It’s all about love

Ah just want to Big-Up Jeffard Sutherland, Chairman of the SVG Our-Root Industry Association, and in ah friendly way ah holding him to his promise “to bring Madongo Products back.” Lie-Za say it name Mah-done-Go, but weeks ago, ah bought ah pound ah Mah-done-go from de Garifuna young man at de corner of Egmont and Back Street. He comes all de way from Sandy Bay every Fry-day, he is like ah fixture at dat spot selling Farine, Bam-Bam (cassava bread) and Mah-done-go! My problem is ah doh know how to mek Mah-done-go bakes or Dumpling. Whenever ah could get Our-Root starch ah does use it instead ah Sea Moss to mek ah Our-Root Punch; It bad like Storm!.

But Madam Lie-Za promising to come ah show me how, but she got too much ah see-me-di-me, and calling foh too much ingredients, telling me ah would need ah 6-pack ah “two-pon-top-one” Mackison Stout, put dem in de fridge till she come. Mrs May from Sandy Bay promise to come and show me how to mek real Mah-done-go Bakes and Dumpling.

Yes it should be of interest to de Home-Ec Department to include de making of Our-root and Cassava Bi-products in de schools. As ah youth ah remember Cassava Pone (pudding), Starch Cake made from Our-Root, when yuh put ah piece in yuh mouth it uses to dissolve liken marsh-mallow. So good luck to yuh Brother Jeffard, Lie-Za say to call him Jah-fed.

But de young man ah really want to meet and “Big-Up to de Max” is Orol Roberts, de 23-year-ole young man who was featured alongside his Mom in ah nicely written human interest story by Searchlight’s Reporter, Bria King and published in de Searchlight Online Midweek edition. This young man at de delicate age of twelve and his sister at five, literally lost dey Mom Lisa, who had mental problems and left home and took refuge on de side walks. Ah remember dat woman, ah pretty lady; ah could not pass her widout taking ah second look. What ah rememder was offering her ah money, she looked at me, head-on and looked in another direction. Now I know dat she was not looking or begging foh money, she was standing dey, hoping to get ah glimpse of her two children whenever dey past.

But her son Orol remained in touch wid his mother, even on de streets. What ah great young man! Ah could almost relate to Orol’s story, my father too had ah mental problem, ah took him to live with me; his classmate Biscuit Mc Intosh who was manager at Hazells Ltd, got him ah lickle job dat was very relaxing foh him, but after wuk, he loved to hang out at Lickle Toe-key-yoh and drink his last Sunset before de sun sets, and why not?

For dat young man to have gone all out to secure ah place for his Mom, and his wife tells us one thing: Love! His Mom must have given him ah special Mother’s Love at ah tender age. And nuff Respects to Mrs Roberts, Orol’s wife, foh de Love and Support she is giving her husband and her mother-in-law. In dis business if yuh wife not in, yuh out! There is a young 15-year-ole daughter/sister who is some-way in Canada who needs to bank on board. So dey’s ah few pieces of de puzzle to be found and fitted to complete this stage of journey that has just begun.

MARCUS JOB DE
FREITAS

Ah went to ah Concert at St Joseph’s Convent and dey served me Mah-done-go bakes and Fry-fish, Ball-ah-Hoo fish. It was not e-nuff, so yesterday ah fry-up ah bowl and ate it wid roast bread-fruit and boiled sweet corn. Trouble! Ah remember de PM did say dat when Spiritual Baptist eat too much food in de night, dey does get night mares and say is vision, well dat is as true as ever.

Immediately after dat meal ah Ball-ah-Hoo and breadfruit, ah went and put down me head to sleep. Right away ah had ah Vision! Ah saw Brag-Star wukers at Beachmont, putting down de Court House Building on Marcus De Freitas’ land foh which Go-venom-mint is refusing to pay him. Marcus was dey wid his P.T looking self all alone, Prophesying! Like he had too much Ball-ah-Hoo and Breadfruit to eat foh dinner as well. But on de site was de Prime Minister, standing next to him was ah bunch ah clergymen, blessing de Prime Minister. Same time ah hear ah familiar voice behind me shouting: “All ah yo sets ah wicked Bee-Eye-Tea-See-Itch-is. All yoh go bun in Hell Fire! It was Lie-Za! Can’t someone brave enough, tell de Government, it might be permitted by Law to victim-eyes Marcus, but it is Wrong in God’s site. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy
Bassy Alexander is
a land surveyor,
folklorist and social commentator.