By Michael Buchanan, Northend Agent’s
“If Fool No Ga’a Maakit, Bad Food No Sell.” Jamaican Language.
English Translation: “If No Fools Go To The Market, The Damaged Or Stale Food Won’t Be Sold.”
Many mothers used to tell their children this cautionary witticism as a reminder of how to mind their conduct as they travel outside their home. As with the saying, “If it feels too good to be true, it probably is”, this saying tells one that there is very often someone out there in this human marketplace, who will want to “it yu dinna”. This latter is a popular 1990s Jamaican phrase (English translated – eat your dinner) i.e. trick you out of, or otherwise selfishly exploit your energy (= currency, standing or possessions), for their own benefit.
One example, often unnoticed as we clamor for convenience and seeming novelty, is the many manufactures that by emotional manipulation, claim to be better than items that you can, and that your great parents have been making for decades or centuries.
Be not deceived by the guises and disguises, the legal bait and switch and implanted thoughts that “The grass is always greener on the other side”. Remember, “All that glitters is not gold.” and in more contemporary terms, “Mama never grow no fools.”
References in the cultural records: Wailers/ Peter Tosh/ Bob Marley (song) “Get Up Stand Up.” Petula Clarke (song) “The other man’s grass is always greener.” Third World (song) “Human Market Place.”
