Meaning
A notorious shanty settlement in west Kingston, home to the poorest of the poor and an early gathering place of Rastafari, that was bulldozed in 1966 and rebuilt as the Tivoli Gardens housing scheme. 'Back-a-Wall' lives on as a symbol of ghetto suffering, Rasta roots, and the politics that reshaped the city.
Examples
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Plenty early Rasta did live a Back-a-Wall.
Plenty of early Rastas lived in Back-a-Wall.
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Dem bulldoze Back-a-Wall an build Tivoli.
They bulldozed Back-a-Wall and built Tivoli.
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Ole reggae tune remember Back-a-Wall.
Old reggae tunes remember Back-a-Wall.
Origin
Named for its location literally 'back a wall' — behind the western boundary wall of Kingston; razed in 1966 for the Tivoli Gardens development.
How it’s used
A historically loaded place-name — ghetto suffering, early Rastafari, and garrison politics. See [[ghetto]], [[garrison]].