You know, you literally imagine the street of london paved with gold and palaces and carriages with Kings And Queens and that sort of thing. Well, it has that sometimes they chuckle. So it took a bit of getting used to. But when youre young, its easier to adjust to a new environment than when youre old. And once i started school, you know, i settled down and, um. I did rather well at school because the education i had injamaica i went to an Elementary School was in some ways superior to what i was confronted with at my secondary school, tulse hill secondary school. For example, they didnt teach grammar in english, which i did injamaica. Mm hm. And it took a couple of years before i began doing simultaneous equations, when i was doing those injamaica. So you were educationally much more advanced. I was able to cope. So you were able to cope, but you say that you never really felt that you fitted in when you were at school in england. You say you made friends, but that the atmosphere was
you know, you literally imagine the street of london paved with gold and palaces and carriages with kings and queens and that sort of thing. well, it has that sometimes! they chuckle. so it took a bit of getting used to. but when you re young, it s easier to adjust to a new environment than when you re old. and once i started school, you know, i settled down and, um. i did rather well at school because the education i had injamaica i went to an elementary school was in some ways superior to what i was confronted with at my secondary school, tulse hill secondary school. for example, they didn t teach grammar in english, which i did injamaica. mm hm. and it took a couple of years before i began doing simultaneous equations, when i was doing those injamaica. so you were educationally much more advanced. i was able to cope. so you were able to cope, but you say that you never really felt that you fitted in when you were at school in england. you say you made friends, but that
linton kwesijohnson, welcome to hardtalk. nice to be here. so you were 11 when you came over from jamaica in 1963 tojoin your mother, who was already working here. how formative was that experience for you? it was a bit of a shock when i arrived. it wasn t what i had expected. in my childhood imagination, you know, you literally imagine the street of london paved with gold and palaces and carriages with kings and queens and that sort of thing. well, it has that sometimes! they chuckle. so it took a bit of getting used to. but when you re young, it s easier to adjust to a new environment than when you re old. and once i started school, you know, i settled down and, um. i did rather well at school because the education i had injamaica i went to an elementary school was in some ways superior to what i was confronted with at my secondary school, tulse hill secondary school. for example, they didn t teach grammar in english, which i did injamaica. mm hm. and it took a couple o
britain? linton kwesijohnson, welcome to hardtalk. nice to be here. so you were 11 when you came overfrom jamaica in 1963 tojoin your mother, who was already working here. how formative was that experience for you? it was a bit of a shock when i arrived. it wasn t what i had expected. in my childhood imagination, you know, you literally imagine the street of london paved with gold and palaces and carriages with kings and queens and that sort of thing. well, it has that sometimes! they chuckle. so it took a bit of getting used to. but when you re young, it s easier to adjust to a new environment than when you re old. and once i started school, you know, i settled down and, um. i did rather well at school because the education i had injamaica i went to an elementary school was in some ways superior to what i was confronted with at my secondary school, tulse hill secondary school. for example, they didn t teach grammar in english, which i did injamaica. mm hm. and it took a
jamaican identity, but i m british, you know? i mean, let s face it, we have to face up to facts, i m british. i ve spent the vast majority of my life in this country and, um. yeah. i should just say that you also put your poetry to music. in 1977, you were given the opportunity by richard branson, the businessman who had a record label, that you could actually put your poetry to music. later on, you had your own record company and so on. you worked as a journalist and tv presenter also. how important was it for you to reach an audience beyond the british caribbean one? very important because you want to share your story with other people and you want to build solidarity. and the only way you can build solidarity is if other people are able to understand what you ve been through, what you re going through, and maybe find some common ground.