Back in Florida after 70 days in Jamaica

[Jah Bless]

nice hut!

[suzengrace]

Looks like you really rang in the new year right !!! Thanks for sharing..hope to one day link-up with you from Deeside over to Accompong,,

[Accompong]

Because January 6th can fall on any day of the week, having it fall on a Friday or Saturday is “brawta”! It seems that even more Maroons that are currently living affaren were able to make it back for the Celebration and perhaps the reason was the way the calendar gave them the opportunity to take a “long weekend”.

Every bed had a body (or two) at our house as we had visitors from Michigan and Virginia occupying the bedrooms upstairs. I felt so sorry for Marshall as he had to sleep in the living room just to allow them personal space.

On Wednesday, the 4th of January, Marshall went to the main to check on some people when he had the good fortune to run into a documentary film maker from Belize and a Reggae singer from Ghana who was singing at the main show with Stone Love on the evening of the 6th. He invited them to come to our house the following day.

That next day we not only had the two people mentioned but; a doctor from Cuba, two Elders from the Maroon Council and a whole entourage of his cousins who were stopping by to see our house for the first time. That was an enlightening experience for me as I found myself immersed in very deep discussions about the African race, Cuba Politics and the politics of Accompong Town.

Just after the sun went down and Marshall cooked some seasoned Veggie-chunks, cooked shredded cabbage and some scallions in a medley of herbs and spices along with some yams and wheat bread. Boy! I sure miss his cooking as I never once felt hungry eating no meat. We washed up and headed for the main as many of the residents of Accompong Town, Elderslie, White Hall, Bethsalem and Maggotty were getting together for a pre-Celebration party featuring a sound system King Ghetto.

Many of the higglers and food vendors who come for the Celebration came up a day early to get prepared so a lot of food and trinkets to purchase were available. I found myself a good seat at Elizabeth’s store where I could just “people watch” for a time. Accompong Town is really the “Tale of Two Towns” because in the part where my house is hardly gets any benefit from the Celebration being “off the main” and this part of town is jammed with locals and tourists alike. I like a little excitement every now and then but love the peace and quiet most of the time.

It was getting near `1am and I could hear and feel the King Ghetto ramping up down the street so I started my way through the crowded street down to Ferdie’s pen. Now, Ferdie and I have been good friends for 10 years or more so I didn’t bother paying to get into the zinc-enclosure where the dance was being held but went instead to his house next to the venue. When I got there, several old friends had the same idea as me and made their way to his house to party. We partied until sometime after 3am when a neighbor who was heading home with his car offered me a lift back. I really appreciated that because my knee was giving me some trouble. I decided to catch some extra sleep and didn’t get up until around 10am.

Today is the day the whole community looks forward to all year long…… the 6th of January Celebration and I was just plum worn out from the festivities that had been going on since Christmas and, in fact, the Election too ! I decided to just sit this one out and catch up on some reading and Emails I had not answered. I know this sound so boring but, after all, I had been to five previous January 6th Celebrations over the years. I even decided to go to bed early around midnight but the boom! boom! of Stone Love’s massive speakers wouldn’t let me sleep.

I just laid in my bed staring up at the ceiling thinking; I had been in Jamaica for 52 days up to this point (7 in Negril at Seastar) and had another 19 days to go before I had to leave my little slice of Paradise. Jamaica has a way of making me reflect on my life and the way I live it. I felt a wave of melancholy taking over my spirit until I took a few minutes to think of all I had seen, felt and done since arriving here on this reach. A wry smile crossed my lips and I was finally able to close my eyes and dream about my love….. Accompong Town, Jamaica.

Peace and Guidance.