Amina Blackwood Meeks
JANUARY 28, 2006, marked the one year anniversary of the Friday morning when the district of Kilancholly in St. Mary woke up to the news of the murder of three siblings
living in the community. It woke up the nation, at least those who have been coming alive to the brutality with which too many of those who could hold the future, live and die. The incident put Kilancholly on a map, or several maps, maybe. Certainly the funeral service attracted huge crowds from the length and breadth of Jamaica.
It was a researcher's dream lab if you have an interest in rituals of mourning and graveside commentary. Many there were, total strangers to the family and the district, who made utterances of how the funeral should have been organised.
LIFE HAFFE GWAAN
At one point I uttered back that I was going to get basin into which every person who had a grouse about the arrangements could put ten dollars towards the welfare of the child who escaped and lived. People laugh like dem tink ah was joking, commented merrily along and offered not one dollar.
Some weeks later the community embarked on a programme of healing in full recognition of the fact that life haffe gwaan but dat it had to go on differently, because the tragedy of the murders only served to hat up some old sores and the pains of those who spend their lives a fight fe meck life. Big word people call it marginalisation. Likkle word people wid big dreams call it visionary tings like a homework centre that contribute to educating their children such that they would be empowered with the at least the possibility of transforming their environment en route to really building and enjoying a better quality of life.
'HEALING'
Big wud people said it was too early after the murders to begin to talk about 'healing'. Big wud corporate people scoffed at the idea of a homework centre. One such sey dem never hear bout such a ting an furdermore "Why couldn't the children do their homework where they live?" Big wud people sey if dem ever carry de proposal for de learning
centre into dem boardroom, board member wudda laugh bout de cost of what de community was asking for.
Big wud own national entity an boas off into newspapa bout how much money dem meck sey why de community doan ask people who own business into St. Mary fe what dem want. Big wud people sey some quality tings is a shame for none of it have one ting fe do wid de value of life or de fack sey yu kean buil wan part of de Jamaica an de res doan benefit.
COMMUNITY GOING DOWNHILL
But coming up to Christmas now, media tell me dat dem go up to Kilancholly an dem observe dat de place "has
steadily gone downhill since the murders". Well, as with all things, downhill is a point of view. It might not be the point of view of the three high school
students who benefited from the contributions of the entities who caught the vision and made it possible for them to be in the school for the year.
It might not be the point of view of the one to whom the promise of a summer job was fulfilled such that could provide for herself whatever it was that was provided. It might not be the point of view of the residents who give thanks that the garbage truck now comes into the community once per week. That might not mean much to big word people but who it mean tings to, appreciate what it means. Dem appreciate de tree extra street light dat also came as a promise fulfilled.
And no, it is not nearly enough to halt the social isolation and economic decline that have characterised the lives of too many for too long in a parish that keeps struggling not to be completely separated from its previous reputation of beauty and splendour and prosperity. But it does provide for us as a nation another opportunity to vision on behalf of Jamaica, Land We Love and its people.
Miss Lady sey marginalisation is a code word for exclusion and discrimination. It consists of physical neglect, emotional neglect, educational neglect, neglect of health and safety, social neglect and exclusion from the means to earn a decent living. Marginalisation is a code word for disempowering people by confirming poverty and hopelessness on people who know sey dem a try and dem a meck baby steps but people still a tell dem sey nutten naw gwaan and if dem ever believe it now an siddung an sey nutten naw gwaan somebody turn roun an call dem wutliss.
WE OWN DESTRUCTION
Miss Lady sey again dat big wud people need to put some words into action about socially responsible investment. How do we use de media to help others and ourselves even if no advertiser not backing what we saying. How we give people something even if dem cannot afford to buy we products now but dem children going to be so prosperous later dat we naw guh have enough hand fe sell dem when dem start buy. How we reach de point where we realise sey a laugh we a laugh afta we own destruction when we tink sey we a laugh afta people who instead of accept dem poverty turn
up pan we doorstep wid big
proposal for transformation.
There are many districts like Kilancholly around every corner in this beautiful land of ours. Each one deserves an opportunity to be the model for a
caring and prosperous nation.
The healing continues in the community and will reach another high point with a special church service on February 19. If the editor will allow, Kilancholly people are very grateful to those who have caught the vision an dem determined to keep awn putting one foot in front of de adda till de healing complete an de code word mash up.
