Culture
JAM | Aug 1, 2022

Jamaican proverbs about John Crows

Mikala Johnson

Mikala Johnson / Our Today

Reading Time: 2 minutes
A John Crow, also known as turkey vulture, gliding in the air. (Photo: bartho.blog)

In the rich Jamaican culture, proverbs are an amalgamation of African and European influences. Most Jamaican sayings reflect the wit and wisdom of the people over a period of time.

If you have ever stopped to notice, Jamaica as quite a few proverbs involving the John Crow. John Crow
refers to the common Jamaican vulture, which was once widely known as a carrion crow or turkey
vulture.

The John Crow is deeply embedded in Jamaican folklore, and below you will find out what a sighting of the bird means what’s said about them in several proverbs.

  1. If yu cyan get turkey, yu haffi satisfy wid Jancro
    Translation: If you are unable to get turkey, then you must be satisfied with John Crow.
    Explanation: No well-thinking Jamaican would be “caught dead” with a portion of john crow’s
    meat in his plate.  However, this proverb simply advises us to be prepared to accept situations
    that may not be to our liking, for peace’s sake.  Sometimes second best is not so bad after all.
  2. Joncro neber make house till rain come.
    Translation: John crow never thinks of making his house until it rains.
    Explanation: Some people never make provision for a rainy day.  
  3. Joncro tink him own pickney white.
    Translation: John Crow thinks his child is white.
    Explanation: Young John crows are white when hatched, but do not remain white. What is
    one’s own is always the best
  4. Johncro waah gaah lo lim likkle breeze cum caah im faasa.
    Translation: John Crow wants to go on a lower limb some breeze come and takes him faster.
    Explanation: Sometimes an individual may be experiencing a situation that they want to get out
    of and something happens that helps them to achieve it faster.
  5. Jancro seh im a dandy man but same time im hab fedda.
    Translation: John Crow says he’s an excellent man but he only has feathers.
    Explanation: Someone who is very vain and pretentious
  6. Yuh feva wen Joncro a roast plantain fi yuh sumbady.
    Translation: You look like when John Crow roasting plantain for someone
    Explanation: This depicts someone who is very meagre and emaciated in their appearance
  7. If yuh fly wid Joncro yuh wi nyam dead meat.
    Translation: If you fly with John Crow you will eat dead meat
    Explanation: A person is capable of doing the things that are done in the company
    that he or she keeps.

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