She performs all her daily activities all by herself, she visits friends and relatives, goes to church, reads and writes very well and has very good memory.
She does not suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure but believe it or not, Elizabeth Auguiste, of the Kalinago Territory, is 100 years old.
Affectionately known as “Ma Willy”, “Mama” or “Ma Zabet,” she was born on March 21, 1914 in Bataca to Alicia Thomas and Joseph Auguiste, the second of three children.
All together she had four brothers and six sisters.
In 1935 she gave birth to her first daughter, Rita. In September 1943, at the age of 29, she married to Willie Auguiste (who has passed on). The relationship bore 12 children with seven being alive today. The family was supported through farming and the works of her husband, who was a tailor.
Ma Willy’s diet growing up included farine, cassava bread, kankey, porridge especially tannia and toloma porridge, cane juice, crayfish, shaloop, vio, cacao tea with coconut milk and cane juice as the sweetener.
Ground provision was also widely used, she said.
When cooking, coconut milk was used and she claimed to have cooked cabbage, papaya, crabs and crayfish in it.
Other foods include zebame, zowey millat, shapion (a type of mushroom), dasheen leaves and peas, especially pigeon peas.
Ma Willie, who now resides in Crayfish River, said back in the days there were no onions or high salted seasoning, so chive and shallot were widely used along with coarse salt.
Although Ma Willy suffers from glaucoma, which is being treated, her age has not slowed her down.
She is very active in the preparation and production of manioc, she still prepares castor and coconut oil and a wide variety of herbal medicines.
In 2013 she was awarded by the Ministry of Carib Affairs and the Kalinago Council for agro processing.
She now has 19 grand children, 41 great grand children and 13 great great grand children.
A special ceremony to honor Ma Willy will be held on Friday in the Kalinago Territory.
very happy bday to you mother
Happy birthday Ma Willy. I wish you good health and God `s blessings.
Congratulations to you now that you are 100 years old.
It is great to see that she can still do daily activities. May God bless you and your family always,
“We could try. Live well, eat well, do not overeat and drink. Try getting ample sleep and rest. Be cheerful and helpful. Avoid anxiety and stress. Appreciate the good that others do for you. Be grateful. Gratitude to people is gratitude to God.”(JT).
In any event, wether someone refrain from all of the above, that will not grantee longevity! If you study all of the food she indulged, you will find they are all high in starch, and sugar, and to extent high cholesterol, combined they are a recipe for hyperglycemia (diabetes) and all sorts of cardiovascular dieses.
I do not know of anything in her diet that causes hypertension (high blood pressure), since medical science have not yet found the cause of high blood pressure. So, it is my opinion that her good health, and longevity could be attributed to genetics
Some people are endowed with such gene!
There are more than one person from my village of Wesley who lived to over a hundred years old, one cousin lived to be a hundred-five years old; my grandmother: my mother’s mother was born on the 1st day of January, 1890, and expired in 1993, at age one hundred-three years old, and mind you all of her faculties were in tacked, she had a sister in Marigot who live for a very long time also, I will not say how old she was, until I can confirm it.
As for smoking, from the time I came to sense I discovered my grandmother smoked a pipe, she eat all of the foods mentioned that Elizabeth eat, there are not many older people in Dominica who have not maintained the same diet, and have not died due to such diet, in my grandmother’s case, I also believe it to be an inherited gene of longevity
Some people live past a hundred, never, got ill, never visited with a doctor one day into heir life, until one day or night, they simply fall asleep and die in their sleep!
The trouble is many of us avoid certain foods, smoking, and drinking of alcohol, yet we get sick like hell, yours truly can testify about that, I struggle everyday with diabetes and some of the complications, okay, but the kid is a fighter, and I am going on to my hundred plus!
Ah, stop drinking be bad rum, but ah think, ah going start back again.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaqie
To mama , ma willy,
Congratulations to you , you are a real example of Good Health , Healthy foods , nothing is mention of red meat I noticed . Have a Happy celebration , I know you like to feed your mouth , so eat, drink and dance on the day of your celebrations . May God continue to Bless You with many , many ,more years ,another century . You are so strong , no illness , so You can make it .
Love from all of us here in Anguilla, Petica , Shanelle ,Shantel , Shanon , Lisa and Mickel . BLESSINGS MY DEAR.
happy birthday may willy wonderful story,may god continue to bless you.
Hello!!! Its the water!!!
Ah Mama!God bless you.
Great life. God bless you mama.
Ma Willy looks like she is in her fleur zeb now.
I must come to check you out.
Gabriel who passed away and your husband were good parls.
I know you. It’s about 35 years ago I have seen you and you still look the same!
HAPPY BIRTH DAY TO YOU!
This is good news which makes me happy to read and to send my best wishes from afar.
A Happy 100 years, Centenary to you Ma Willy. Wow! You have done well in life to live to this ripe age. God has shown his light on you. I took note of what you ate from since those days which kept you healthy. There are not too many people as you who would be as still active. In God’s eyes, you must have done something good.
I wish you an enjoyable birthday celebration with your numerous family members and friends. They have reason to be happy for you, to rejoice with you and to celebrate your 100th birthday.
Ma Willy, God bless you with as many more years he wishes to grant you. I hope the glaucoma could be arrested that you may continue to live an active life.
I hope you consider writing a book with the help of your family. Yours is one which should be written and spread, sold throughout the world. Your life’s example is one to emulate. Are you listening especially Dominica’s youth?
Ma Willy’s longevity and story are well-worth passing on.
Thanks DNO for sharing it with all your readers worldwide!
Happy 100th Birthgay Ma Willy. You look like eighty one. Wishing you several more years to come. You look so pleasant, happy and gay. Will visit you when I come to your village. God bless you.
Happy Birthday Ma Willy. God bless you.
Congratulations Ma Willy. My family and I wish you God’s blessings. My Uncle is 91 and we pray that he reaches the 100 not out like you. We wish you many many more birthdays. God bless you & God bless DOMINICA.
A Happy birthday to you Ma willy with many happy returns…God bless – hope you continue to keep in good healthy…
Another momentous occasion, Ma Willy joining Dominica’s centenarian club – long may you live the mother of all mothers, the grand-mother of all grand-mothers, the great-grand mother of all great-grand mothers and the great, great-grand mother of all great, great-grand mothers.
Just around the corner though are my aunties, expecting to join the club – my Dad’s eldest sister 95 (Goodwill) and my Mum’s eldest sister 94 (Soufriere).
She is a walking history book. I bet she can tell people about things that you do not see in history books.
One hundred years is a very long time. It would be an experience to sit with her and let her give her account of those days especially from adulthood.
yeah i’d really like to hear a few jumbie stories. ha! ha! ha!
Indeed a local library walking around!! What an inspiring and experienced brain to pick! I sincerely hope that her children, grand and great grand have been recording her experiences for posterity. My mom was 95 this year and I have been “interviewing” her for the last 25 years. This means that in my possession are 25 CD’s of her life that the entire extended family can share with our individual families.
Congratulations, Ma Willy and it is my most fervent hope that the Most High allows you to be among us for some time longer.
HOTEP.
This is what I call existing in the body with a mind that is great shape: “She performs all her daily activities all by herself, she visits friends and relatives, goes to church, reads and writes very well and has very good memory”.
The mind condition of Elizabeth Auguiste is one that is well disciplined and trained to respond to the things of Life–there is no space for the things of death; that is clear based on the quote above.
If or when Ma Willie passes away in her body it will simply mean that her days of existing in the body has come to an end.
A person like Elizabeth Auguiste will certainly go to her grave to wait for the resurrection o Jesus Christ.
Way to go dear lady!
This is God’s blessings
Happy Birthday Ma Willy, may god continue to strengthen, bless and provide for you. have a wonderful day. I will take a page from your book..
our most valuable treasures big up to her family for keeping her in such a good state she looks really younger than 100 go kalinagoes go
I have heard that West Indians look ten years younger than they are. I will add, especially if they are healthy.
She told him: “People usually decrease their age, not increase it.” We laughed! He thought I was an underaged teenager. 
Today, bus tickets are no longer sold on the buses due to criminal activities. Bet some other West Indians had some similar good jokes to relate. Those were the days my friends. 
To this day I can pass for 10 years younger. 
We have a fair knowledge of how old we are.
It is worth knowing and learning this. 
As an example, when I first came to Canada and obtained my first office job, the manager informed me in private that the accountant asked her if what I stated was my correct age, that I did not give an older age than I am. Funny!
Someone who is older than I am told me that when she took the bus to work, the bus driver sold her “a child’s, student’s bus tickets”. Another good laugh.
Canadians of all like to ask, “What is your age?” Recall that West Indians never discuss their age with any and every body and consider it private. I never inform any unauthorized people how old I am unless we attended school together in D/ca.
If those people ask how old I am, I will ask, “How old do you think I am?” When they reply, always not my real age, I state: laughingly “How did you know?” In this country, we learn to have a sense of humor.
How did this story get to be about you? Just stick to the topic at hand and congratulate the centenarian!!! Tonneh man -“all you” like to take a story way beyond its limits.
A wonderful story. Full of food for thought. Truly inspiring.
Congratulations, Ma Willy!
What a wonderful story. Happy birthday, ma’am.
BON LAVIE MA WILLY.
Congratulations Grand Aunty, I wish you many more years to come….
I visualize you wish you could be present to celebrate her birthday but will be present in spirit. How fortunate you are to have a relative her age. Amazing isn’t it that she is as alert as she is. She is a fortunate lady.
Happy Birthday Ma Willy! She is very beautiful!
Congratulations Ma Willy; wishing you good health for many more years to come
Sending Birthday greeting to Ma Willy. God blessing , the Lord has bless you with Long life and strength. and a large family. hope that you live to see many more.
Catherine
Beautiful and inspiring …
Happy bday,many more blessing,please teach the younger ones abit of our history.
Excellent diet lots of fresh foods and vegetables.
I admire you Ma Willy. I wish you God’s blessings and I hope you live to see many many more years.
To Her children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, I say appreciate her cause when she is gone you will have alot of memories to hold on to.
WOW!!!
Wishing Ma Willy many, many more years ahead !!!
Blessings to you mam and family! Thanks for sharing your story. We should all emulate your eating habits. We have been faced with such a high increase of diseases, which are often triggered by diet, some of these chronic diseases were almost non existent in the past. Your testimony is proof that some changes can be to the detriment of a society. Wishing you all the care, comfort and love that you deserve!
The point to be conscious of our diet is valid. However, we ought to remember that life is a gift from God. There are many who have eaten the very same diet and they are no longer us. Congratulations to Ma Willy. May The Lord continue to keep you in good health till He calls you home.
You are correct. It makes us wonder. The Lord has the answer.
A dear friend of mine in D/ca, her mother turned 106 this month. She cannot see but she is relatively healthy. I recall this lady was always a hardworking person and a congenial one.
I also have longevity in my family. However, this does not mean much in that, some will die young and others older. Only God knows why. I suppose everyone was not meant to live a ripe old age.
Well lived life.
so encouraging. Conratulation Ma willy and i do hope that you live to see many more.. Her diet is so natural and so this has encourage long life.. lets take a page from her book
We could try. Live well, eat well, do not overeat and drink. Try getting ample sleep and rest. Be cheerful and helpful. Avoid anxiety and stress. Appreciate the good that others do for you. Be grateful. Gratitude to people is gratitude to God.
Take your breakfast as also with fiber. You should know what breakfast consists of. Drink a few glasses of water per day including orange/fruit juice, citrus and milk. No pop. Avoid eating too much fast foods and fatty ones. Less beef and more chicken and fish. As I also read, liver is also nutritious. All in all, we must have an adequate amount weekly. We are also told we should eat on time. I will add, if possible.
In this era, we have a tendency to miss those important meals, be it one and not take proper care of our health.
Ma Willy probably did not miss a meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We should all learn from her living and eating habits.
Whatever you do, do it in moderation. These are my principles. Above all, give God due praise, homage and thanks as Ma Willy is doing. What an excellent example to fellow Dominicans, near and far.
Wow! I would love to pick this lady’s brain. I bet she could tell me a lot about that side of my family (whom I’ve never met) because I left Dominica as a small child.