A view of the Morant Bay square from inside the burnt-out courthouse. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

It's noon on a Tuesday so Maas Irvine is sitting on the concrete post in front of the Morant Bay Courthouse in St. Thomas. Where else would he be?

It's been part of his Tuesday morning routine for the past several years. Even though the courthouse burned down recently, the graying old man still makes the journey from his home in Stony Gut to go sit by what's left of the building every Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock. Why? Well nobody really knows. Not even Maas Irvine.

"Well, I just come here to cool out. But is no real reason. I mean I just take a stroll," he said.

Mass Irvine was sitting just in front of a monument telling of the significance of the building. It's where National Hero Paul Bogle led his people in a protest in October 1865, kick-starting the now infamous Morant Bay Rebellion. Now, Maas Irvine knows all about the history of the place and is quick to go into a detailed explanation to anyone who will listen. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't come across many who will.

"People nuh want to know bout di history. Especially di likkle pickney dem. All dem want is fi shoot up dem one aneda! When it come to di real history dem yah jing bang pickney yah nah listen!" Maas Irvine said, pounding his left fist into the palm of his right hand. He was getting a bit agitated now and a trickle of sweat fell from his forehead as he stood up quickly.

"Come wid me," he said and walked off. I was almost afraid to say no, so I followed the man as he walked to the back of the courthouse. "Look here. All dem canon and ting is still around here. People nuh realize how old dem tings is. Whole heap a slave bury right here too. Dis place is holy ground," he said, stamping his foot on the dirt.

No home training

Maas Irvine at his favourite spot in front of the courthouse. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Sure enough, two canons in rather good condition were pointed straight at the sea. A few school children in well-starched uniforms were standing nearby and watched closely as Maas Irvine spoke. He spotted them. "Come yah pickney!" he shouted. The school children's eyes widened and then they ran away in a hurry. Maas Irvine turned to me. "You see what mi saying? Noting bout dem. No home training," he said with a grunt while waving his hands in the air.

I bid Maas Irvine goodbye and headed to the front of the building. There I came across Prento, a lawn mower repairman who has lived in Morant Bay for the past 27 years. He is about 60 years old now and was wearing a blue t-shirt and white pants. Prento was leaning on a brick post when I met him.

"Yes man dis likkle square yah have di real history. Paul Bogle a di real heroes! People fi start come back a Morant Bay fi know dem history and where dem coming from," he said. "Di courthouse bun down now but di history is di same. It caan change," Prento said, emphatically. He admitted that he wasn't the best person to tell of the history, having forgotten most of it since he left primary school, but referred me to a Maas Irvine who would be more than able to accommodate me. I thanked him and moved on.

In front of the burn-out building, a bus pulled up and a group of very small school children stepped out.

A woman wearing thick-framed spectacles was leading them to the building. I walked up to her. She gave her name as Mrs. White and said she was the Principal of the Power of Faith Basic School.

"We're here to take the children on a tour of the courthouse. They came here last year before it burned down," she said.

"Even though it no longer standing it is very important and people need to know what happen here. These children are small and they need to learn about it from now so that it sticks with them," she said. Mrs. White turned to face a little boy who was tugging at her skirt. "Yes Ruemello, I'm coming," she said and turned back to me. "The entire Morant Bay is a special place, full of history. People need to always remember that and not only come when it's Heroes Week," she said.