Thu | Oct 16, 2025

Letter of the Day | Honouring the Jamaican dray – a symbol of heritage, enterprise

Published:Thursday | October 16, 2025 | 12:08 AM
AS RAINS PELTED the city, a man clad in rain cloak and hat stands atop his dray piled with bags of coal and contemplates his next move.
AS RAINS PELTED the city, a man clad in rain cloak and hat stands atop his dray piled with bags of coal and contemplates his next move.

THE EDITOR, Madam:

In the vibrant tapestry of Jamaican heritage, few symbols evoke the strength, ingenuity, and spirit of our people quite like the Jamaican dray.

Though not unique to our island, the dray an open, side less cart drawn by mules played a pivotal role in shaping our economic and cultural landscape.

In the 19th century, these sturdy carts and their tireless mule teams were the lifeblood of local commerce, transporting goods from ports to towns, markets, and homes across the island.

In Jamaica, however, the dray was more than a logistical tool, it was a symbol of independent enterprise and community resilience. Long before the rise of tractor trailers and containerised freight, the dray laid the foundation for our modern transport systems and economic development. It was a visible declaration of “Yes we can,” etched into the daily rhythms of island life.

Growing up, I was captivated as my parents shared tales of hydroelectric marvels powering tram cars, colonial delegations and how places were named, and the colourful lore of obeah and duppy stories designed to keep us in line and quiet on our journey by car or train.

Among these narratives, the dray stood out like a majestic fusion of man and beast, commanding the roads with towering wheels and loads that seemed to carry entire markets or enough coal to warm every hearth.

DESERVES ITS PLACE

I recall seeing drivers resting beside their mules, engaged in quiet conversation, their presence as commanding as the carts they steered. My wife’s uncle, Hentley, was one such dray captain. Even in his senior years, his voice and posture could turn back time. I imagine him atop his oversized dray, whip in hand, journeying from Kingston to Spanish Town, pausing beneath the Tom Cringle cotton tree, a landmark etched in memory.

Uncle Hentley’s stories, shared at family gatherings, were more than recollections – they were lessons in perseverance, hard life, pride, and connection. His journeys from Clarendon to Kingston forged bonds that transcended cargo and commerce. They were acts of cultural preservation, reminders of a time when every load carried was a testament to Jamaican grit and grace.

As we celebrate our heritage and look toward the future, let us not forget the dray and the men who drove them. Their legacy is not just in the goods they hauled, but in the stories they told, the communities they served, and the spirit they embodied. The Jamaican dray deserves its place in our national memory not as a relic, but as a symbol of who we are and what we’ve built together.

PATRICK BROWN

Pembroke Pines, Florida