Reaching a milestone is an inspiring time. It unleashes so many emotions. Upon reaching a milestone there is an inner peace that comes from the accomplishment. Things that we often take for granted such as simply breathing become more meaningful. It feels like you are on a cusp of a whole new life. It is a time of the year one look at things (signs, symbols) for a new perspective; it presents an opportunity to be motivated. The days leading up to my birthday one symbol or thing that kept coming into my consciousness was the ELEPHANT.
There are three things that happened that made me think of the fact that knowledge is the beginning of many rewarding experiences. I wanted to watch a movie “Water for Elephants” which I did not get a chance to see in the movie theatre. Happenstance while waiting in a business office for particular documents I came across Conde Nast Traveler and read an article named “the Lord of Beginnings.”
- Basically it was a story of a London writer who was at personal crossroads finds herself scrubbing an elephant and a year later honored the Hindu elephant god Lord Ganesh. Essentially it highlights the importance of Elephant in Hindu religion. No I am not thinking about switching my religion, but in this great sphere of life we can learn something about each other thus respecting one another. However, the interpretation of an elephant according to the article is a remover of obstacles and Lord of Beginnings. The mention of the elephant removing obstacles “clicked” or triggered something within me and this belief in time will be relevant and will be revealed in varying degrees.
- So I made it a point to watch the movie Water for Elephants. In the movie what struck me most was not the love story but the fact that the movie featured a young man who was about to complete his Ivy League education. He was about to take his final exam and was interrupted by the news that his parents was tragically killed. My first thought was could they not allow him the time to complete the exam before delivering such news. Left penniless, homeless he went traveling with a circus and used the knowledge he had gained in his apprenticeship programs and acted as an unlicensed veterinarian (Vet). He was given a second chance by giving the insurmountable task of training and looking after an elephant. When he first met the elephant and touched her first thing he noticed was her dry skin he said “first thing one notices about a women’s age is her skin” The elephant befriended him and played a major part in his freedom. In the end he went back took the exam and got his license as a Vet.
- In addition, I watched on BBC channel the morning of my birthday. A segment featured a father without any formal education who is barely literate, spends all his efforts paying for his daughter’s education. His reason for this was money will come and go but your education stays with you always.
These three stories highlight that true talent is a gift that is born within. No matter what obstacles are in your way no one can take that gift of knowledge which has been implanted in your life. We are meant to live freely and life is ours to embrace. In this life we can rely on our conscious state, revelations, religious teachings, rituals, symbols and customs to help us along
I had to prepare my daughter’s back pack from last school year due to the new back pack zipper not working after two days of school. I noticed the ELEPHANT on the bag. It drew me in and he ‘bathed me on the serene immediacy of his pleasure”- in a sense – removing my obstacles.
PS. I wrote this blog on the fifth of September and decided I was not going to publish it on my blog. Coincidentally, while browsing through Time Light box pictures of the week I came across a photograph of a man carrying an idol of Hindu elephant headed god Ganesha for immersing it in the Arabian Sea on the fifth day of the 10 day long Ganesh Chaturti festival in Mumbai, India. The festival celebrates the birth of the Hindu god. I can hear my friend whisper as she reads this post “there are no coincidences”
Every Christmas Eve it is part of our culture in Montserrat to set the jumbie table (jumbie are ghosts). The jumbie table reveals a tradition held by my ancestors many years ago. When Montserratians (people from Montserrat) say jumbie table we are referring to the table set at Christmas Eve with all the food (roast pig, bread, blood pudding, duckna , black cake [fruit cake], pork, chicken, turkey, potato pudding, dasheen, yam, bananas, macaroni cheese, rice and peas, goat water, tart) and drinks; wine and spirits (water, sweet drink[ soda], lemonade, Guinness, Vita malt, brandy, beer, ginger bear, ginger wine, Manischewitz wine and sorrel drink) that we would consume on Christmas Day. Just before the meal on Christmas day the spirits (liquor) is poured into the corner of house around the table for the ancestors.
As I explain the jumbie table I sit here compelled to note this. I am in a state of disbelief that my mother and my cousins both sixty plus stated they have never seen a jumbie table set by their parents. My cousin, who is my age, exclaimed “how old are you Brenda?” It seems as if anyone younger than my grandparent’s age (eighty plus years) have not shared this experience. Fortunately for me my cousins Grand Aunt is still alive, so she called her right after I spoke to her. She confirmed that I am not hallucinating or having an out of body experience by remembering the details of the jumbie table. I quickly learned that the term jumbie table is an endearing and commonly used expression but many of my generation and my mother’s generation have never seen a jumbie table set.
It is believed when the tradition was abandoned, and the jumbie table not set, the jumbie would come out making noise all night.
For me the jumbie table commands respect, in that it makes us feel pride in our heritage. It does not spell suspicion but admiration for the practices held long ago by our ancestors. I understand that it may be a part of our African heritage to carry out this practice. Our culture is rich in history and traditions and identifies us as a people. The fact that I am in my thirties and have witness the setting of the jumbie table for many Christmas by my grandparents is indeed a compliment and honor.
Well, it is the ninth day of Christmas and I have the last glass of sorrel in my hand savoring every sip. It is a part of our Caribbean culture to have sorrel at Christmas time. This plant is only harvested at Christmas and dies after one full bearing. According to the Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage:
Sorrel is a plant that grows to about six feet with numerous deeply lobed, light green leaves and many red centered, rose like flowers the calyxes developed into deep red, fleshy cubs (the fruit) which cover hairy, green seed pods.
Growing up in Montserrat, during Christmas, my grandmother expected me to stay on the porch in the night and pull the fruit off the plant; in preparation for it to be boiled with spices. There was no name given to the process it was just done. The end result of the process was that my grandmother made a tasty, flavorful, deep red, spicy, tropical drink.
Well, Christmas day has gone, the servings have diminished, if not all gone; but the contents of the beverages from the Christmas table (jumbie table) remain.
Appended below are the ingredients of the sorrel drink as you take your taste-buds on a tour of the Caribbean this Christmas.
Sorrel Drink
1 1b of sorrel
Gallon of water
1b Ginger Root
7 All Spice Balls
5 clove sticks
Cinnamon
cup Rice
Nutmeg
Sugar
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Photograph by Alison Hixon
Marse Tarm whey de ole settee
Dat share so many story
It bruk me heart fu hear
Miss Mattie people tek every ting she lef roun here
You tink dey ha every ting fan Englan
And leave de tings dey use to call hand me down
I had a great grand aunt who died at the ripe old age of 99 years of age. What a strong lady! I recall her jumping out of the window of her wooden house at the age of 95 saying she is going to look for her baby, even at that age she had no cuts or bruises. Her only – then adult – son whom she used to boast about; he lived in America but came home to take care of her in her last years. A few years after he returned home she passed away. Some well respected family relatives came by and took her four poster bed. I remember it was the talk of the village. Her son was enraged at the disrespect.
When I got married I wanted a four poster bed myself, a friend laughed at me and urged me not to make such a purchase in view of the fact we would be expected to relocate often. She said teasingly Brenda imagine carrying round a four poster bed on the boat to the islands.
Well this must be a dream or custom in my family because my cousin called me all proud of the four poster bed she purchased when she bought her house. She is now divorced, but guess what, she took the four poster bed!
Sometimes I guess subconsciously we may choose things because of what was inculcated in us or what we grew up thinking.
Now that I am older I understand that it was not the want for the four poster bed or the settee (as I mentioned in the poem), it was the sentiment of it but…
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