Out of Many, One People

Out of Many, One People

~ Jamaica’s National Motto

No, it’s not Independence Day, that’s in August. I chose the motto as today’s quote because an outing yesterday reminded me of this fact.

For the benefit of non-Jamaicans, the motto refers to the many cultures that came together to produce the nation. Yes, Jamaica’s population is multi-racial with African, Caucasians, Chinese and Indian ancestry. Of course, this blog is not a history lesson therefore you will have to do some research on this island, for a deeper understanding. I have added a couple links at the end of the blog for your perusal! 

Coat of Arms, Jamaica

 

It was not such a great idea to head into the business district the first working day after a four day (Easter) weekend.  That meant heavy traffic, extra long lines and additional stress. But, unfortunately I had no choice.

A trek through Half-Way-Tree en route to my destination was a like a tutorial as I was vividly reminded of our racially blended society! Blacks, and all shades thereof, Indian, whites (inclusive of the sort of “burnt orange” lobster look) and Chinese were fully represented.

I confess that I even engaged in some “racial profiling” of sort … you see, in the front of my taxi was a mature Chinese lady. She was fumbling in her bag for a while. Just looking at her appearance I assumed that she was a “businesswoman” who recently came from China; after all the majority of the island’s wholesales are run by the Chinese. “Hmmmmm…I wonder if she knows English?!!” I thought to myself.

“Miss Chin, wha’a gwaaan? Long time mi no see yuh” a man ran up to the car’s window to talk to the woman.

“Hi. I’m alright. How are you? You good?” she replied in impeccable English.

“Yeah, mi good. Just a do a likkle hustling cause nutting much a gwaaan right now” he replied.

“Okay, take care of yourself then” she told him as the traffic started to move again.

I was pleasantly surprised, yet nothing prepared me for her next sentence:

“Look yah nuh, mi no know a who da man deh! A di fus’ mi ever see ‘im!!” she told the taxi driver.

I felt bad for my racial stereotyping faux pas.

At the stoplight by the Clock Tower, I caught sight of a young woman dressed in short shorts, knee high leather boots, cropped top baring her midriff and showing off her tattooes. Her ultra long fake eyelashes competed with her nose, eyebrow and lip rings for top spot on an otherwise attractive face. I wondered where she was coming from at mid-day dressed like that or…where she was heading. How the dickance could she wear knee high boots in 87°F weather?? I concluded that she must be crazy.

I arrived at my destination eventually and was disheartened by the long line. I reluctantly joined and stood behind a strapping woman sporting a blonde cropped hairstyle and wearing oversized gold hoop earrings and a two tiered frilly melon colored mini skirt, best suited for a teenager.

“Listen, tek di something dem! Dem full of anti-oxidant and good fi yuh” she tells the woman in a turquoise blouse standing beside her.

“Mi no want none cause it mek mi belly hurt me” the woman in turquoise blouse responded.

“It no matter still tek it ‘cause mine did a hurt me too when mi just start tek dem, it will soon stop”

“No sah mi nah tek dem, mi think mi a go down di clinic Thursday go see what a gwaan”

“Yuh can stay deh a go a doctor, all dem do a nyam out yuh money and yuh still sick. Better yuh go to the natural tings dem and buil’ up yuh bady. You need fi tek some vitamin, like all di vitamin C and some rose hip”

Rose Hip

“Rose hip? A wha’ dat missis? Rose hip? Mi no want dem sinting deh”

“Den yuh no can tan deh. Dat’s why you so fenky-fenky and sicky sicky! You no see how mi strong and no sick often??!! A dem tings deh help mi and mi children dem too. Mi all use di soursop leaf and orange peel and bwile tea! It GOOOOODDDD! It mek your skin clean and pretty too! ” the blonde woman tried to convince her friend.

“Even last week mi go tek fast and eat some ice cream mi baby father buy and mi sey inna di night mi belly cut mi yuh see! Cold sweat did all a wash mi. Mi haffi mix up some molasses and gulp it down quick, quick. Den after me go a di toilet mi did alright again! So a good something me a tell you ‘bout. Mi can all give yuh something fi clean up yuh inside and all yuh lungs too!” she continued.

“Oh great” I thought to myself. The line is very long, the representatives are under pressure and I get stuck behind an enthusiast of health food and natural healing, what more could I want?

 “Wait, a whey yuh a go bredrin? Go join di **&&%%% line” a husky voiced man near the top of the line bellowed.

“Mi was right ‘ere so, a jus’ go over dat side fi collect something” the other man responded.

“Watch yah, a 20 minutes mi inna dis line and when mi come a dis ooman stand up in front of mi! Not you! All unoo do a skip people inna di line!” the man continued.

“Ask har if me never deh behind har, ask har nuh? She will tell yuh!” the offender offered.

SIGH...clearly there was more in store for Ellie...

Useful links:

http://www.nlj.gov.jm/?q=jamaican-national-symbls – National Library of Jamaica

http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/Independence/Did_You_Know_Emancipation.html - Jamaica Information Service