Translation: If you can’t catch Quaco, you catch his shirt
Meaning: If the person that is wanted escapes, then vengenance may be taken upon his relatives or friends
1 thought on ““If yuh can’t ketch Quaco, yuh ketch him shut””
ONE ORIGIN OF THE PROVERB …
It is said, that in a particular pusuit of Quaco, an escaped slave and rebel, the British soldiers were hindered by a large, heavy growth of “macca”, a plant with one to two-inch-long thorns. The soldiers gave up after coming across the remains of his shirt, hanging from one of these thorny bushes.
This was exhibited, much to the delight and derision of Quaco’s fellow slaves, who, enjoyed the fact that the soldiers could only bring back “him shut” (shirt).
Whether or not retribution was meted out to Quaco’s family, is not known, but the phrase, in Jamaica, means “you are so inept at what you do, you always have to be content with marginal results”
ONE ORIGIN OF THE PROVERB …
It is said, that in a particular pusuit of Quaco, an escaped slave and rebel, the British soldiers were hindered by a large, heavy growth of “macca”, a plant with one to two-inch-long thorns. The soldiers gave up after coming across the remains of his shirt, hanging from one of these thorny bushes.
This was exhibited, much to the delight and derision of Quaco’s fellow slaves, who, enjoyed the fact that the soldiers could only bring back “him shut” (shirt).
Whether or not retribution was meted out to Quaco’s family, is not known, but the phrase, in Jamaica, means “you are so inept at what you do, you always have to be content with marginal results”