January 24, 2008 at 4:57 pm (Politics)
After about 6 months in this town you would think that I would be making a few friends. Enjoying the people here in Accompong is not difficult. There are some very colourful personalities all about the place; some of which need to get their hands on some medication, but colourful nonetheless.
One thing about Jamaica and especially Accompong, is that this place feeds off of gossip. Gossip is the main element of the Jamaican diet – even more vital than the yellow yam, and it doesn’t matter how good of a friend you think you have, there is nothing that he or she won’t tell somebody else. That’s right. There are no secrets here. And don’t bother asking them to keep it between the two of you- that just translates to – “oh boy! – wait till they hear this.” You can beg all you please, but you just have to accept that everything you say is public information. We often think of friends as someone we can trust, but here, there is no relationship that is spared the suspicion of treachery.
The most perplexing and hardest aspect of social life and politics in Accompong for me is learning to keep my mouth shut at the right times. Often times in conversations people will slander others in the town, and sometimes it is somebody that could use a good slander’in, so you say your piece about him, you laugh together, and move on. Later, you are confronted by the slanderee, who was obiously informed of your remarks about him. At this time you think back and realize that the only person you told was the one who had slandered him to begin with. If you are confused, then dont worry – so am I. It is confusing, so dont feel bad, that a someone would try to bait you in to slandering just so they can go back to the person and tell them what you said.
That is why – whenever someone wants to know what you think, just say.
yu too faas mon- best advice I ever had
Leave a Comment
January 24, 2008 at 4:24 pm (Farming in Jamaica)
Nothing stops time in Jamaica like the rain. Anything you have planned for the day, no matter how imortant, is exchanged for a nap. Indeed nothing is as relaxing as the pitter-patter of rain drops on a zinc roof. I dont mind living in a culture with such a practice. The developed world with its umbrellas, suits, agendas, and cement enclosures never had a need for the rest – we’re all too busy making money. But a farming culture – I can understand their reasoning. It is not the lack of motivation or sleep that promps their rest. Rain is just the easiest part of their work – as if God were just taking over for a while. After you have toiled in the soil for long hot days and hours there is a drop of water that comes from the sky, beginning the stage of farming that is vital to our livlihoods and giving the farmer a moment of rest.
Leave a Comment
January 14, 2008 at 5:36 pm (Winston Stories)
Winston is an old rasta that lives in the square of Accomong. He is one of the more poor members of the community and one cannot help but notice that he isn’t exactly dealing with a whole deck – if you know what I mean. I always assumed that this was due to the large quantities of ganja he smoked. There are in fact a few people that seem to not really be able to handle the herb, and chain smoking it takes quite a toll on their senses.
It is said that Winston lost his mind after slamming down a whole bottle of rum. It was after the death of a donkey that he was looking after for a woman friend. Apparently he had developed a very close friendship with the creature and in mourning its death, he consumed so much rum in one sitting that he completely lost his mind.
Leave a Comment
January 10, 2008 at 7:36 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: jamaica, peace corps, rastafarianism
I have met few icons in my life thus far, but i have just discovered that I am living in the same town as one of the most amazing people. Meric is a Rasta in Accompong, living off a side rode just as you reach in to the town. Living in a little humble shack with his mother, who knew that it was he that is responsible for single handedly bringing in the industrial revolution. Meric can be credited with inventing and fostering the development of everything from the broom to cement, but it was through his partner, the great Barocino, that these inventions were introduced to the world.
As Meric tells it, Barocini traveled the world in search of ideas and spent much of his time in Accompong with Meric developing ideas that would forever change the world. From the inventing the gramophone and the light bulb to teaching Queen Victoria to dance, Meric has pretty much associated with the greatest leader of our time and is heir to the most influential inventions. Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, and even Fidel Castro has peronsally visited Meric in Accompong (he did like Mr. Castro very much). He tells me that he was given the alias Pantayou by Barocino, and that is the name that he is likely to be remembered by in the history books. (Just in case you were wondering who the heck I was talking about)
Unfortunately, now a rich man, Barocino has never given Meric (Pantayou) his share for his hard work. This share would be a vast some indeed and would certainly take Meric out of the field and put him into some mansion in the mountains around Kingston, or pretty much anywhere else he wanted. This is where I come in. I am blessed that he decided to come to me for help in contacting this man, this Barocino, to tell him that Pantayou is ready to collect for his mass contributions to the world.
If anyone out there knows of Barocino’s whereabouts then please leave a comment and Meric will be forever indebted to you. I mean common, the man designed and taught Napoleon how to build the great pyramids in Egypt. This is a grave injustice, and he deserves our help folks.
Leave a Comment
