Montserrat Speaking Frankly

Revelation 16

January 7, 2009 on 1:09 am | In Destiny Revelations | No Comments

I’m going to get right to it. Truth be told, I am just embarrassed to apologize, yet again, for my lack of regular posting for the past few weeks.

Who would ever have guessed that this normally comatose island, according to residents, could wake up to be so spirited and stimulating.

Who would have guessed that I would be short of time to participate in all the things I am interested in.

In spite, this is actually the case.

However, I would like to recount a particular experience. So, I’m listening to ZJB, Montserrat’s sole radio station. My favorite DJ is on, hosting the usual morning show. During this particular show, a local calypsonian’s song, featured in this year’s competitions, was played.

The DJ would choose who won the prize based on who he felt best filled the contest criteria for the day or moment. As I try to recall right now, I have no idea what that prize may have been. Besides, for the purpose of this story, that’s not important.

I will opt to cut a very entertaining experience down to bare essentials for the sake of time. The truly deserving winners demonstrated a talent level that is priceless, regardless of where you are in the world.

Having called in to the radio station and meet the required impromptu songwriting for the competition, the DJ decided to turn it up a notch and demand another impromtu test of his almost declared winners. He asked the group of about 5 to 7 children what kind of animals they had in their back yard. They responded with the usual ecosystem for Montserrat; goats, cats, dogs, ducks, roosters, and the likes.

After identifying their backyard animals, the DJ asked this group of children if they could sing the previously played calypso that they had previously sang for the morning show’s contest the way the animals in their back yard would. They did not miss a beat nor delay for more than two seconds.

Without a second thought or sign of hesitation, these kids broke into an animal chorus to be rivaled by none other. All the while, never missing a beat or key. I remain completely astonished.

I know I cannot regurgitate the experience as truly slide slapping and awe-inspiring as it was. However, you get the jist of the bottom line.

Boy can these people party! Who would have ever guessed? They truly reserve themselves for the celebrations in December. I am still in awe of seeing so many people in one place in Montserrat, where usually a mob is about three to five people.

I have also noticed the foot traffic. Yeah, I know…what foot traffic, right? Well, guess what. Since early December, I have noted a distinct increase in Montserrat’s foot traffic, which previously was boring and just about non-existent.

How significant you ask? Well, as far as I can tell the average foot traffic in Montserrat, at any given time of the day and worse at night, is about one to five people in about every three to six hours, possibly more. However, as of late, that foot traffic has increased to fast and frequent enough to steal a glance at the newly arrived passer bys mingleling effortlessly in an obvious and growing crowd of constant new faces.

Boy, are visitors easy to identify in Montserrat! What do I mean?

Consider this…Montserrat is an extremely laid back country. Its inhabitants seem to be desperate to find an occasion to dress up for. Outside of an event or occasion, Montserratians are quite comfortable lounging in their everyday garbs.

Visitors, regardless of category, are distinctly different in their fashion. Montserratians smell a stranger a mile away.

Here are the differences I have noted:

1) Make-Up: Montserratian women seem to wear very scant to no make-up. Everyone else in the female gender does the opposite, when visiting. Their faces are heavily made and immaculate, a definate stand out. Oddly enough, or maybe not, most women who stay in Montserrat long enough eventually start to flash a-la-natural, with the occasional scant mascara, lipstick, and splash of lipgloss.

Male Adornments: It has become apparent to me that local Montserratian males don’t have a high priority on fashion, the large marjority anyway. In fact, the average male on Montserrat seem set on wearing only a pair of shorts and slippers. Hence, it is very easy to decipher the visitor from local resident males. Additionally, the wave of cologne that encroaches you when a male visitor passes is completely non-exixtent, almost, in resident males. Like the women, a-la-natural is the preference.

Needless to say, I genuinely enjoyed my festival season in Montserrat, with the associated people watching. It was not only far more amazing than I anticipated, but highly stimulatng as well. I’m still tingling from excitement.