Baan

Meaning

Born — the Jamaican pronunciation of 'born', most alive in the proud phrase 'baan an grow' (born and raised), which stakes a deep claim to belonging to a place. To be 'baan an grow' in a district is to be truly of it, rooted there from birth, and the phrase is spoken with real pride of identity and home. The word also carries the everyday sense of being born — 'when mi baan' — in ordinary talk of age and beginnings.

Examples

• Mi baan an grow a country.

  I was born and raised in the countryside.

• She baan inna May.

  She was born in May.

• A yah so mi baan.

  This is where I was born.

Origin

The Jamaican pronunciation of English 'born', with the vowel drawn out to 'baan'.

How it’s used

'Baan an grow' is the set phrase for having deep local roots — a strong statement of identity and belonging.