A recent Zoom meeting between Wesley residents inspired me to write this article. While many are consumed by the spirit of Christmas, and rightly so, it is the season, I am preoccupied with life in the village of Wesley past, present, and future. The community of Wesley was a vibrant and thriving community. Memories of the traditions that were centered around the people of Wesley past is worth reminiscing about. For those who take pride in their community, the past, present, and future should hold special meaning, and the nostalgic memories that are embedded in the past should cause reflection and introspection in the present. The Zoom meeting re-ignited the community bond that existed, and resurrected remembrance of a family – a Wesley family. Someone said, “Wesley people who plan to marry to another Wesley person must be careful because all of Wesley is one big family.”
Wesley in times past brings memories of some towering figures: Atchinson, Emlord, Rorko, Stan, Kenneth, Sparrow, Sills, Kelsick, Wilson, Franko, Emile, Willo, Jacko, Grenfell, Onnuid, Joffre, Tuolier, Borty, Elgin, Amos (Joseph), Kank, Borday, Garrick, Detouche, S.B, Charlie, Barnett, and Ashood. There were strong women who played major roles in the formation of the minds and lives that became major contributors in the Wesley landscape: Miss Daisy, Noelise Abraham, Ma Kersey, Sill Christmas, Ma O’neal, Miss Albertine, Miss Carmie, Ma Steady, Ma Sills, Ma Hubert, and Juditha Allick were among some of the towering female figures. These figures stood like the West Africa Iroko tree or our own local Gormier. Those were towering figures who stood in the village of Wesley in a time before and after there was electricity in the 70s. Cocoy language reigned. If you nor me no how fuu taak Cocoy, people wooda say, you a nor Wesley neiga. Memories of lanterns and bozys lighting the village at night and on moonlit nights, the sound of the elders telling stories of brea anancy, corpere laper and corpere tig, and sometimes the scary ones cannot be forgotten. Late nights at the farine pans where bamboulas were made, brought special gathering waiting for the first taste. This time of the year, black pudding, sorrel, ginger beer, homemade coconut ice cream churned in the wooden barrel, fruit cake, and smoke meat were king.
And the children, spinning tops, driving small trucks, playing marble – toks, or marble and cashews, yoyo, sliding on coconut branches down muddy hills, building cabooway using mangrove roots to make wheels could be seen all over the village. One of a child’s greatest accomplishment was to get a side-steer on a Land Rover, Bedford, or Ford van. Zizzy papa was a sport. Pampy hole, Dam, and Bilinda were known spots. Weekends brought cricket games on any surface that was flat and anything that was round was a ball. Girls were engaged in rounders. At Christmas, bamboo answered each other from Baptiste, Bottom Wesley, Powell pa, Hunt, Round Big Cedar, Po Mans Corner, Burnum, and Phillips Avenue. Cork guns were a cherished Christmas toy. Bandits were bursting in the streets. Some kids had to work to purchase their own toys. Some sold coconuts to people with copra houses to raise the funds to buy cork shots for our cork guns. Kids actually climbed mango trees to get mangoes and threw stones after those that were out of reach. Those were the days when stuppes would result in an instantaneous slap that would spin your head around if close, or the closest object would come flying in your direction if far. That meant that you were calling your parent a fly. That was Wesley past. Children were children.
Village activity abounded. The village counsel was engaged and encouraged citizens to keep the village clean by awarding recognition prizes for the best kept yard. The best lit house at Christmas was also judged and awarded. There were bellear, and codrill bands, steel bands, Groovy Cats, and dances at the government school. At Christmas time, carols were sung from house to house by different groups. Festivals at Cribo elicited a major village celebration. Harvest day at church saw some of the biggest yams. Church excursions to discover Dominica allowed our people to see and enjoy other villages. Painters were busy at Christmas time because houses had to be painted in time for Christmas. The best cakes with hard frosting and colorful sprinkles enticed one to almost forget about the cake and go for the icing. Licking the mixing bowl was a custom…it had to be done. The view from Window, and a walk on Table were breathtaking. Going bayside meant choices – Jimmy Bay, Marigot Bay, Rough Bay, or Cribo. That was Wesley Past.
The present Wesley is almost unrecognizable and that is unfortunate. Although still a beautiful village, we have strayed as a village people. There seems to be a tug of war between religion, political affiliation, and village location. Our once united village appears to be made up of clans. Sporting activities are hardly visible. Churches are empty except at funerals. As with other places around the globe, computers, cell phones, and gaming gadgets are consuming our time and minds. A look around begs the question, who are the Irokos and Gomiers of Wesley? Who are those standing up to make a difference? Who are the mentors? Is Wesley a better community today than it was back then? Now with electricity, a plethora of shops and variety of available goods for purchase, do we have the buying power now that we had back then in the days of Depex and Ma Grenfell? How do we recapture the Wesley spirit? Can our generation make a difference? What we contribute today can make a difference in the future.
A Wesley in the future will require a commitment by those who possess the skills, talents, and resources, to come back and re-invest in Wesley. Not Wesley the location, but Wesley the people. Our people are our most valuable resource and once we have lost them, we have lost a future. There are those who are willing to give and those who are willing to accept the tutoring, mentorship, and assistance to rejuvenate our vibrant community. Wesley must return to its roots. Not to Bozy and flambo, but to a future of academic excellence where people like teachers Aspi, Steven, Welch, Judith, Cybo, and others led the way. A village where Wesley meant being proud, independent, and assertive. People from Bottom Wesley, Hill, Mopo, Baptiste, Round Big Cedar (now Central), Hunt, Phillips Avenue (now Top Road), Engine Valley, Burnum, Church Street, Powell pa (Eden Road), Ten Shilling, and Four Road can work together as one people for a purpose…and agree or agree to disagree and have a drink on that. A people where dissenting voices are welcomed. We heard them before, and they cannot go away, or we will have lost our individuality with individual thoughts and ideas. A future Wesley should be a place where we are happy to return, and happy to live. Let us focus on a better Wesley. Let us build it for our people, for ourselves, and our future. Wesley is ours. Do not let Wesley die. Let Wesley live.
Very well said! Wish were could bring some of those old values and traditions to the present and future. Without good leadership within the community, the Wesley we once knew will surely ‘die’.
So, if we ponder on the past and present; nevertheless, do nothing to protect and preserve our village, we are not accomplishing anything!
Here we have a situation where Roosevelt Skerrit that corrupted crook contemplate destroying a complete village just because he believe he has the power to do so; meanwhile we the people of Wesley does nothing to stop his barbaric actions.
Not to long ago, I read something on DNO where a group of people, some sort of committee talking; they had some conference-call regarding the propose International Airport.
They seems more eager to disclose how many degrees who has, and what have you!
Nevertheless, of all the Ph. D’s and the profession they boast, not one of these so called geniuses came up with a resolve to the Wesley issue.
Not one of these people suggest taking the matter court to seek an injunction in court against Roosevelt, preventing him from damaging our village.
It takes money to do that; money talks ( baloney BS walks)!
Sorry I could not get them in sequence, part of the comments got lost somehow!
LOl, for someone who says they have a vested interest in Wesley and writes such nonsense it is sad, put your money where your mouth is start a movement to save Westley instead of spewing foolishness, empty barrels make the most noise, happy new year.
Gary, I don’t know how old you are, nor your educational background. But if is one thing I am certain of is that I am far better educated than you are!
I do not understand the fart you spew about me stating I have a vested interest in Wesley!
I am not a master of the English language, because that is not my major; nevertheless, I can debate you in the English language, kicking your Butt, drawing circles around you using the English language and you would not know you getting kicked!
When I started I have a vested interest in Wesley the following is what I mean, by definition, read it learn something you do not know, and just shut up!
Note: I have a personal stake or involvement in an undertaking or state of affairs, especially one with an expectation of financial gain.” in Dominica.
That is not advance upper-level English, it is kindergarten stuff!
And trust me I am not talking about thieving anything from you or anybody in private or government in Dominica.
I…
What exactly is your major? Talking nonsense from morning to midnight, I guess and blowing your own trumpet. I tell you what you are, a Jack of all trades and a master of none!
…copied and pasted directly from the economist. I’m referring to your Note:…
Your surname says it all, double barrel not good enough instead it has to be triple barrel! And then you moan about Skerrit with his double doctors. As said on here before, YOU are FULL of it!!!!
The many called him Tillman; hence the late Hortsey insisted that my name is Tillman, so our Co-coy came out of Africa via slavery. And the Colette I mentioned came from your area, daughter of the late Frederick Telemaque, She was given an awarded recently for promoting the dialect.
On a more serious note, we can only reminisce on the past of our village; those of us born prior to the 1950’s and into the 1970’s, we remember those; the people we met, they were kind; the theory, “it takes a village to train a child” holds true to this day.
I got whipped by people who were not related to me!
Times has change somewhat, but there are still remnants of the kind ones; depending on the way in which we were brought up. The future in my opinion seems gloomy, Whereas one man seeks to destroy our village under the pretense of progress is not comforting for me, or any one in Wesley at all. Reminiscing on the past is good, nevertheless, if we ponder on the past, and do nothing to protec
Your performances on her do NOT say much about your upbringing. You are a poser and a notorious know-it-all. Googling everything and cut and pasting it doesn’t make you a wise man, a medical doctor, a business man, a politician or an economist…
When you say, “The future in my opinion seems gloomy,” How do you arrive at such opinion, wow, it this what you’re predicting for your fellowmen. I have told you before your mind is so messed up, and yes keep reminiscing on the past, what has it done for you.
“Cocoy language reigned. If you nor me no how fuu taak Cocoy,”
Now you touched on that; if my cousin Colette is reading she will realize I knew what I was talking about when I told her “Cocoy” is unique to Wesley, and not totally Dominica in general; CoCoy is as French Creole (Patios) to the rest of Dominica.
We must not forget by some means or the other we inherited that from our African ancestors; I can swear to that as my name is not Tillman. You may remember old Mr. Hortsey Andrews; he tried to convince me that my name was not actually “Telemaque.” It turns out it took me more than twenty-five years reaching my name until I found that my ancestors derive from Senegal in West Africa; out of the Wallop tribe. Now this ancestor of mine was a professional who turned sugar cane juice into sugar, hence, the slaves who spoke better broken English “Cocoy” called him the till-man; meaning “the distilled-man:
Will continue:
“CoCoy is as French Creole (Patios) to the rest of Dominica” Telemaque, if what you said above was true, how come you are always boasting about not understanding or speaking Patios, as if it was a language that only rogues and vagabonds speak?
Well I have seen your writing in that “cocoy” dialect which you are boasting about; I think it a foolish dialect, because I do not understand one word of it–I have never heard or read anyone in Dominica speaking or writing that dialect except you.
And yet Patios, which is the true French dialect is all over Dominica, I can even read some writings of French because I can speak and understand Patois
Some French vocabulary are the same as the broken dialect itself; so it is easy for Dominicans to learn to speak French.
Now get your facts straight, you Cocoy dialect has nothing to do with Dominica’s broken French dialect; it is not a language.
Maybe you don’t quite understand what I intended to convey.
I cannot communicate in Creol Patios, which is a combination of broken French, and a mixture of English, some broken English!
Whereas Cocoy is actually broken English, that went beyond broken English. Actually, it is broken English at a lower form of broken English.
It is the worst of the worst broken English!
Why take it upon yourself to preoccupy your time as it regards the past, present and future for the people of Wesley, lol, are you divinely appointed to do so, lol. The past of Wesley you are reminiscing about is a story, it is not happening.
The Government of Dominica is not engaging in ethnic cleansing, the Government is not confiscating property without compensation. What is it about change you are scared about. The situation facing the people of Wesley is their unwillingness to sacrifice something today for the future generation of which their words of thanks might never be heard.
Shut up Gary; you don’t even know who you talking to; the man is from Wesley, and he is far better educated than you are!
He have every right to be concerned with what is happening in Wesley, like me and everyone born in Wesley have a vested interest in our village!
Shut up, you don’t know anything, you don’t know what you talking about eh!
His reminiscence on the past struct a solid note with me; the bay’s (sea places) he mentioned brought back memories okay!
It is a damn shame that Roosevelt Skerrit is poised to destroy our village; but take it from me, if Roosevelt continue on his path of destruction and screw up Wesley, that will be the last damage he will cause in the country.
Soon after the devil will take him out, the day they move an ounce of earth, Roosevelt Skerrit can start the count down on the time he has left on this planet!
Figure that out!
The longer the article the more confused it gets. We are talking about profit and lose. What is lost cannot be regained. We have lost a village. A bird in thy hands is worth two in the bush. At present we are dealing with an invisible weapon that is out of control called Mr. Covid and now, 30 pieces of silver come into play. Where are we heading for. We have lose a willage.
Well said Sir. This article is not only about Wesley. The same can be said of Grandbay, St. Joseph, Portsmouth and other villages around our island where agriculture and industry have diminished thus sapping community life of vitality. Our communities are dying all over the island where civic leadership and unselfish dedication to the common good is on the wane. I trust that your excellent article shall spark positive action – particularly by our youth to study, organize and commit themselves to community development. The young people of Dominica have a rendezvous with destiny; this is there time to rise and do noble duty. We can assist. But that work must rest on the shoulders of the young. Let it be never be said that they shirked there duty.
I have been saying for years that the Skerrit regime with its failed policies and corruption is ruining our beautiful island slowly but surely. We can’t allow this to continue.
What is well said about this commentary, someone trying to make a reality by preoccupying his time with illusions, lol. Look at Wesley right now, what percentage of the GDP the people of Wesley is contributing as it regards to agricultural production. What will be the contribution of The International Airport to the GDP of the Country when such project is completed. It is a ludicrous perception to suggest that what is happening in Wesley is a reflection around the Country where agriculture and industry have diminished sapping community life of vitality. Political rhetoric and sound bites seem to take precedence over truth. Why do you think it is only young people of Dominica who have a rendezvous with destiny, lol, stop the pandering, why not all Dominicans, as to noble duty, it should not be just a buzz word, said today and forgotten tomorrow. Who decides what is a noble cause for the individual, Politicians and Political operatives.