By Adrian Frater, News Editor WESTERN BUREAU:
WHILE THE recent clash between gunmen and police in Canterbury was on a scale not previously seen in Montego Bay by many residents, it evoked memories of the bloody 'tribal war' that raged in the city in the mid-1960s and early 1970s.
"We use to have some serious clashes between police and rude boys during 'tribal days' but in those timess man would mostly stone the police," said Denzil Gowdy, one of the gangsters of that period. "There were not many guns in those days but ratchet knives and catapults were plentiful." According to Gowdy, 'Tribal' started out as a conflict between 'top' and 'bottom' Barnett Lane. It quickly escalated to include communities such Mt. Salem, North Gully, Canterbury and Glendevon, among other sections.
At its peak, the violence was between Lane (top Lane) and Gully. "In those days if a Gully man stray and end up on a Lane turf, him usually end up with a telephone cut (a ratchet knife slash on the jaw, spanning from ears to mouth lip)," said 'Gumma', a former gangster.
THOSE DAYS
"In those days a lot of rude boys went to jail and prison for wounding." In looking at the top gangsters in those days, Gowdy said that men such as gang leader 'Old Mug' and his top lieutenants, the original Japanese and Charlie Boo (all deceased) were the most feared men from 'Lane', while 'Little Wicked', 'Goosie', 'Buddy' and 'Buffy Teddy' were some of the Gully men to be feared. "In those days, it was not any and any police who could go for certain men when they were wanted," said Gumma, who recalled numerous incidents of the police having to retreat after falling prey to stone-throwing gangsters.
"In those days you have all one man beat up five policemen," Gumma added. While the police did not use a lot of lethal force in those days, Gowdy said there were a number of policemen who the 'rude boys' really feared. According to him, when men heard that certain policemen where looking for them, they usually flee the area out of fear of what might happen to them, if held. "When you hear that policemen such as 'Gold Teeth' (Trevor Simms), Poppy Marshall, Mr. Wabby (Lawrence Walker), Lloyd Morrant, DC Cameron and Mr. DaCosta looking for you, you can't sleep at your yard," said Gowdy, who was arrested on several occasions for wounding. "Those days men used to suffer under serious beatings when you go to jail."
According to Gumma, the dancehall was a dangerous place for rude boys in those days as the majority of the 'cutting up' and stabbing took place there; and dances were often raided by the lawmen. He said one of the first incidents of a gangster being shot and killed by another gangster took place at a dance at Jarrett Park.
"There were not a lot of guns The few guns were one-pops (home-made guns loaded with one bullet at a time)," said Gumma, who was stabbed and slashed by rival gangsters on various occasions. "Unlike today's rude boys, we used to depend on our fists, slingshots and ratchet knife."
According to Linda, one of the many women who featured in 'Tribal', some of the most dangerous clashes took place at Senior School (now St. James High School).
FEAR
"The police had to be called in regularly as there was a lot of wounding on the school compound," said Linda, who claimed that a number of students dropped out of school out of fear of being trapped in the 'Tribal'.
"A lot of young men got their first taste of prison in those days," said former District Constable Noble Smith, who spoke of being part of numerous raiding parties that went out in search of wanted gangsters. "In those days there were lots of cases of young men being sent to prison for periods of six to nine months for wounding."
According to Gowdy, who is still not certain what caused 'Tribal', a lot of young men and women were forced to flee Montego Bay to other rural parishes either out of fear for the police or other gangsters. Some never returned until the peace truce.
"The only reason I never run away was because I never have any relatives in the country," said Gowdy. "It was really rough in those days; only the old people were spared."
In looking a the event that led to the ending of 'Tribal', the articulate Gumma said it was all due to the intervention of Michael Manley, who was highly revered by both Lane and Gully men. In addition, he said, the gangsters were becoming increasingly fearful for their lives as the gun was becoming more prevalent.
"Mr. Manley went up to Gully and line up all the men dem behind him and lead them straight to Lane where we were," said Gumma, who remembered old enemies shaking hands and deciding to make peace.
"We were glad when they agreed to the peace as the police had to spend a lot of time hunting down the gangsters and literally fighting them," said the former District Constable Smith. "It was a welcome relief to us when it ended."
