Jamaica Patois Wisdom – Clothing

by Jefferson David Tant

The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of teaching there, I have come to appreciate some things about their culture.

Patois –When di gal dem dress like prostitute, it comin like pig a roll ina mud. Mi we get attention from pigs mose of all dough

English – When a girl dresses like a prostitute, its like a pig rolling in the mud. The girl will get attention, but mostly from pigs.

Meaning – The way you dress defines what people think of you.

One universal trait that humans have is that we wear clothes. Yes, there are places where nudists may hang out, but when they are out in public, even nudists wear clothes. So, the decision that almost everyone faces when they get up in the morning is, “What shall I wear today?”

For some, that may not be a difficult choice, as they may have a very limited wardrobe, but for many, a decision has to be made. This article is directed to the female gender, for what you wear does make a difference in what others think of you—especially those of the male gender.

God gave guidelines about proper clothes for women. Long ago when Adam and Eve sinned and realized they were naked, they made some clothes to wear.  God was not satisfied with what they made—"chagowr” (a Hebrew word translated as “apron:). That covered the midsection. Not good enough. God then made for them proper clothing. The Hebrew word is “kathoneth, and refers to a garment that reaches to the knee. Now, everybody has a knee, so there is no trouble in determining how short is too short or how long is long enough (Genesis 3:7, 21).

The New Testament also has some information about a woman’s apparel. Paul wrote to Timothy: “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness” (I Timothy 2:9-10). This doesn’t mean a woman cannot braid her hair or wear jewelry but puts the emphasis on her character rather than her looks. However, it does say she should dress “modestly.”

On warm mornings my wife and I sometimes sit on our front porch eating our breakfast. Various neighbors are often taking a morning walk. Interestingly, a common attire for women is thigh-high shorts, while men wear knee-length shorts. Hmmm. I wonder why?

And what about swimsuits? Would they wear that to church? I doubt it! But why not, if that is modest apparel? Would a girl wear her panties and bra to the beach? Absolutely not, one might say. But does a bikini cover more than the panties and bra? I don’t think so.

So, girls, when others see you in public, what do you want them to think of you? Do you want them to think, “Wow! She’s sexy,” or would you prefer, “She’s pretty”? There’s nothing wrong with being pretty, as that does not detract from having a godly character. So, be careful that your attire is not attracting pigs, but that it places a higher value on you. There is beauty to be seen in character as well as in appearance.  Having worked in Jamaica for many years, I have seen many prostitutes and how they dress. Please, dear reader, don’t dress like one.