFESSIONAL Amashika Lorne has launched a Jamaica-themed colouring book, which, according her, provides much more and has an objective to aid in the transmission of the island’s intangible culture of oral traditions intergenerationally.
“There is a significant need to reinforce a lot of the morals and values from our parents and grandparents in today’s Jamaica. One of the things that I have always admired is the use of proverbs to explain situations or stages of developments in life,” she said.
The book includes 20 line drawings of Jamaican settings depicting landmarks, customs, traditions, and cultural icons and takes it a step further to carefully pair these drawings with a Jamaican ring game, riddle, or proverb.
“To up the ante even further, I have introduced the writing system for Jamaican, or what many of us call Patois, using the official writing system that was created by linguist Frederick Cassidy and documented and preserved by the Jamaican Language Unit (JLU) at The University of the West Indies, Mona,” she said.
She said that the idea to create this book came to her in 2016 and that during the course of her research, she met with Professor Hubert Devonish and consulted with the JLU and other specialists like Carolyn Cooper, Stanley Niaah, and Donna Hope. Lorne said that she has submitted a copy of the book for review by the respective department of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information in hopes that it can be added to the supplemental list for primary-school curriculum.
Building on a book her parents had developed when she was 9 years old, she decided it was time to flex some creative muscle and carry on the legacy, she said. A Fe Wi Senting would have been revamped or morphed into Chat Tu Mi & Colour (the first edition).
The book will be available through the official website, chattumiandcolour.com, and will be in MegaMart at Waterloo Road from November 11 and Fontana Pharmacy in Barbican by the last week of November. Email info@amashika-associates.com for copies.