Jamaican Song and Story Part 64

Wheel an' take you pardner, jump shamador!

For he like sugar an' I like plum.]

The boy inside the ring chooses his partner, whom he leaves there after the dance. She obtains release by choosing another partner, whom she leaves behind. So there is alternately a boy and a girl in the ring.

"Shamador" is possibly a corruption of "camerado."

CX.

The next is an old tune which is going out of fas.h.i.+on. It is still remembered in my district, but n.o.body can tell me how it is danced.

[Music:

Johnny, Johnny, da wharra fe dinner?

Three slice a lilly bit a dumpling, Me Johnny come roll the board.]

"Da wharra" literally means "is what." What is there for dinner? Three slices and a little bit of dumpling. I tried to find out whether they were slices of dumpling or slices of something else, but no one could tell me that. The dumplings are plain flour and water, innocent of suet. They are very popular, and are eaten with a morsel of salt fish or meat. Johnny is invited to come and roll them on the board.

CXI.

We all know the next tune:--

[Music:

Me lover gone a Colon Bay, Colon Bay, Colon Bay, Me lover gone a Colon Bay With a handsome concentina.

Oh what is your intention, intention, intention?

Oh what is your intention?

My intention is to marry you.

I will married to you, I will married to you, I will married to you, I will married to you, I will married to you, I will married to you With a handsome concentina.]

(Levi always sings:--"What is your retention, retention, retention?")

In "I will married to you" the wheeling becomes a giddy business, at least to the onlooker. The dancers never seem to feel it, nor do they appear to mind the heat. They simply stream with perspiration and put their handkerchiefs round their necks to save their white collars.

CXII.

A little breathing time is given by:--

[Music:

Good morning to you, mother; Good morning to you, daughter; What is your intention?

I want to be a teacher.

You shan't be a teacher.

I bound to be a teacher.

Jump shamador, me darling.

What is your intention?

I goin' to be a doctor.

You shan't be a doctor.

I bound to be a doctor.

You shan't be a doctor.

I will be a doctor.

Jump Shamador, me darling.]

There is no dancing here. The mother walks round inside the ring, the various members of which she addresses in turn. "You shan't" is emphasised by an uplifted arm swept vigorously downwards and a stamp of the foot. The answers go through the various professions until it is felt that there is a want of something more exciting, which is supplied by:--

CXIII.

[Music:

One Johnny Miller he was living Water Lane an' he wheel right roun' an' the ladies drop.

One on the right an' the other on the left, an' he wheel right roun' an' the ladies drop.]

The tune is again familiar. A boy takes two girls out of the circle, leaves one in the middle and wheels the other. Having dropped her he wheels the second one. The wheeling over, she is dropped. These two then resume their places in the circle, and the boy takes out two more.

"Water Lane." Kingston lies on ground sloping evenly to the sea. It is laid out on the American plan in parallel streets. A broad "Street"

alternates with a narrower "Lane." The lanes pointing to the sea have water running down them and are called Water Lanes.

CXIV.

The next is used both as a Ring-tune and for the favourite Fifth Figure of the Quadrilles:--

[Music:

Me go to Morant Bay, Bahlimbo.

Me see one Coolie gal, Bahlimbo.

Lard! me love the gal, Bahlimbo.

Me tell her wait fe me, Bahlimbo.

The gal no wait at all, Bahlimbo.

Me ride, me ride, me ride, Bahlimbo.

Me catch her on the way, Bahlimbo.