Do you remember when life was simple and everyone in the village knew
your name and who your mother was and who your father was, because it took a
whole village to raise a child? Do you
remember when “manners maketh man”, and everyone was a Mr. This and Ma Dat? And
good morning, good afternoon and good night was the password of the day. Do you
remember that?
Do
you remember when Sarge, and Nurse and Teach was witness Judge and Jury of the
village and there was no negotiations,
no hung jury, no plea bargain, no mistrial, no appeal, the decision was
final! Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when the village main road was our front and backyard and by 5.00
O’clock all truck wash and park and the village main road turned community
park? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when we used to make excursion to get the biggest “Case Jamb” to
play skip in the village road and the favorite skip game was “1,2,3…see
panty”? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when hop scotch and center Q was unisex and it took center stage
on all village roads? Do you remember
that?
When
your mother called to go wash your foot before you come inside because you
played in the yard all day?
Do
you remember the full moon nights when
we played hoop sayway, La When, Cow Boy Maychastay, Tim-Tim Bwa Sech, Jack are your boots clean? etc.etc.Do you
remember that?
Do
you remember when Tim Tim, and Copin Lapin and Misier Quick, Misier Quack was
the main entertainment of the night? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when Saturday was wash and clean day and all children had to wash
their socks and white clean their shoes.
Do you remember that?
Do
you remember after your Saturday market you had to stop by Manuella and Diane
for your black pudding and souse. Do
you remember that?
Remember
when Sunday was time for church and after church you visited Aunty, Uncle and
Nenen and all the sick and shut-ins? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when it was first communion and you went by Ma Dina to Straighten
your hair, you got your first taste of showdoe and after church you went around
with your little white purse for “good-grace” and “thank you”? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when we would say rain
falling sun shining, jumbie marrying behind the church? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when stockingnet and wash ‘n’shake was a must have and you had
your Sunday, going out and boman panty and you could not wear them out of order
Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when Roseau shut down for lunch at 1.00 o’clock and by 4.00 O’clock the city turn ghost
town. Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when country bookie come to town to go to school and not little
misere you see in Roseau people house, but your mother sending your bag of food
every Monday morning? Do you remember
that?
Do
you remember when CDC would take its light and buzeye and candle would never
fail? Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when it was Village Improvement Day and the judges used to pass
around to decide who had the best flower and vegetable garden in the village.
Do
you remember when all mothers were in Social League and they used to make
crochet, pies and wines and all that was on exhibition? Do
you remember that?
Do
you remember when it was school song competition and all girls had to
straighten their hair with castor oil, three plaits with ribbons at the end was
the common style dressed in tennis shoes and socks and all roads led to the
Goodwill Parish Hall? Do you remember
that?
Do
you remember when cemai cotwa and basilic was something hot to warm your chest
in the morning. Do you remember
when? Do you remember when coco tea
with coconut milk with a little twist of vanilla essence was our power drink?
Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when your mother used to put red lavender in the middle of your
head to open your brain so you could pass the test especially de common
entrance test and the soucouyant could not mess with your brain to make you
forget what teacher teach you? Do you
remember that?
Do
you remember when you passed common entrance and it was first day of school and
the whole village came out to see you dressed in your high school uniform, bag
on your back because now you were in high school. Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when Sports Day came and bun eating, bag race, needle and thread,
Lime & Spoon, bottle balancing, and jucie drinking (was so much fun). Do you remember that?
Remember
when Aunty Maria used to make coffetti and all of us used to stand in line with
our leaf in hand waiting for our share?
Do you remember that?
Remember
when recess meant frozen joyce, tablet cocoa,
tambrin ball and bakes. Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when it was summer time, and that meant endless medley of fresh
fruits: mangoes, guavas, oranges, grapefruit, seaside grapes, tambrind and
more. Do you remember that?
Remember
when summer meant truck competition, when Bobbin and caze gut and soft drink
bottle cover served as the power steering and mag rims and the rubber flaps
carried the quote “In God We Trust” and “Peace & Love.” Do you remember that?
Do
you remember when boys used to run seck and every hill in the village was a
launching pad for a scooter vep. Do you
remember that?
Do
you remember when your brother was the
best nut player and you used to carry his 5lb Nespray tin of nuts all over the
village. We would not roast not one nut
before we had won one thousand nuts? Do
you remember the bon fire to roast those nuts?
Do
you remember when August Monday came and all roads led to Donkey Beach, Cabana,
Porthsmouth, Castle Bruce, layou River and Riviere Blanc? Remember that?
Do
you remember when August end you had to take your senay, and worm medicine,
because it was now time to clean up the inside and get ready for school? Do you remember that?
Remember
when you go Horté on Saturdays, when a grandé laplie catch you and dasheen
water start to scratch you and all you can look for is the river to dive in to
stop the scratching. Do you remember
that?
Remember
when Saturdays in the village meant basin of clothes on head, Bomber soap,
Breeze, and Clorox, all tightly packed on the side of the basin for a day by
the river? Do you remember when? Remember when every young girl had their
marked stone and who ever finished first helped the other? Do you remember that?
Remember
when the river bank was the communal dryer and we had to wet the white clothes
every now and then to make sure the clothes well bleach. Do you remember that?
Remember
when we used to dip those same clothes in rickets blue and rinse it in
starch, open it on the hot grass and
hot stones and let nature take its course.
Do you remember that?
If
You remember when, and nostalgia feels your heart, and you often wish that life
was still as simple now, Remember then, that Isle of beauty, Isle of Splendour
is that gem beyond compare, and share your history and pass this on to your sons and daughters, so that they too can
remember When?.
Other key organisers include Washway Douglas,
Ronald Isidore, Elizabeth Adrien, Neal Nixon, Shirley Allan (picture), Gabriel
Christian, Dr. Clayton Shillingford, and Dr. Thomson Fontaine.
ROSIE DOUGLAS FOUNDATION
AWARDS ORDER OF MERIT
At the first ever Symposium of the Dominican
Diaspora, The Rosie Douglas Foundation (RDF) will be awarding order of merits
to four deserving Dominicans in the areas of Sports, Education, Health and
Information Technology. Joffre Faustin currently of the Ministry of Sports in
Dominica will be honoured for his outstanding contribution to the development
of the youth in Dominica. Faustin was instrumental in the formation of a youth
academy in the Newtown area that have nurtured some of Dominica’s leading
footballers. In addition, he has worked tirelessly over many years in
developing football and cricket in several rural areas in Dominica, and
continues to play a critical role in sports development in Dominica.
In
the area of Education, Dr. Donald Peters of Plattsburg University will be
honoured for his role in providing opportunities for higher learning to scores
of Dominicans who would otherwise not be able to pursue such study at several
US universities. Over the course of several years, Dr. Peters through his
tireless efforts secured scholarships for Dominican students, thus playing a
crucial role in developing Dominica’s natural resource.
Nurse Warrington as she is affectionately called has devoted her life to
promoting primary health care and community nursing in Dominica. Her selfless
service in promoting the health and well being of fellow Dominicans makes her
truly deserving of the health award of the Order of Merit. The first recipient
of the Information and Technology Order of Merit is Fred White who is Webmaster
of Cakafete.com. White’s web site continues to provide an excellent medium for
local and overseas Dominicans to meet online, keep abreast of developments in
Dominica, and gain access to a wealth of information and news on Dominica.
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873
Liberty Avenue DMV
# 7077565 718
647 0711
Bklyn
NY 11208 Fax
718 277-9137 718
647-0725
TES AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE,
INC
“From Collision to
Customizing”
§
Insurance Work and Estimates Spoiler
Kits
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Complete Restorations Fender
Trims
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Custom Printing Foreign
& Domestic
James Henderson Stan E. Charles
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THE STAN’S INSURANCE
GROUP
Stan E. Charles III
Business Resource Development
Insurance Broker
Insurance
873 Liberty Avenue Business
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11208 Accounting
Tel 718 647 0711 Taxation
Tel 718 277 3866
Mortgage
Fax 718 277 9137 Notary Public
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Cheryl Allan,
B.B.A (Hons.), Management is currently working as a Legal Assistant with an
international insurance litigation law firm based in Washington, D.C. She graduated from the Dominica Grammar
School in 1982 and was a successful entrepreneur while reading for her
Certificate of Business Administration from the University of the West Indies,
which she earned in 1994. In that same year, she pursued studies leading to the
L.L.B (Part 1) with the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill) via the
UWIDITE Challenge program. In 1995, she
attended Howard University’s School of Business where she graduated cum laude
with a B.B.A in Management in 1998. Ms.
Allan honed her management knowledge and practical experience during her tenure
in the Hospitality and Commercial Property Management industries. She intends to attend Law School to read for
her MBA, JD degree in the near future.
