ECC and Author Forge Partnership to Distribute ‘Daddy Marcus Nursery Rhymes’ to ECIs

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) has forged a partnership with author, Steven Golding, to distribute his collection of nursery rhymes celebrating Jamaican heritage to the island’s 2,500-plus early-childhood institutions (ECIs).

The book, titled ‘Daddy Marcus Nursery Rhymes’, pays homage to Jamaica’s first National Hero, the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

It features 16 nursery rhymes, which repair European versions, such as the ‘Three Blind Mice’, written in 1609, with ‘Jack Mansong’, which tells the story of Mansong who escaped enslavement in the 1770s and formed a runaway maroon community in St. Thomas-in-the-East.

Other titles included in the work are ‘Timbuktu is Going Up’, which repairs ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’, ‘Nanny, Nanny, Quite Uncanny,’ which repairs ‘Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary’, and ‘Bo Bo Ashanti’, which repairs ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’.

On Friday (August 14), Mr. Golding handed over approximately 500 copies of the book to the ECC at its office in downtown, Kingston.

The copies were the first batch of nursery rhymes that were procured by corporate sponsors J. Wray & Nephew Foundation, Sanmerna Foundation, JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation, Wisynco and Cari-Med Group.

Mr. Golding said the book will aid in the liberation and emancipation of the minds of young children.

“This is an exercise in reparation, and it is important that the Jamaican people understand that when we speak about reparation, compensation is only one aspect. We also need to repair some of the things that were force-fed to us by our colonisers. We need to fix them… . We need to remove them… . We need to repair them. We need to do, as Marcus Garvey said, emancipate ourselves from mental slavery,” he affirmed.

Mr. Golding emphasised that Jamaican nursery rhymes should reflect Jamaican culture, landscape and imagery familiar to the nation’s children.

The author affirmed that culture is currency, while noting that “we want our children to be rich with their own culture”.

He urged other sponsors to come on board to help supply approximately 2,000 additional books for the remaining ECIs across the island.

Meanwhile, ECC Chair, Trisha Williams-Singh, welcomed the handover, noting that the texts promise to enrich the minds and spirits of Jamaica’s youngest generation.

“We recognise that formative years are not merely a period for cognitive growth but a critical window for anchoring a child’s identity and sense of belonging. Through the evocative power of rhyme and rhythm, this collection serves as a vibrant conduit of our heritage, translating profound historical and cultural narratives into accessible, joyful learning experiences,” she outlined.

Mrs. Williams-Singh emphasised that by engaging young children with these culturally grounded verses, schools will foster both literacy and a deep-seated pride in their rich ancestry.

She noted that the handover is both timely and significant, as Jamaica commemorates the 139th anniversary of the birth of Marcus Garvey on August 17.

“It reminds us that the values of self-confidence, cultural pride, and excellence should be nurtured from the early years of a child’s life. Initiatives such as today’s handover demonstrates our shared commitment to providing young children with learning resources that celebrate Jamaica’s rich history or culture and identity from a very early age,” the Chairman said.

She commended Mr. Golding for his vision and dedication to the nation’s children, while noting that the nursery rhymes will serve as an endearing beacon of cultural continuity in classrooms and households across the nation.

Meanwhile, Marcus Garvey’s grandson, Colin Garvey, welcomed the collection, calling it “a great project”.

“What this nursery rhymes book is going to do is expose children to a different way of seeing things, which is more inclined with who they are, and that’s a very important thing,” he told JIS News.