Jamaicans invest a great deal of trust in the wisdom of folktales and proverbs. Some are handed down for many generations. The use of proverbs among Jamaican slaves was common. They would use this form of language to convey messages to each other while preventing their masters from understanding what they were saying. Some, such as "Mi come here fi drink milk, mi noh come here fi count cow". are intended as a reminder to conduct business in a straightforward manner. For examples of Jamaican proverbs, see the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica. Traditional Jamaican music, as well, often contains elements of proverbs. In addition, traditional storytelling is used to communicate a morale or common belief.
