Heroes and Sheroes: What Makes a Jamaican National Hero

Let’s be honest: when most Jamaicans hear “National Hero,” the first thing that comes to mind is not some ancient scroll of accomplishments — it’s usually:
“Mi memba di statue pon Heroes Park weh always look like it a judge yuh.”

But behind the statues, the street names, and the school projects with the same tired picture of Paul Bogle in sepia tone, there’s a story. A real story. And it’s not just about big speeches, it’s about bravery, backbone, and a serious case of “mi nah tek nuh foolishness.”

So today, we ask the all-important question: What really makes someone a Jamaican National Hero — and can Miss Merl up di road weh always save di community curry goat cookout qualify?

Let’s dive in.

First, Who Are the Chosen Ones?

Jamaica has seven official National Heroes — a solid mix of warriors, thinkers, and one supernatural bullet-catching queen who honestly sounds like she should’ve had her own Marvel movie by now.

Here’s the list, just in case you slept through Grade 5 Social Studies:

1. Marcus Garvey – The big dreamer who told Black people worldwide:
   “Back to Africa, cause Babylon nuh love we!”
2. Paul Bogle – Walked all the way from St. Thomas to Kingston in slippers to demand justice.
   (That’s what we call “real foot patrol”).
3. George William Gordon – Spoke up for poor people even though he could’ve sat comfy.
   (“Him did born uptown, but him heart deh downtown.”)
4. Nanny of the Maroons – Military strategist, spiritual warrior, and the original queen of resistance.
   (“Bullet? Ketch dat an fling it back pon dem!”)
5. Sam Sharpe – Preacher-turned-rebel who said:
   “If a slavery a go kill mi, then mi ready.”
6. Norman Manley – Lawyer, nationalist, and one half of Jamaica’s political soap opera.
7. Alexander Bustamante – Talk big, move bold. The original union man who told colonialism:
   “Mi nuh fraid a unuh.”

So What Really Makes a National Hero?

Let’s be honest, it’s not the size of your statue. (Although some of those statues do look like they’ve been skipping leg day.)

A National Hero, in Jamaican terms, must possess at least three outta four of the following:

1. Big braveness – Willing to risk everything fi di people.
2. Rebel energy – Can’t stand injustice and quick to seh:
   “Dat cyan gwaan suh!”
3. Nation-building vibes – Whether spiritually, politically or culturally, dem lift up Jamaica.
4. Legacy that last – If school pickney still a write essay bout yuh 100 years later — yuh qualify.

What About the Sheroes?

Now let’s address the ackee in the room: Where are the rest of the women?

Yes, we have Queen Nanny, but let’s be honest — there are some serious bad gyal in Jamaican history who deserve their own statue, bronze plaque, and maybe a Highway 3000 named after them.

Where’s the love for Amy Jacques Garvey (Marcus’ smarter half)? Or Sister Nancy (first female dancehall DJ)? Or even Miss Lou, who could drop dialect like gold and made “patois sound like poetry from a Nobel Prize winner.”

In fact, if there was a category for “Cultural Heroism,” Miss Lou would’ve been crowned long time. She made it cool to say:
“Missa Chin a sell di best bulla, but a Granny bulla a di real deal.”

Could Everyday Jamaicans Qualify?

We joke, but let’s admit it — every Jamaican community has their own low-key heroes. You know them:

• That shopkeeper who gives credit every back-to-school season.
• That one teacher who stays late every evening, even though her pay slip say otherwise.
• The taxi driver who coulda overcharge but always seh:
  “Mi cyaan do dat to mi regular.”

Now, are they ready for statue level? Maybe not yet. But if we had a category for “People Who Keep Di Island From Falling Apart While Still Laughing Through It,” we’d have hundreds.

The Real Lesson?

Heroes aren’t perfect. Trust me, if Paul Bogle had a Twitter account, some of you would’ve cancelled him already. And Garvey? Mi sure some people woulda seh:
“Him full a chat but weh di results?”

But heroes aren’t about perfection. They’re about purpose. About showing up, standing firm, and choosing justice over comfort. Jamaica’s National Heroes didn’t wait for applause — they acted because it was right.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s what we all need to channel a little more of — a likkle more Nanny backbone, a likkle more Sam Sharpe sacrifice, and definitely more Garvey-sized vision.

Because as every granny seh when yuh a complain:
“Yuh cyaan wait pon nobody fi build yuh future. Yuh haffi build it yuhself — brick by brick, bun by bun.”

Final Thought from Di Yard Culture Watcher:
Being a hero isn’t about capes or titles — it’s about showing up for your people when it matters. So while we celebrate the seven giants in the history books, let’s not forget the unsung ones walking among us. After all, some of the greatest sheroes and heroes still a tek bus to work, still a cook soup pon three-stone fire, and still a seh:

“Mi might nuh rich, but mi a do dis fi di future.”

Mi gone.