FAT HOG QUARTER GETS A ROASTING
Residents prefer to use St Simon as community name
Fat Hog Quarter resident Gregory Rowe has no qualms with the weird name of his beloved community, which is located in the north western parish of Hanover.
The 45-year-old Rastafarian, who is a member of a faith that has long declared war against pork, and summoned fire and brimstone for those consuming the meat, said he has no problem telling people that he is from Fat Hog Quarter. This is unlike some residents who do not want to be associated with the name, so much so that they have now been using St Simon to identify their community.
Rowe said that during his younger days he found the name of the community disturbing, particularly due to the fact that it appears to celebrate an ‘unclean meat’. However, it no longer worries him.
“I grew up hearing people referring to the community as Fat Hog Quarter, but having taken up the Rastafari journey me and several other Rastas had huffed at the name,” he said of his weird community name.
“When we were younger, we did feel a little way telling people that we are from Fat Hog Quarter, but today, we don’t use that name any more. We all use St Simon,” Rowe said.
The National Library of Jamaica said that Fat Hog Quarter was so named due to the fact that a large number of hogs used to populate the area. However, Lesma Getten, 63, a retired government employee, believes that a butcher played a role in the naming of the community.
“As far as I understand it, I