Glenda Simms

In an effort to get a grip on some of the confusing issues of contemporary Jamaica, one is oftentimes challenged to focus on some of the traditional folk wisdom that express the ideas, belief systems and historical responses to the circumstances of life as it has been lived then and is being lived now.

One such gems of wisdom that is still articulated by many is "we come to drink milk, not to count cow".

There are numerous occasions when this remark is made with great conviction by Jamaican citizens on the local and foreign factory floors, in the corridors of public and private institutions and in the church pews

A long time ago, I sought membership in the fledgling Jamaican Association that was being established in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The first meeting that I attended became my last. I observed from the onset that the male- dominated leadership was bent on planning their entire programme around domino tournaments, fund-raising dances and curry goat feeds. I also noted that the 'pom-pom waving' women in the audience were thrilled by their ascribed role to cook the rice and peas, curry the goat meat and fry the fish that would be escoveitched.

When the boss president asked wether there was any other business that members wished to discuss, I raised my right arm and suggested in clear terms that I think community organisations should go beyond eating fatty foods and gyrating to popular music. Such groups need to start dealing with the emerging issues of the underachievement of black children in the school system and the increasing incidence of racism and indignities that were being experienced by the new immigrants in the Canadian society. Furthermore, I suggested that this Jamaican organisation was patriarchal, and totally disrespectful to black women.

As should be expected the president was offended by such an intervention.

He puffed up a chest that was gradually being crowded out by his growing pot belly and said in no uncertain terms, "Lady, we came to Canada to drink milk not to count cows."

Strong conviction

The cheerleading sisters cackled and the goodly gentleman adjourned the meeting and invited everyone to enjoy the refreshments of cornmeal pudding, saltfish fritters, white bread and corned-beef sandwiches and sodas.

I quietly left the church hall with the strong conviction that I was born a cow counter.

Over the years of life in the diaspora and on my return to work and live in Jamaica I am more and more convinced that for developing societies to move beyond "milk drinking" ordinary people need to develop a consciousness of themselves as "cow counters".

Milk drinkers are bent on drinking as much milk as possible. They have no interest in questioning the quality of the milk, the source of the supply, the health status of the cows, the sexual practices of the bulls, the safety and protection of the young calves or the physical conditions of the cow pens.

Even when the milk causes the drinkers to become bloated and unbearable they continue to drink more milk. In this state of gluttony they distribute large tanks of milk to their relatives, friends and declared disciples. In fact, it is the advent of mad cow disease that caused some of them to try and redefine their ideas of milk drinking.

Cow counters, on the other hand, make sure that they know how many cows are producing milk, the quantity of the milk that goes up to the Big House each day and the distribution patterns.

They also sound the alarm when the bulls break through the fences designed to protect the calves and they listen carefully to the moans and groans of the mother cows.

Cow counters do not keep their mouths shut .They speak out and they observe all the effects of lactose intolerance.

Cow counting and milk drinking are essentially patterns of ethical behaviours that can be analysed against practices in our private and public lives.

In the broad historical context of struggle and resistance, liberation theologians, progressive politicians, individuals whose efforts liberated us from the plantation, whistle-blowers who expose unethical rot in the corporate structures and in the nature of criminality in communities, and the little people who cry out for 'justice' are all examples of cow counters.

The Jamaican society surely needs more cow counters.

Glenda Simms is a consultant on gender issues.