Junkanoo in The Bahamas
On the first anniversary of one of history’s worst natural disasters, Haiti despair is still felt. “The earthquake drew a remarkable emergency response from the international community. It also prompted ambitious plans to reconstruct, even reinvent, the hemisphere’s poorest nation – to “build it back better.” Two-thirds of the 1.5 million Haitians left homeless by the quake still live in tents, and fewer than half the 45,000 t-shelters that the U.N. and other housing organizations had hoped to build by now have been erected.” There is a need to do more and the children of Haiti remains hopeful. “But the recovery process really hasn’t begun yet.” To add to their woes the people of Haiti have to deal with a recent cholera epidemic.
Today I pray for all souls (volunteers, leaders, the wealthy, dying) especially the poor, the hungry the unemployed all victims of persecution, injustice and discrimination of any kind.
Photographed by Debie Lander
The preparation of dukuna brings back memories of my childhood of going to the river (ghaut) to collect Chainy bush. I can remember the huge boulders (stones), the slippery stones and the water flowing.
I recall the time our Duke of Edinburgh group went on an expedition and decided to rest at Trants’ Estate outside the old plantation house ruins. We prepared dukuna on site as our leaders sat and talked about old jumbie (ghost) stories.
I have to admit until now I never thought about where dukuna originated. However, I can assume that given the ingredients; sweet potato, sugar, ginger, coconut and also given the virtue of how it is prepared; grass roots preparation wrapping in dasheen bush (chainy bush) suggests a slave innovation for them to make best use of what they had to eat.
According to the dictionary of Caribbean English usage dukuna is called ‘dukana‘ in Antigua, British Virgin Islands, St. Vincent, blue-draw(er)s in Jamaica, Boyo in Belize and Jamaica, Cankie in Guyana, Conchi in Nevis, Conkie in Antigua, barbados, St. Kitts, corn-dumpling in St. Kitts, dokunu in Belize and Jamaica, pemi in Tobago, Trinidad, Pone in Jamaica. There are varying mixtures of ingredients all wrapped in a leaf. 
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled (grated)
- 1 cup of coconut (grated)
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 table spoon of ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper,
Directions
- Peel and grate the potatoes .
- Place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration.
- Remove (with a knife) the hard layer of the endosperm (coconut).
- Grate coconut in a large bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine coconut, potatoes, ginger and oil.
- Stir in the sugar, black pepper and salt to taste.
- Gradually mix in the flour.
- Divide the dukuna mixture into a plant leaf such as elephant ear leaf(chainy bush)/banana leaf/ sea-grape leaf wrap with banana palm strings (use aluminum foil if you do not have leaves).
- Pour water into a large pot and bring to boil.
- Place the completed dukuna in water.
- Cook in a covered pot for 1 ½ hour on medium heat.
- Untie and enjoy. Serve hot or cold.
The preparation of dukuna brings back memories of my childhood of going to the river (ghaut) to collect dasheen bush (Chainy). I can remember the huge boulders (stones), the slippery stones and the water flowing.
I have to admit until now I never thought about where dukuna originated from. However, I can assume that given the ingredients (potato, sugar, ginger, coconut). Also given the virtue of how it is prepared; grass roots preparation wrapping in dasheen bush (chainy bush) suggests a slave innovation for the slaves to find something to eat.
Photograhed by Momiji
Sunlight streams
Leaf peeping
Orange tints
Bare boughs, bald moments
The sap of life
Remembered beginnings
Opened secrets
A mystery wrapped in an enigma
Winter’s solace
Kind peace in solstice’s afterglow
Liberty in eternal beauty
-
Written by Brenda L. McCartney
Photographed by Chandler
As individuals we are placed on this earth to progress in all areas; mentally, spiritual, physically etc. When we learn we move forward. I hope that what you have learned recently, whether through experience, proxy or in written form that it transports or even transform you to a position to further progress.
Golden thoughts breaks upon your
Words, phrases, sentences, titles
Outline my thoughts
Seals vivid memories
Devour emotions
Reflects moods
Drapes vision
As it resonates with significance
-
Incredible silence achieve
Epitomize lifestyles
Monologue between covers
Layer on sheets
Metamorphosis begins
As I think, see and dream
In opulent spaces
Influenced enriched
By the reverence of time spent
Talent treasured and nurtured
Patterned in expressions on pages
Framed in a collection…
-
Poem Written by Brenda L. McCartney
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