The John Crow - Graceful or Disgraceful Bird (Apr-23-2003) John Crow, the common Jamaican vulture, was once widely known as a carrion crow or turkey vulture. In towns and throughout the countryside, these birds can be seen tearing at carcasses in the streets. Sometimes they circle in the sky or simply perch in trees or on housetops, often with outspread wings. Many stories abound as to how the name John Crow came about. A popular explanation is that it was named after an Irish clergyman the Reverend John Crow who lived in Port Royal in the 1680s. According to this story, he gave an unpopular sermon exhorting transported prisoners to submit to the authorities. The bird's appearance reminded his audience of the priest so they gave it his name in derision. It is an interesting story but researchers agree that it is not supported by any concrete evidence. Frank Cassidy in his book Jamaica Talk feels that the story is unfounded since the sermon was given in the year 1689 and the first record of the bird being called John Crow was 1826. In a later book Dictionary of Jamaican English by Mr. Cassidy and R.B. Lapage it is stated that the origin of the name John Crow may be linked to Jim Crow, the American term. There is however no evidence to show that they are linked. They believe also that the name has some African origin. Whatever the story behind the name John Crow, it is deeply embedded in Jamaican folk life. The John Crow is a bird of great symbolic importance. In the Jamaican setting it is associated with ugliness, blackness, evil and disgrace.  In abusive arguments people will call each other names such as "dirty John Crow, black John Crow or heng man John Crow". The John Crow is also an omen of death.  It is believed that if the John Crow perches on a housetop, someone inside will die. It is also believed that if a John Crow appears in an individual's dream, it signifies death or some other form of destruction in the person's family. The name John Crow appears in a few Jamaican proverbs. "Every John Crow tink him pickney white". This means that everyone thinks that his own children or his possessions are the best in the world.  "John Crow seh him a dandy man but same time him hab so-so feather". Here the John Crow is a symbol of someone who is being very vain and pretentious. "John Crow a roast plantain fi yuh" depicting someone who is very meager and emaciated who may soon die. "If yuh fly wid John Crow yuh wi nyam dead meat" expresses the idea that a person is capable of doing the things that are done in the company that he or she keeps. Two popular folksongs also exist which speak about the John Crow. They are "Peel head John Crow" and "John Crow Seh". Whatever the John Crow represents or however the name originated, it is one of the most significant birds underlining the culture. Source: Jamaica: The Fairest Isle by Phillip Sherlock and Barbara Preston (1992) Plants, Spirits and the Meaning of John in Jamaica: Article Written in Jamaica Journal by John Rashford (May 1984)