The Hon. Louise Simone Bennett-Coverly is quite possibly Jamaica’s most lov… Read Full Bio ↴The Hon. Louise Simone Bennett-Coverly is quite possibly Jamaica’s most loved Folklorist, Writer, Artiste. Miss Lou, as she is affectionately known, received her education from Ebenezer and Calabar Elementary Schools, St. Simon’s College, Excelsior College, Friends College (Highgate). She was a resident artiste from 1945 to 1946 with the “Caribbean Carnival”. She has appeared in leading humorous roles in several Jamaican Pantomimes and television shows. She has traveled throughout the World promoting the culture of Jamaica by lecturing and performing. Although her popularity is International, she enjoys a celebrity status in her native Jamaica, Canada and the United Kingdom. Her Poetry has been published several times, most notably Jamaica Labrish-1966, Anancy and Miss Lou- 1979. Among her many recordings are: Jamaica Folksongs-Folkways 1953, Jamaica Singing Games- 1953, Miss Lou’s Views-1967, Listen to Louise-1968, Carifesta Ring Ding-1976 The Honorable Miss Lou-1981, Miss Lou Live-London-1983 and Yes Me Dear-Island Records. She has been married to Eric Winston Coverley since May 30, 1954 and has 1 son and several adopted children. She enjoys Theatre, Movies, auction sales and continues to reside in Kingston. On Jamaica’s Independence Day 2001, the Honorable Mrs. Louise Bennett-Coverly was appointed as a Member of the Order of Merit (OM) for her invaluable and distinguished contribution to the development of the Arts and Culture.

Jamaican Alphabet
Louise Bennett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

a is fi akee sat fish best friend
b is fi bammi banana
c is fi coco an callilu
make fi u own lyrics, cuz mi a jamacian
an mi cant be bodda fi type up alla dis. cha man
all mi know is dat dis id 1 great son bruh.
Just fin out sum jamacian food dat start
wid each letter of di alphabet.

cuz mi na go do dis

cha rasta fari it de time fi mi to go.
come visit jamaica u will be pleased.

Overall Meaning

In Louise Bennett's song "Jamaican Alphabet," she speaks about the Jamaican culture using each letter of the alphabet as a reference to different aspects of Jamaican life. Bennett starts with the letter A signifying a crucial ingredient in Jamaican cooking, akee, which is commonly served with sat fish, symbolizing the importance of friendship in Jamaican culture. The letter B represents bammi and banana, two of the most popular foods in Jamaica that are easily accessible and incorporate well into the Jamaican cuisine.

Letter C is where she talks about coco and callilu, bringing emphasis to the abundance of nutritious vegetables that are commonly used in Jamaican dishes. Bennett encourages her listeners to make their unique lyrics, inspired by Jamaican culture, and highlights that she is Jamaican and cannot be bothered to type everything about this culture. She concludes by stating that Jamaica is a beautiful place to visit, leaving her listeners curious and encouraged to explore this vibrant Jamaican culture.

Line by Line Meaning

a is fi akee sat fish best friend
A is for akee, a fruit we eat. With saltfish it's a popular dish, can't be beat.

b is fi bammi banana
B is for bammy, made from cassava root. Eaten with fish or just on its own, it's a tasty loot.

c is fi coco an callilu
C is for coconut, the water and the meat. And callaloo, a leafy green, a side to eat.

make fi u own lyrics, cuz mi a jamacian
Make your own lyrics, because I'm Jamaican. I can't be bothered to type up all of this, man.

an mi cant be bodda fi type up alla dis. cha man
And I can't be bothered to type up all of this. Come on, man.

all mi know is dat dis id 1 great son bruh.
All I know is that this is one great song, brother.

Just fin out sum jamacian food dat start
Just found out some Jamaican food that starts

wid each letter of di alphabet.
With each letter of the alphabet.

cuz mi na go do dis
Because I'm not going to do this.

cha rasta fari it de time fi mi to go.
Alright, Rastafarian, it's time for me to go.

come visit jamaica u will be pleased.
Come visit Jamaica, you will be pleased.