Boy look yah: eva since The Cayman Islands Dictionary© come out lass year, all kine ah people been buyin’ um up by da hondas n’ dey nah stoppin’ any time soon. Errybody n’ dey mama, from politicians ta doctas, fiyahmen, school teachas, bank people and ciwil serwants been colleckin’ copies fa demselves, friends, family, co-workas and overseas aquaintances. Dey say it ‘bout time Cayman had uwah own Dictionary cuz uwah chillrin’ needa know way we come from so dey kin know way dey goin’.

Who could have imagined that when Kevin M. Goring began collecting Caymanian words out of sheer passion and curiosity 12 years ago, that it would eventually lead to a product line and cultural movement. What began as a one man search for culture, is now being shared by hundreds of supporters who have expressed their approval of the Cayman Islands Dictionary©. “It is ‘incredible!’”, said one proud owner of the publication which has also been called “the greatest Christmas gift ever!” by several other supporters.

While reflecting on the origins of the publication, Kevin said, “I was In college at the time and simply became interested in learning more about my culture. I started researching words by interviewing my friends and family members, reading local books, and I even made several visits to the National Archive. After reviewing the massive collection of information that accumulated over several years, I decided that I should publish a dictionary. It’s just something that needed to be done, because the Cayman Islands are over 500 years old and we have never had our linguistic heritage documented for all to see.”

Featuring more than 1,000 words used in the Caymanian dialect, the Dictionary is the flagship in a line of products called ‘The ‘Caymanology© Collection’. Based on a philosophy that all things Caymanian should be studied, preserved and promoted, Caymanology© is a movement towards heightened cultural awareness and native pride in the Cayman Islands. Through specialty products and programs, Caymanology© will seek to educate, entertain, inspire and empower Caymanians in an effort to promote authentic Caymanian culture to residents and visitors. The Cayman Islands Dictionary© is the first official product release of the Caymanology© Collection, which Kevin hopes to expand throughout 2012.

Since the beginning of the year, Kevin has been approached by dozens of individuals who share an appreciation for the Dictionary and its importance to contemporary Cayman society. “I’ve been contacted via phone, text messages, email and even Facebook where supporters are thanking me for publishing this book. One person thanked me 1,000 percent, while others have stopped me in the street and in the supermarket to congratulate me on the publication. Some have stated that their family and friends in countries as far away as Dubai are enjoying it. I’m quite thrilled that it is a quality product that has made a tremendous impact on our community. But most of all, I’m truly grateful that it is representative of our Caymanian culture. After all, that is the primary purpose of its creation” said Kevin.

Apart from Kevin, several advocates of Caymanian culture agree that a dictionary of local dialect is a positive step towards improving cultural awareness among the youth. This is especially true for the younger generations, who are being raised in a time where cultural traditions such as thatch making, basket weaving, iron shore fishing and kite making are being replaced by modern technologies. At the request of several educators, Kevin hopes to meet with various schools and training centres in the coming months to promote the Dictionary and the Caymanology© movement to students of all ages.

In an effort to keep the momentum going throughout 2012, Kevin will continue to promote the Dictionary via social media, raffles, special promotions and appearances at cultural events. Most recently, Kevin and a small team participated in the 45th Annual Agriculture Show on Grand Cayman and the Annual Sister Islands Agriculture Show on Cayman Brac. Visitors to the Caymanology© booths had an opportunity to purchase copies of the Dictionary and enter a raffle to win 3 complimentary copies of the publication. After receiving dozens of entries on both Islands, two lucky winners were selected: Dana Rankine on Grand Cayman, and Jenice Tatum on Cayman Brac. Both winners have expressed an interest in sharing their additional copies with friends and family.