Shelly-Ann Thompson, Gleaner Writer
Christopher Martin (second left) and friends at his mother's workplace, Watermount Health Centre in Back Pasture, St. Catherine. Martin's mother, Maxine Martin, is pictured second from the right.
VIEWERS OF the televised Rising Stars competition often asked where is Back Pasture - the community from which one of the finalists, Christopher Martin, hails. Someone even said to Lifestyle, "I think I heard about every weird name place in Jamaica, but I never hear about Back Pasture."
Situated in the hills of St. Catherine between Ginger Ridge and Point Hill is the hometown of one of Rising Star's top two finalists.
A 50-minute drive from downtown Kingston, Back Pasture presents a sample of simple country life. Coming out of Spanish Town, passing the large potholes in the areas of Frenchman's Heights and Green Acres communities, into rural St. Catherine, the drive gave a wonderful feeling of the country life. The vivid red dirt gives the appearance of rich soil. Then, arriving in Kitson Town the air became cooler - the greeting of the hills surrounding us. We went over a small bridge. Below was a dry river bed.
Once we arrived in Store Hill, we glanced over a cliff and observed one of the most magnificent views of Jamaica's hill range.
Continuing through the winding hills and cascading trees of west central St. Catherine, we arrived in Back Pasture, Christopher Martin's quaint, sleepy village.
VERY LOVING, VERY PEACEFUL
Martin, an 18-year-old, has brought not only himself, but also Back Pasture enormous publicity over the past two months. The district is a place that keeps him grounded.
"Back Pasture is an easy going community. We are not into a whole heap of hype, a no we that. We are simple; we are very loving and very peaceful roun' here. Like they say cool river runs deep," said Martin.
Other residents of Back Pasture shared similar sentiments about a community that is calm, home to a people who are humble and respectful. There is no 'Great Grandma' to whom residents run for advice nor is there a 'Mr. Tom's' home with a television for entertainment. That's because the home of every resident in Back Pasture is open to his neighbour, creating a community of unity, one that is nice and almost crime-free.
At B and Beaver Garage in Back Pasture, Lifestyle met a few men who were willing to share their comments about the community, and their rising star, Martin. "Everything just nice 'bout Back Pasture especially how the community a move since the little man here (Christopher Martin) a tek over the world," said Elvis Wright.
"There is no war, nobody gets shot, never, never! Everything level in a Back Pasture. The
people nice and the big man (Christopher Martin) a show the world how we nice," added George Francis, also known as 'Taxi Driver', who plies the route of John's Road to Spanish Town.
The men at the garage noted that the respectful and calm Martin seen on television entering the Rising Star competition is reflective of the residents in the community. Albert Pearson, owner of the garage, who has known Martin since he was a baby and has been a friend of his mother for years, noted that the Rising Star finalist is a "good boy". "True everybody know him and know sey he is a nice youth everybody vote fi him," said Pearson.
This might be true as everywhere Martin went he was greeted. The old and the young embraced their star, and it seemed as if Martin had many older folks to guide him.
"Him grow up a very disciplined child. Mi no have nothing bad fi say 'bout a youth dey. Him love him football, him friendly and kind. A youth who loves him church, him and everybody get on. Him and the girls dem get on good, but he's a church man still," said Pearson who lives in a neighbouring community.
With his garage being in Back Pasture, Pearson noted too that the residents are wonderful. "The people are friendly don't pass without saying hello, they are well nice especially the older type."
Back Pasture is quiet indeed. There were no obnoxious sounds of traffic or any other noise. Instead there are sounds of birds, and the breeze through the trees. The look of country life is also vivid, houses, some made of concrete blocks and others from lumber, hidden behind flourishing trees and colourful flowers. The roads were empty, but for a few cars that passed by and a man who rode by on his bicycle with a yellow rag hanging out of his back pocket. However, most were on foot, mostly students - some attending the Tacius Golding High School in Watermount. And, a few dogs barked viciously and chased our car.
GLOWING WITH PLEASURE
The Lifestyle team and Martin then made a stop at his mother's, Maxine Martin's workplace, the Watermount Health Centre in Back Pasture. At the health centre, Martin was once more embraced, and with a smile, he hugged everyone, a few old enough to be his grandmother. Friends did not seem to mind that he has rarely been back in the past five weeks since the competition started. Maxine Martin who has mostly seen her son on Mondays during the previous weeks was also glowing with pleasure with her son's surprise visit.
"But we expect that he wouldn't be here in the community. He is our Rising Star so we expect him to prepare to rise," said Doreen McNee another resident.
"We dislike nothing about Back Pasture. You can talk to just about anybody, anybody can give you advice, everybody nice and that's the fullness a Back Pasture," added Ena Cameron also from the community.
"It's very quiet, not a lot of crime, very rare something happens. Most people are Christians or at least Christian-minded so the people are loving," continued Cameron. The
different Christian denominations in Back Pasture and its neighbouring communities are Seventh Day Adventist; Baptist; Open Bible and Church of Christ.
"It was a dot on the Jamaican map, there was nothing there for Back Pasture but now Christopher put it on top," added McNee.
"It's great, anywhere you go and you say you live in Back Pasture it's pure excitement and even at the pharmacy to fill a prescription and they see Back Pasture it's like 'do you know where Chris lives," said Martin's mother, Maxine Martin.
Before reaching Martin's home Lifestyle briefly stopped at S and J Grocery shop in the community square. The shop owned by Latoya Douglas is the entertainment centre of the community. Behind the counter holds grocery items such as tin foods, buns, breads, and brooms made from the bow of the coconut tree; and a 13-inch Orion television for entertainment. "This is the chill spot, every Friday and Sunday night here so ram up a watch T.V.," said Douglas.
Finally, we parked on the roadside to make the trek to Martin's home. "I live up a hill. It keeps me fit as a fiddle," said Martin. It takes about a minute to get to his house - a walk up an then down a hill with a path made with crushed stones planted in the red dirt. We passed cherry trees; pineapple shoots; mango trees; and homes hidden behind trees. Seconds later Martin said, "there's the house" and we saw the home of the star sitting at the bottom of the path painted in bright blue and with white security bars.
Cleveland Martin, a fork lift operator at Best Dressed Foods in Spring Village, St. Catherine, has been living in Back Pasture since 1986. Cleveland Martin again noted that the community is wonderful. Known as 'Cobba' by the young men of the community, Martin said the people are respectful that he has been loved. "If there is an argument I can walk and say come on man, stop it. For old and young is just respect," said Cleveland Martin.
UNEMPLOYMENT AND RUNNING WATER
"It's real quiet, not a busy area. It's cool, relaxing, no hassle or bustle with anybody. The guys will hang out by the shop and chat, the square that's the spot," he said. "Here you only hear nature, just the birds," added Cleveland.
The elder Martin noted the changes that he has seen in Back Pasture, the biggest has being access to land line telephone that his family received in 1999. Yet, Cleveland Martin said many more changes need to be made. "Running water is still a problem; running water in our taps is the only thing we are really lacking but we get by. Some have, some don't. Anything one hand have we wash the other who don't have," said Cleveland Martin.
Cleveland also noted that unemployment was high in the community. "We don't have a factory so most people go out to Spanish Town and Kingston for work," said Martin. Jobs in Back Pasture are mainly in construction, and farming of cash crops such as cabbage, pineapple, tomato and callaloo. The farming however provides lots of food in the community. "We have nuff banana, nuff breadfruit and nuff cocoa," said Devon Bent who Lifestyle also met at the garage.
The houses of Back Pasture are mainly concrete structures with a few of made of lumber. Martin's house is situated at the end of a red dirt path filled with broken stones. The river also flows behind Martin's house, and he reminisced about times spent there. Wright noted his favourite place in the community is the river. "It's like the most beautiful thing in the world," he said.
A star is born from the community, and currently there is no celebration being planned if he wins the competition. However as one woman said, "it might be a surprise but we must have fi go have a party".
