Well, at first we didn't succeed, so let's try again!
In 2016 the 'Jamaica 2000' team decided to explore if there was any interest in creating a website to collect the information and stories of the efforts that have been made over the years to gain respect and recognition for the languages of the Caribbean.
If we got a positive response we then planned to pull together these stories to publish a book.
I was working with Natalie Fagan Brown and I'm delighted to say I heard straight back from Tony Hendrix and from Gus John, Moqapi Selassie has responded positively and Yasus Afari has also indicated his support. Stephen Broks has carried the baton and used it to prod me to get on with this project!
However a range of issues colluded which made the 'Jamaica 2000' team to put this idea on the back burner.
August 2020 update: now working from home in various parts of the work and online as we face further months of Covid disruption, we feel we may have the time to focus on this again, this will support the Black Lives Matter drive, as 'Black Languages Matter.' See www.spanglefish.com/caln
Below is the email I sent around in 2016 to key people to see what interest there was.
From: lizmillman@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 15 February 2016 at 12:36:00 GMT+11
To: Stephen Brooks
Subject: Jamaican
Greetings to you all!
Apologies if it's been a while since I have been in touch, but I have now relocated to Australia as my part time base, to be with my daughter and gorgeous granddaughter, Matilda, aged 2 now.
However I still spend time in UK and plan to come over to Jamaica in June this year, to catch up with friends and pick up some projects I left hanging!
The new project on the stocks for "Jamaica 2000" is to co-ordinate the production of a book to be the document recording the activities we generated to support the recognition of Jamaican as a language.
The book is a gift really, not a money making venture, rather a way of thanking and recognising all those who supported our efforts and to tell the story for those still working to promote Jamaican as a language.
We plan to get some funds to enable us to pull together the stories and present the book as chapters of papers and interviews about the story. We would like to invite all of you to contribute, as well as the Bible Society and others who you feel I might have left out in my first attempt to move this lovely idea forward. I have been part of editorial teams who have put books together in the past, so I'll brush up my skills and welcome others who would like to be a part of the Editorial Team. Essentially I think our role will be agreeing / accepting the focus of your contribution and sorting out the order to present contributions in.
I don't intend this to be an arduous task, rather a great opportunity to be working together again to reflect on and share what was a pretty amazing story!
So, please let me know if you are interested to contribute and any ideas you have. Some of you have already written pieces eg Gus, your chapters in "Taking a Stand" and if it's OK for us to use them with credits, it will mean we don't have to re-invent the wheel.
Also to set the context, then perhaps something from your book Pauline, "Language in Jamaica". I also still have the teaching materials you wrote.
We will need poets and writers to offer items written in Jumiekan, so Yasus perhaps we can include Patwa Talkin? I am sure you will let us include some of your poetry Joan, with reference as well to Miss Lou's inspiration. Also there is that great preface in one of your books, Hubert Devonish.
We also need some humour, so I am including you Tony! That film footage you did ages ago is still going strong! So perhaps a DVD should be included!
Anyway, one step at a time.
When I hear from you and feel there is sufficient support for this idea, then I will seek out some funding / sponsorship. Let me know if you have ideas. I will definitely approach the Big Lottery in the UK as they supported the Caribbean Languages conference series in 2003ish.
Also ideas for a name for the book would be appreciated.
Every good wish, my flight has arrived. Just spent a weekend on a sheepstation with a friend and going back to Melbourne.
Cheers!
Liz Brant Millman I will be in Australia until May 2016
My email is lizmillman@yahoo.co.uk and this is the best way to contact me.
