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    Mike's Journal

    Dominica

    There are [5] photos and [1] story about Dominica

    The consumption of cannabis is widespread and seems to carry no stigma in the area of the Kalinago Territory that I visited. All walks of life from old to young, male or female smoked. Of course when you have fertile land instead of money, it makes sense that cannabis would be preferred over alcohol, as it can be planted for free. This man, who was a relative of the lady I stayed with was one of the poorer inhabitants. His shack was almost empty and he seemed to have a problem with his feet but being surrounded by a strong community, and clearly a healthy dose of marijuana, he has maintained a positive demeanour. by: mlees Views[256] Pronounced “VEK-tee-veh” this grass is used for the roof thatching of traditional Kalinago homes. When Coy, the half-black half-Kalinago man we stayed with, started planting it, his intention was only to use it to hold the soil together; his wife had recently been sponsored to go on a workshop abroad about soil preservation. It was not until the model village initiated by the government was built that he realized this would be one of his most valuable crops going for $2 a bundle. Here you see what may not look like much but which has a traditional and monetary significance stashed away safely behind a padlocked door. by: mlees Views[382] Life in the Kalinago territory, while materially poor is embodied by life close to the land, family, and leisure time. I stumbled across this beautiful river pool right by the ocean where the younger kids were swimming and doing tricks, while the older boys talked and washed clothes in the river. Clearly, while almost all the ingredients for a happy lifestyle can be found, money for education and serious health complications are not easily accessible. by: mlees Views[725] Ma Ricky’s shop served as the hub for the small rural village of Salybia. The people of the area generally subsisted on unprocessed food that came straight from the earth – ground provisions, fish, fresh fruit – but just about anything else that they needed could be found at Ma Ricky’s sparsely stocked shop. It seemed that everyone truly appreciated how much the land provided for them, although many wished they had some more cash in hand to buy material goods. The fact that land cannot be sold in the territory means that while land often remains in family hands and is used for farming, it cannot be used as collateral for loans, making progressing out of material poverty a serious challenge. by: mlees Views[326] Waytu-Ka is the second “canoua” of its kind built in recent times in Dominica. The main body is made of one massive gommier tree that was felled by the indigenous Kalinago people in the depths of the forest or “Zion” as they often refer to it. After a week in the forest the tree was hollowed and stretched using traditional methods that have been passed down for generations. Parked on the roadside in front of a beautiful vista, you get the sense that some traditions have remained strong. This canoua will be sailed through the Caribbean in part to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Kalinago territory in Dominica. by: mlees Views[550]
     

    A 'place' I have visited

    Saturday, 6 Jul 2013 | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

    I don’t know if it is a result of having to bridge the communication issues that accompany living in a multicultural household or growing up in different countries, but listening and explaining is something that’s always come easily to me. The sense ... Read more >
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    Tags: Travel Photography Scholarship 2013

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