Yesterday I wrote on the topic of women past and present. I focused on the great African Queen of Angola, Anna Nzingha and also wrote a little about my own personal Queen, My mother. This morning I got up with the Honorable Dr. Louise Bennet , “Miss Lou” on my mind. So I have decided to focus on culture this week and I could not do that without and in my own way honor Miss Lou. As a child I remember watching Ring Ding on J.B.C television in Jamaica every Saturday afternoon, with my beloved Miss Lou and Marjorie playing the piano. She would entertain us with her singing and poems along with having children from various schools performing songs and dance on her program. I remember sitting on the living room floor sucking my thumb (except when I sang along) and watched my favorite television personality entertain and teach at the same time. I have provided some videos of the great Louise Bennet for your viewing pleasure, and I must confess that when I watched them I became nostalgic, so much that my eyes misted as the little girl in me remembered my friend Miss Lou. She was Jamaica’s Oprah!, Loved by all and appreciated by all. What she did for the preservation of our rich culture cannot be matched.
When I began high school.It was because of Miss Lou’s Influence that I did very well in drama, and I remember going home on the bus one evening, pulling out my pen and a small piece of paper and writing my first poem, all from the influence of Louise Bennet, I do not remember it all but I will just give you all a little of what I do remember. It was titled; Spike Heel Boot……..)…….. lol, I cannot remember the rest but when I performed it at school, I received a standing ovation, and it became very popular as did I, because everyone kept on reciting it. Thank you Miss Lou!……
Thank you also for the Brother Anancy Stories you told, (Read my Post… Brother Anancy, Esu in Jamaican folklore)…, which my children who were all born in America, knows and love, along with the folk songs, they appreciate their Jamaican heritage. Miss Lou made me Love and appriciate my rich Jamaican culture and heritage, proud to be black and extra proud to be Jamaican, when I grew up and entered the spiritual world of the revival church, Miss Lou and her songs were there, when 61 revival came in and the Leader or Leadress would start chanting “Judy drownded Judy drownded”, or when deep spirits arrived and we would sing “Mek yuh deh wheel an tun mi”, with our heads wrapped in Madras plaid, the red plaid that you see her wearing in the videos while performing which is the cultural cloth of Jamaica, made famous by her…Mek yuh deh wheel and tun mi was one of my mother’s favorite songs to sing while she cooked.
Miss Lou taught me cultural songs like….. Sammy plant peice a cawn dung a gully….., Long time gal mi neva see yuh, come mek we walk an talk…., It was unda the Sycamore tree….., Evening time, work is over now it’s evening time,….. Dina O!!!/strong>I wish I could sing this one for you and let you feel the spirit of this old lady calling out for her, possibly grand-daughter for help and the wicked little girl not answering her, while the woman complains about her aches and pains and her inability to walk quickly due to age and her ailments. I loved this song, as a child, even though it made me sad for the poor old lady and mad at the wrecthed Dina. Even though I know that I came to earth to be who I am, a spiritualist/traditionlist, I believe Miss Lou helped prepare my path, by who she was and what she represented .
As little black girls growing up in Jamaica and being served our heritage on a huge silver platter by this marvelous woman who was so charming and motherly, who danced and sang and spoke to us through the television as if she was speaking to you specifically, it was so comforting. I saw myself in her and she was black like me and I identified my blackness through her. She was a cultural icon and much deserving of national heroe status, she was actress, writer, folklorist, educator….and I believe she was a child of Osun as these are qualities of Osun’s children. My Mother Louise Bennet, I can feel you alive and well in your residence on the higher mental plane, where you are still influencing artists, teachers, musicians, educators, anthropologists and poets here on the earth plane, and we all appreciate what you did for us while you visited this our earth realm. Happy that you chose to incarnate as a Jamican on you last incarnation and even though I doubt that you will be back, because I believe you have been released from the birthing chain, because of the legacy that you left, I hope that all generations to come will continue to remember you as I Obara Meji do.
Old age does not come in just one day…….Yoruba Proverb.
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oba desso man unless smaddy whey a peep comment yah so an mi tell hoonu dem we forward back yahsso!
U tell wi teacha
obah desso
ok which part we deh tiddeh yahso or desso!!
mawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwning! O!
Tonks fa di backup teacha
giftofgoodlife
curious
ohhajimas
khaliward
teetee
skeptic
gemini
U seet to teacha…..
Roll call
All who deh ah school ansa to oonu name, an di one dem whey mi nuh memba juss ansa sed way:
Teacha?
OrisaPikkney?
Sharlenerose?
Splendid?
Optimistic1?
Virgin?
Gemini?
Nubizniz?
Tamika?
nw de one orisspikkney wake up pple han gone
MAWNINGGGGGGGG
Wat a cow bell loud ma! Mi sey mi tan wayyyy dung di road an hear it
maniac jus sen message sey she soon come a school!!
mek de damn cowbell so loud man!!! mi did inna one sweet dream!!! cho!! mawningggg!!!..inna mi grumpy voice..
wheeeeel and come agen selecta!!!! Mawwwwwwningggggggggggggggggggggggg *licking mi cowbell*** mawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwningggg!
dwl!
ahoy splendeed…rope in…whe u put inna de corn you plant for sophia mek her belly a hurt her
splen splen !!! rope in nuh man!!
porridge made a draws!!! dranco sey him nah wuk pon sunday!, dranco sey him ah bigg bigg lawyah no no him nah wuk pon sunday!
Splendidddddddd whey u deh mon…..Come defen di ting nuh maaaaan
dranco sey him a white man pickney…no no him nah wuk pon sunday!!
tink a lie me tell…kill u maga dog…tink a lie me tell…drink de porridge made a draws…dranco seh him naw work…him caan wuk…him naw wuk pon sunday…whoooaaahhh…dwl…dwl
sophia inna room a cry…splendeed seh fi wipe her eye…why she was drinking briefy porridge last night…woooaahhh…lol a whe splendeed deh
Dranco sey him nuh werk pon Sundeh, naw werk him nah werk pon Sundeh…Cho
shaelene a pred out mi pred whey a grung…dwl dwl dwl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
or even wuss splendid shitty porridge!!!!! ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!
sophia and har mumma go a grung….sophia start to bawl fi har belly….go home sophia…go home sophia…go boil cerassie fi u belly…fuckin craven shouldnt nyam splendeed porridge
de whole ah oonu mad….dwl dwl dwl kip it up and mi gi oonu some a shawty soup
mi teet o! mi teet an pengeleng!,lolol
a want to go to negril…tuntuntun…or even to mobay…i want to go to st anns bay…so dont feel no way
a caan bodda…mi fling one big stone and it lick maniac…so me seh…hush…memba a play we deh play…gal an bwoy
i come to see mary i come to see mary i come to see mary and where is she nw
da corn deh a muss neva fi him cawn and him go nyam i a Sofia corn Sammy go nyam O!
Is a remix dis mi a work wid eena mi head:
Sammy Nyam Sofia Cawn weh Splendid Plant
it did fi bear and grow fi kill Terbit Sofia
But a craven mek Sammy craven mek him ketch it
yes a bere wine mi deh wine….but everyday me a tell de people dem seh…i’m in a well…and dem seh…who u want to take u out…and me say…anyone a me classmate dem…help me up deh…
yes, my peers, i am here…me a wait pon de people dem all day sunday…but mussi tru dranco seh him naw wuk pon sunday me no see nobody…
bloodkleeet sharlene whine to di bottom den yuh wine to di top! eena yuh likkle pleated skirt rayyyy nobay nuh sexy like mi when mi a whine to di bottom when mi a 7 lol
after Splendeed seh him plant cawn fI Sophia me no see him no more…so a whe him deh…kakarass…sammy plant piece a cawn dung a gully..hhmmm…and it bear and it bear till it kill poor sammy…hhhmmm…sammy dead…sammy dead…sammy deadooo…a how sophia no dead. teacher is why de cawn kill sammy…a wha kinda cawn dat
Sharleneeeeeeeeeee u reach mum? show dem yuh motion of course!!!!
Orisapikkney u ah call u stepmadda Terbit???? Sarry fi yuh fawt
me waan some roast breadfruit fry well nice with butter pon de menu…
and me waan play deres a brown girl in de ring…tralalala…caw me a go show some a dem people ya me motion…hello
Splendid look how much time wi call up u and Terbit Sofia name…….
yuh dawg missen orissa pikkney, splendid just email and ask why we nah pay him no mind…missa splendid come back plzzzzz!!!
yow unnu sick eena unnu head eno…………………..IF MI LAFF WATER WATER DOO DOO COME OUT A MI BATTY HOLE……….LAWWWWWD WOIEEEE eye water deh a mi eye..
shawty and miss mini..caw she shawta dan shawti…lololll!!! Jamaica sweet!
rupert tun soup…dwl, dwl!!!
mi hear sey sey dem prison shawty fi de dog soup……an charge miss mini fi conspiracy
Hear yah nung….nuh wanda mi cudden fine Rupert
and shwty, miss mini man from dung a battam whey love cook soup whey nuh body nah nyam cawsen sey, when him an miss mini cuss she bawl it out sey a dwag meat in deh, an a true caw miss will did missen gladys de big black dawg whey ppl sey ah har man when nite come and man royal cherry cry out sey sheeba fi har fat brown dawg missin, and we did miss rova, fi wi bad man dawg, and a ongle when shawty come roun ppl dawg missen, an a couple a de soup well mi… Read more »
Di jerk Arrrrnalllll
Orisaaaaaa beg yuh some ah di puddin nuh? neva jink di cow skin soup yet but mi hear bout it… Bring di sprat come…..wid di escoveich sesonin pon tap, nuff peppa
miss fatty roun de cawna festival wid sweet planten and cookie from dung de lane fry fish and bredda from up a top pan pork
fyah a top an fyah a bottom pon de pudden, boil crab and cueey crab and lobster and the ever raw but sweet roast docta fish, pon zinc
di African dem a ignore sour sop? You know that is a big cancer fighting herb?
A who a breed tonite? lawwwd dem juice deh a wah yuh call put it back! lmfaoooo Pon my menu a cow skin juice sweeten wid condense milk yuh eva drink dat? A dat name mus breed wid twins!! lol Mi wah nyam sum ackee wid chicken back fry dryyyyyyyyyyyyy eena it! or sum season rice! Hominy corn porridge wid hardough bread bruk up eena di porrige……mi HUNGRYYYYYYYYYY O!!! Sum sprat fry up dry wid bread pon Friday and Sattiday nite out a dance and boil corn eena soup!!! Mi nuh tink nuhbody can mek sweet potato and cornmeal puddin… Read more »
Lolll, nuh badda mi to raaw
look lika a so fimi mumma did ketch de lass belly cawsen sey all yah nung mi nuh know hw she breed han mi li dung inna de miggle a de two ah dem ebry nite…. aldoh mi wake up inna mi bed one or two time deh… ah bet ah mi pa go trubble mi poor mummaa an bring mi a mi howna bed…..mi poo madda!! bawling!!
yuh galang bout sinting muss bree tinite…lolol…ah true ting!!!
Hey Orisapikkney, u memba bout di janga soup? Dah one deh bad lakka yawz
Bwoy teacha mi ah tell yuh…..Orisa whey dey pon di menu sista?
Chat bout!!!! Guinness blen up wid peanut, irish moss, supligen, oats (summen muss breed tinite) tip likkle Irish or vanilla creamer een deh, whey nice soh…..mi sey summen muss……
when yuh ah eat sprat piece a bread or tuff crakas or lime haffi deh deh casen bone get whey inna yuh throat…lolololllll!! de chance we tek ova food!
carrot juice wid beet root, sour sap mix wid white rum an sweet milk, whey mi guh Africa go see dem a ignore, ripe and pretty pon de tree, and when mi ask dem if dem nuh use it dem sey dem cyann badda!! fry sprat wid de million bone
guisness, mix wid condense milk and oats wid egg and vanilla and nut meg fraughty and nice….
chat bout pitaata pudden, what bout cawn meal pudden wid de sud pon top!!!! MAMA!!!!
Yes to rawtid teacha…mi si some whey day ah won Agricultural show but mi neba buy it caw mi nuh noe di ppl dem whey mek it, but blue drawzz nice nuh fawt.
Sweet pitaytah puddin…..Mi hungry to raw
blue drazzzzz!!1 to rass!! yes yuh know sey mi go a Africa and dem mek sinting out a bean whey name moi moi, niceeeee yuh see, and dem wrap it inna sintin fava banana leaf an mi sey to mi Godmadda..we have something like that in Jamaica and we call it DUKUNU!!, she sey DUKUNU???.. we make it here too, and call it the same! DUKUNU is a yoruba word,it is made out of corn flour and wrap it in banana leaf and steamed…oonu see sey Africa still inn a we!!
Uunu leeda nuh ez atall, beat di ppl dem….Ah lissen to Raga, look like dem ah lissen to wi pon yah, dem ah goh dung di ole time days
lolololll@orisapikkney…@maniac sibble jack fava cane except it pliable and wi roll de top inna circle so we can hole it good fi beat wid…we use it inna revival when spirit come and de ppl dem nah move right Leada tek up de sibble jack and beat lef right and centa
yuh ah tek notes Orisa??? wi affi include di run dung pon di ‘boat’….. Blue Drawzzzzzz
Hear Ragga ah tawk bout di SibbleJack (ah whey dat teacha, Orisa? nuh memba) mi noe di name doe
chicken back wid butta bean, or broad bean, run dung wid bread friut n salt fish or mackerel….mama mi love yuh fi dem food deh!!
paradise plumm oh my goooodnesssssss…….suck suck and..banana chips eena bag fi fifty cents unnu mek mi waah cry Jah know……..Teacha mi yard a Jamaica have a big nose naught plum tree eena di back yard when mi go dung mi wi bring sum back fi yuh….mi use to nyam dem til it froth up pon mi stomach and sick mi badddddd…………….Mi wah go a mi YAWWWWWWWWWWWWDD
U noe bout teacha….use to have alla dem deh whey wi use to lib…..mi sey wi use to have som sweet tamrin deh (u noe seh ah whey day mi dream bout up ah di tamrin tree). U si chue dat mi nuh too mell roun guinep an tamrin nuh more…..use to hab kalik wen wi done wid dem deh…nuh wonda dem use to kill wi wid di epsom salt an mojo herb wen wi fi goh back ah skool
mi ah cook lickle curry chicken foot stew dung inna cuknat milk missis, wid some cart wheel corn meal dumplin, and peice a negro yam
sum tun cornmeal wid coconut milk eena it and sum chicken back blouse nawt mek di tunny jump (sorry fi bi so crass) lol Obara a wah yuh a cook today!!
toeto!, ghizadda!, drops, greatta cake!
Mi nah lie doe, no tun cawnmeal fi mi….mi di tell mi granny sey dat ah fi dawg (neva noe betta). Memba one time shi gimmie banana dumpling an mi sick yuh fenneh….shi cuss an tell wi how wi ah gwaan like wi betta dan di ress chue wi grow up ah town, but ah neva fiwi fault, wi juss neba use to it 🙁
lawd gad! paradise plum, and de real nose naught plum, twinny guinep and tamrin
tastie pattie, banana flittas, fry dumplin, peppa pot soup wid pigstail, and salt beef!! fry fish and bammy!!
yuh memba di paradise plum teacha? Jackas cawn tuff nuh bloutneet
jack ass cawn sorry!, run dung, tun cawn meal, salt fish flittas…oonun nah out do mi a rass!!!!..two pon one ah murda!!
love jackas can aldoh mi teet dem suppose to hate mi…TUFF!!!…asha, run dung chiny taste bad sweetie, icy mint and busta mante
Yuh read mi mine OrisaPikkneyyyy ah ooman of mi howna hort (ah woo sey soh?) Bulla an pear to di flippin werlllll
Bullah an Pearrrrrrr. Mi miss it bad bad…
mi personally like bulla and alligator pear and jackassss corn to blurtttnawwt yuh nyam dat from sun up til sun dung….
bullah and cheese, ginja bread and milk, corn bread and cheese.
lol yes Iya gig! Mi used to dutty wid di likkle bwoy pikkney dem a play gig and marble..and use scandal bag fi kite….lol hey who used to race matches stick go a di gully when rain did a fall?
Mi ah tell yuh….Hey nuh figget di transista rayjah enuh (wi proly affi upgrade da won deh)
gig!!!!dwl!! yuh see you orisapikkney
wah yuh seh wi ago tie wi enemy dem wid cheesy buddy hominy corn parridge? if i laugh i dead lol…………yesss and wi use to throw lastic pon di wall and get di threadie big!!! and gig and use book leaf mek kite…lol
Mi ah tell yuh Orisapikkney…chuss mi it wuda really b summen aldoa mi nuh sure bout Sofia still…who knows? maybe yuh ‘fawda’ an yuh stepma wuda hit it off…
Bwoy teacha u deh pon u own wid dat deh parij deh
marble. pumpy pon de swing sang. jacks, money foot ball
splendid haffi cook de famous porridge fi some ah mi enemies dem whey mi aguh in vite….hop scotch, hoola hoop, net ball…
oohhhhhh noooo splendid nah have nuh han eena da boat yah! I wish one day di whole a wi coulda meet up fi true and run a boat and buil’ a vibes!! just bug out and be ourselves…..mi ooda invite Sofia to what say u Daddy Splendor?
Meeeeeeee, mi wuda come…..juss mek sure wi organize di dandy shandy an run di boat (curry chicken back an two white flowah dumplin wid some wash or lemonade or even some sowah orinj inna di wash)….
Teecha whey u seh? Wi naw goh mek Splendid cook doe
di odda day when it did hot and mosquito dem dida kill mi kaka claat mi wish mi coulda go buy half coil a mosquita destroya and use di clothes pin and hol it pon a red stripe bakkle …..cho man
stucky , red light green light, purple touch when yuh haffi kip yuh two finga dem cross or else yuh wi get feel up feel up….lol hey membah sports day wid egg and spoon race? di onlge reason mi love sports day a fi di orange dem and di sweet white powder and lucozade…..lol mi miss mi childhood a yaad!! if i could go back for jus one day who woula waaan come wid mi?
Nuh figget di hop scotch, di baseball, di chinese skip, di dandy shandy (Kok up is a ten! )
but nuh badda play dandy shandy wid u boy cuzin dem enuh caw dem nuh play fair ah rawtid – wen u look dem reach half way dung di ring an out yuh
Boy di good ole days