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'Coolie
Mother' tackling socio-economic ills
Beryl
Clarke, Contributor
There
are 20 poems on our syllabus. We need
to discuss them, one at a time, at
regular intervals, to ensure that
all of them are covered. This is why
today we will take a break from The
Chrysalids to spend some time examining
David Dabydeen's 'Coolie Mother'.
I
am sorry that I cannot see your reaction
to the title of the poem, for the
word 'coolie' has often been viewed
in a negative light. When we consider
the fact, however, that the poet is
an Indo-Guyanese one, we have to pause
to find reasons for this choice. He
could have said 'Indian Mother' but
that may not have been accurate. Why
then didn't he say 'Indo-Guyanese
Mother'? He must have had a good reason
or reasons.
A
lower-class, poor woman
Have
you come up with any yet? Think, think!
It is possible that Dabydeen chose
this title to show how Jasmattie is
viewed by others in her society, as
an ordinary, lower-class, poor woman.
We can also conclude that this title
points to the racial division between
Afro-Guyanese and the Indo-Guyanese,
in that, people of African descent
may have referred to people of Indian
descent as 'coolies'. We can surmise,
too, even before we read the poem,
that it has something to do with a
child or children, but we have to
delve into it to know what it says
about their relationship.
'Coolie
Mother' is written in creole and tells
the story of a mother who, while facing
intense economic and social pressures,
has great hopes for her son. Does
she remind you of anyone you know?
Jamaican mothers used to be known,
and many still are, for their willingness
to make sacrifices for their children,
so that they can be successful. Here
we learn of a Guyanese who has the
same attitude. The speaker outlines
how a poor, hard-working woman has
made up her mind that no matter what
it takes, or what it costs, her son
is going to get an education.
Mental
strength
In
fact, her dream is for him to attend
university in England to read for
a law degree. Her strength, mental
that is, is revealed when we learn
that she cannot count on his father
for any support, as he drinks up whatever
money he has.
Finally,
before we look at the poem, let me
ask you this question. What do you
know about Guyana that is important
in this context? You are aware, no
doubt, that the population is made
up of people of African and East-Indian
origin. Like Jamaica, Guyana, then
British Guiana, was a colony of England
where, after slavery, East Indians
were brought as indentured labourers.
They were taken to the Caribbean to
work on sugar estates. East Indians
were sometimes called 'coolies', a
word which, for some, was meant to
belittle and show contempt. As a Guyanese,
Dabydeen has an intimate knowledge
of his country and of the social conditions
under which Guyanese of both races
exist.
'Coolie
Mother'
Jasmattie
live in bruk-down hut big like Bata
shoe-box,
Beat
clothes, weed yard, chop wood, feed
fowl
For
this body and that body and every
blasted body
Fetch
water, all day water like if the
Whole
slow-flowing Canje river God create
Just
for she one bucket.
Till
she foot bottom crack and she hand
cut-up
And,
curse swarm from she mouth like red-ants
And
she cough blood on the ground but
mash it in:
Because
Jasmattie heart hard, she mind set
hard.
To
hustle save she one-one penny,
Because
one-one dutty make dam cross the Canje
And,
she son Harrilal got to go school
in Georgetown'
Must
wear clean starch pants, or they go
laugh at he,
Strap
leather on he foot, and he must read
book,
Learn
talk proper, take exam, go to England
university,
Not
turn out like he rum-sucker chamar
dadee.
Questions
Please
read the poem now and answer the following
questions. You see, because we cannot
meet to discuss the work, I have to
give you things to do that will make
you think and, thereby, increase your
understanding of the work at hand.
- Who
is Jasmattie?
- Is
it true to say that she lived in
luxurious circumstances? Give reasons
for your answers.
- Why
do you think that the poet describes
Jasmattie's work, her cursing and
her health?
- Read
the poem again and put all four
verses in your own words - paying
special attention to:
'hut
big like Bata shoe-box'
'For
this body and that body and every
blasted body,'
'curse
swarm from she mouth like red-ants'
'...
she cough blood on the ground but
she mash it in:'
'Because
one-one dutty make dam cross the Canje'
Lines
15 to the end.
You
cannot read this piece of Caribbean
literature and remain unmoved. It
is similar to reading a history lesson.
Take time to work on it and get all
you can from it. Be as persistent
as Jasmattie. Be good to yourselves
and God bless!
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Lanceford
Grant (right), English language
and literature teacher at St
Thomas Technical High School,
collects the National Technical
High School Teacher of the Year
trophy from Henry Gray, manager,
Educational Technology Management
Unit, HEART Trust/NTA, at a
function held at the Runaway
Bay Heart Academy in St Ann
recently.
- JIS Photo
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Beryl
Clarke teaches at Glenmuir High School.
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