Bike shop

Searching for Old Spanish Bridge one day I ended up getting very very lost, taking an hour detour as google maps led me to a random bridge in the heart of St Mary, way off course!

Along the way I met Bobo and his son at their bike shop. Bobo invited me in and showed me around this shop. I asked if I could record a story on him and he smiled broadly, ‘yes!’ At the time I didn’t have my sound recorder so I told him I’d be back. It took 7 months before I was able to return but Bobo remembered me and was happy to share his story.

Bobo remembers a time when his business was flourishing and he had lots of customers. Now, people get gifted new bikes from family in America and they’ve stopped using small businesses like his own. Regardless, Bobo continues his work as a mechanic and does his farming. This is a family business and Bobo is proud to have trained up his children with valuable skills.

 
 
Story gallery
Rankine // Signs
Rankine // Signs

Rankine took up painting after he broke his leg slipping on a banana peel. Determined not to let his injury hold him back, he traveled to Kingston and took a courses in sign painting. Using biblical references, photos, images from books, warnings, cautions, historical fact and his imagination, Rankine has developed a large collection of designs over the years.

Displaying his work along the roadside in St Elizabeth, Rankine links his signs together with wire, stringing them between a wooden frame to make one large installation, catching the attention of passersby. Rankine believes that his true purpose is to create signs that will educate children and pass on important messages.

Georgie // Lignum Vitae
Georgie // Lignum Vitae

Born in the fishing community of Treasure Beach, Georgie captained boats for most of his life. An injury to his back prevents him from going out to sea, and now Georgie now relies on his carvings to survive.

Although Georgie carves a variety of objects, his life as a fisherman continues to inform a lot of his work. Georgie carves Jamaican canoes, which resemble the traditional dug-out canoes his father used to build by hand from cotton trees. This is a practice passed down from Jamaica’s indigenous Tainos.

Georgie works with lignum vitae (wood of life), a high quality wood native to Jamaica. Nicknamed 'iron wood’ it is a labour intensive building material which requires a lot of time and energy to shape. With limited resources and tools, Georgie continues to use a completely hand-based practice of carving and whittling.

Sassy Sue // Independence
Sassy Sue // Independence

Sassy Sue lives and works in downtown Kingston, Jamaica. She's been a hairdresser for 18 years now and has her regulars who keep coming back. Developing, refining and perfecting her craft, Sue takes time, care and pride in her job, building herself up independently. This is a woman who has put her mind to something and made it happen.

Jamaican woman have a strength, drive and power that has truely inspired me to dig deeper and push harder. There are a lot of narratives about women who depend on men and who don’t want to work within Jamaica, but in reality there are just as many (if not more) narratives of women who are making big moves through their independent businesses. These are the stories I want to hear, these are the stories I want to share.

Big up yourself Sassy Sue. You are a strong, independent and successful woman!

Morton // Records
Morton // Records

At the back of Constant Spring Arcade in Halfway Tree, there is a little record shop run by Morton. His main customers are Japanese tourists looking for Jamaican 60's records. He used to sell crafts but now has gone into the record business. Vinyls are stacked ceiling high in boxes and crates which fill his shopfront. Morton told me he doesn't organise or categories the records as it wouldn't be fair. One person might want to buy all of them and leave nothing for someone else.

I love this concept. It's such a different logic. Perhaps Morton genuinely wants his customers to all have a fair go at finding a hidden treasure or maybe he thinks the longer they have to stay and search the more they might buy… Or it could be that he just can't be bothered sorting them… Whatever the reason, this idea made me stop and smile. It’s so different from the usual ‘buy, buy, buy, sell, sell, sell’ of conventional capitalism that I’m used to.

As I was leaving Morton gifted me a record and thanked ME for my time. Again this made me stop. I was the one asking him for the favour and for his time. I thanked him and told him I didn't have a record player but he insisted I take it anyway. I his this Morton with a new perspective and warm feeling of gratitude.

Shubba // Barber
Shubba // Barber

Just off Parade, in Downtown Kingston, you’ll find Shabba the barber doing what he does best. An artist when it comes to the shears he knows his craft like the back of his hand.

The confidence, respect and pride that people take in their craft is a Jamaican characteristic which I have fallen in love with. There is such a beautiful sense of dignity and self-worth when it comes to talking about your skill-base and profession. In other societies this might be seen as being egotistic or conceited… But to me it’s refreshing and also very important. If you don’t believe in yourself, value your own work, then who else will? Confidence inspires confidence and the more you appreciate your achievements and skills, the more

If you’re in the neighbourhood and looking for a trim give Shabba a shout!

Rohan // Bad Mind
Rohan // Bad Mind

Rohan is a plumber from Kingston and works at the National Water Commission. On the side he does extra plumbing jobs outside of his work hours.... to get ahead.

When I first met Rohan he explained to me some of the ways that he feels Jamaica is stuck within a ‘plantation mentality’. How people have been divided and broken for so long now that it's become part of modern life. There's no support among peers, between brothers and sisters of society. If you're getting ahead others will become jealous and try to pull you back and hold you down. This is a phenomenon in Jamaica known as ‘Bad Mind’ and seems to be prevalent across all aspects of society.

Since I've been in Jamiaca I have this has defiantly been a common narrative and experience for many people I’ve met. When it comes to career and ambition people are constantly remarking at how quickly those around them will try to stunt them.

Thank you Rohan for sharing your insight.