âAs a child, I would keep my thoughts to myself. As a Teenager, I would write them in my journal. Today, I've found my voice and boldly print them on T-shirts.â
Our Story
What Yuh Seh was birthed when our founder, Shani, was having one of those back-and-forth conversations with her very lovable, but strong-willed daughter and had a good laugh, realizing she had started to sound like her mother. As Shani tells it, she was repeating many of those old-time Jamaican proverbs she would hear as a child and decided to search for T-shirts that expressed the way she was feeling.
Unable to find exactly what she was looking for, she eventually decided to launch her own line.
What started off with the Banter collection, a line designed to poke fun at those sweet, but sometimes trying moments of parenthood, has since evolved to include a wider dialogue about everyday life captured in playful, witty sayings.
What Yuh Seh strives to preserve and celebrate the multifaceted Caribbean perspective of today and yesteryear. We hope that our candor will give you a sense of nostalgia and inspiration while lifting your spirits with some good ole island humor. With our special line of T-shirts, youâll smile, knowing that you have plenty of company navigating the ups and downs of parenthood, womanhood -- and life!
Shani as a child, pictured in blue, with her sisters and cousins in Oracabessa, Jamaica.
A recent picture of Shaniâs grandparentâs former country house, where she spent many weekends as a child.
About Shani
Raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Shani is the youngest, AKA âwash bellyâ of four girls. She has fond memories of growing up with a close-knit extended family, comprised of mostly girls, where, along with her sisters and cousins, would spend many adventure-filled weekends in the countryside with her grandparents. From hearing her maternal grandmother reminding her grandchildren that âpuss and dog donât have the same luckâ and her own mother saying âchicken merry hawk deh nearâ when she was about to get a spanking, this certainly left an indelible impression on her throughout her life. Those were the good old days, where missing church wasnât an option, children played outside, and you never dared disrespect your parents or an adult. Shani views her upbringing in Jamaica as a true gift, one that she is passionate about sharing with others. As the saying goes, âJamaica always ah keepâ, and, with that, comes a different saying for everything under the sunâŠpun intended.
Join Shani as she shares her own perspective while paying homage to her native Jamaica with her What Yuh Seh special line of shirts.