Barbados
Flat
Hot
White sands
Clear water
Love rum and
banks beer
beach gallo
So after
California I was off to New York beautiful city, most the time when I walked my
head was facing up looking at buildings people from Queens to Brooklyn to
Madison square so much to see, I would walk for hours getting lost one night on
a Friday I took a wrong turn I walked so much at some point I sat down and
cried after crying I smiled and asked for directions, I had fun there too and I
met a good friend from South Africa I didn’t even know him and his girl had
moved to NY beautiful pleasant surprise. As for the subway what an experience I
couldn’t help think that maybe people don’t really mind not having trees and
open spaces because they spend so much time under the subway it didn’t matter
what was happening outside, no thank you I will die from cluster phobia. I had
a show in a restaurant called Madiba it
was good to be there they had all kinds of South African made products like the
chutney Mrs Balls,Marie biscuit the blue label.Ouma Rusks and so much more it
was warm and friendly place.
Soon it was time up and I was ready to leave
the United States, when I arrived in the States oh my the possibilities of
seeing the world are right before and here I am country/island /continent
hopper I embrace it with its good and its bad and have greater faith in thouse
that guide and lead me in my journey.. I wish I had some of my friends to
explore with me because I see something so exciting and no one to share it at
that particular moment.
It’s
perfectly fine though because I get to know the place I find myself in better,
to answer my questions.
So when I as
in Oakland I befriended some awesome sisters Effie and Tsedal we got along
beautifuly their kindness affirmed my journey is some way and they helped me in
ways they can’t imagine.
So Tsedi
ended up in Barbados for her intern for 6 months and toward the end of her 6
months she told us to come over for the reggae festival and the rest of us
Effie and her cousins we decided we going their and we did.
They stayed a
week and I stayed 6 months.So when I left NY it was cold little did I know
about Barbados(because I googling takes out the mystery of what im getting myself
in too, truthfully peoples experiences doesn’t mean it would be yours dive deep
and swim up I say. belief).Any way we land slowly we getting of this flat
island when I got to the door I droped my hand luggage everything and the
hostess was like mam you cant stand by the door I’m like ‘I’m not standing im
melting’I swear even my jacket felt goowy from the heat so they stood and let
me strip off my wardrobe and that heat even in the rain was there for the whole
6 months, I think I could have fallen twin to my brother the way my complexion
changed.
I had to
figure out survival I learnt never say never1coming from South Africa one job I
said that I will never do is being a cleaner/domestic worker and that’s what I ended
up doing to make ends meet to an extent for a short time I started writing
cleaning philosophies’ also did art work with children teaching them to make
musical instruments using recyclbe goods that was fun and they were beautiful
children.
Here I learnt
about provisions (ground/root vegtables) noni (drink it, smear on your face
etc)flying fish ooh tasted so good. I then there’s the macaroni pie served as a
side alongside rice and brown or black beans was renting a room in a 2 bedroom
outside house across me was Miss Laurraine from Guyana she made my heart smile
almost like she knew when I needed comfort cos she would be knocking on my door
early in the morning to offer me food she was awesome and the daughter of the
house hold was a chef I helped her with some of her catering gigs, she can cook
they call her Rebel Glam Cupcake Queen such a great baker I told her she should
do her own version of cake boss.
The thing
about diving deep and swimming up you meet all kinds of things on your way to
some I became the poor African feed it cloth it my word some of the stuff
people gave me I was like yho, yes I am a young black woman traveling alone im
not a charity case maybe help me get a job than give stuff you yourself
wouldn’t be caught dead wearing, other the overwhelming need to advise me about
all kinds of things(best advise you can ever give is no advise, trust people to
make their own decisions!) at times made me tell them ok listen up I dint leave
my brain on top of the table when I left Africa please step back abit!…but I
took it all with a smile cos people
where being kind and wanted to be helpful.
Barbados is a
beautiful Island, the beaches and white sands; it’s quit flat hardly any
mountains just hills. I made some really good friends there and had some good
fun amongst other things maybe when I write a book I will include all that was
experienced.
I learnt a lot and realised a lot about me. I
redefined hunger, I had to seek strengths I didn’t know I have in some way I
felt as though I went through initiation, redefined hunger and loneliness(which
is a hand in hand combo while I travel thus far and I was glad when it was time
to go.
The history
of the place is very strong (story for another day!)The island should have a
National cleansing I think.
While I was
there though I performed a few times and wrote a play which was an all Bajan
Cast called Princess Magogo “the rise of a star” based on a true story. It was
hard work but it paid of the production was a success the director Sonia S
Williams is an extraordinary director such a positive spirit to be around.
I think
Barbados has the fastest busses in the world!!!! At first I thought buses from
Oesteins and St James where fast I was
wrong St john buses my word took the trophy and its because St John is in the
country and no rotraffic so busses have the whole road every time I left the
bus depo I could hear the mock hostess in my head saying ladies and gentleman
we are about to take of pleas fasten your seat belts or the Astra nought count down lift of in 4 3 2 1 then on other
days it felt like I was in a sport car and I tensly with a touch of excitement
wait for a parachute to pop up at the back of the bus all this eventually led
me to believe I have a thing for adrenaline rush, at times I made It known that
the speed was not necessary surprisingly people would be like we want to get
home faster..aah that should have been my first to lead me to the understand
what I deam wrong is not necessary the case at some point I had to admit I as
Thobekile do not know nothing about nothing all my wrongs and rights where
questioned and turned upside down such was the Bajan experience. My bus rides
where something to look forward to I also liked the yellow buses they I learnt
a lot about music artists ive never heard off and sounded good and the strange
posters in the buses, I saw latest fashion and hair dos that left my mouth wide
open at times I couldn’t help but to burst out laughing. Thoughts and feelings
provoked constantly.
You know I
also thought Chines are number one on the chart of Karaoke nope I think Bajans
take the badge Wednesday to Sunday there is bound to be a bar with Karaoke I
know this cos I went to a few myself J and it’s a serious thing because if you
flicked thought the local channel on a Friday you wont miss Karaoke of all ages
and all kinds of voices, determined and proud.
When it rains
it pours!!when its hot its hoooot.
My
African-ness was embraced as equally as it was attacked, peoples ignorance of
Africa or lack of knowledge of the connection between the Carribean and Africa
disturbed be greatly for the highly educated Island my word things that people
said left me dumb founded yet determined to share some light.” Why did you sell
us”500 years later we are lucky to be sold look at Africa now” etc. These where
my hmm moments, it stabbed deep in me buuuuut as much as I met these ignorant
people I also met people with great reasoning and similar thinking and I think
my music played a role in giving another perspective, I had radio and tv
interviews and when I walked the streets those who recognised me call out on
the street, yho Africa you good? I left
feeling that Barbados is a hard place on the heart for the seeking soul, we
might not find answers we are looking for but we get answers. I received help
and I realise when I need it I have it.
Bajan
negotiate themselves differently in their space African Americans can be
aggressive Bajans they just shut you out and that is the consequence of history
handed to them in the island more often than not I was reminded a lot that that
Barbados was the making and breaking of the slaves centre and that Willy Lynch
is from their originally, shivers down my spine when I went to a place where
they use to brand female salves in St John there was just a lot of things
happening there in my spirit in general.
For my art being
in Babrbados helped me strengthen the foundation for my profile but since I am
still travelling with no finances at least with a creative profile I can get
invited to countries for performances or workshops. I did a beautiful photo-shoot
and managed to go to studio and record 2 of my songs.
I am truly grateful
for the families I met and who took good care of me heart felt gratitude and I
carry you in my heart.
If you ever
in Barbados check out Jagos Bar and Grill and The good life they were my 2
favourite spots so much beauty all around. I had some good times and lovely
collaborations with local artists it was a wonderful experience. I met the
Mighty Gabby and we shared a stage twice, local designer Iam Rhaj founder of
the evolve brand good quality tshirts and just plain good people him and his
partner. I also got to do food collaboration with Rebel Glam Cupcake Queen I
had a good experience of culture exchange.
One day I
will write a whole chapter about Barbados. What I wish I did was record escents
so far I am loving the Bajan accent like all things you get use to it and
steadily understand people talking to you,its English but maybe a tone shy in
sounding like actual English, which I realise people have various languages and
call it English I again I am forced to say I don’t know nothing I myself am not
sure at this rate if I even know English. Yo should check out a book called
Pauline’s Bajan adventures she was in Babrbado’s for 3 years so she had a
longer experiance than me but I relate so much to what she mentions cos I went
through the same if not similar experience it’s a fun easy read.
You see the
good people we meet become the catalyst we need to move forward so we embrace
the good and the bad the journey brings.
Love and
light
