Off the tourist track, near a lazy market where stallholders slept by their vegetables, Rastafarian men and women swigged from bottles and danced to music blaring from beer huts. Cultural tourism offers ways to heal culture and tourist, I thought. I was just about to join in when shouts rose above the music. Local black men screamed at four white tourists, who quickly left. Race relations don’t seem ideal, but I can’t feel anything too bad. I’ll try to help.
I walked toward the tallest man, who still looked angry. ‘How can I help YOU?’ he said menacingly.
‘You can help me,’ I replied calmly, ‘Find love in people’s hearts.’
He paused, surprised. ‘And why should I do THAT?’
I can feel less menace in his voice. ‘Because I’m a priest,’ I said. This island is 90% religious. ‘Great to meet you!’ I felt his aggressive energy recede. I’ve got through.
He stared, then laughed. ‘You’re one of us man. I’m Soloman. Have a beer.’
I swigged from a bottle and shuffled Caribbean dance-style. A young lady in a Rasta hat danced over, and thrust her good-sized butt into me. ‘It’s good,’ Soloman laughed. ‘Ladies love doing that here.’
Fun and photos later, we hugged goodbye. ‘I’ll see you when the ship returns in three weeks,’ I said as I left inter-racial love and harmony temporarily behind.
I walked toward the tallest man, who still looked angry. ‘How can I help YOU?’ he said menacingly.
‘You can help me,’ I replied calmly, ‘Find love in people’s hearts.’
He paused, surprised. ‘And why should I do THAT?’
I can feel less menace in his voice. ‘Because I’m a priest,’ I said. This island is 90% religious. ‘Great to meet you!’ I felt his aggressive energy recede. I’ve got through.
He stared, then laughed. ‘You’re one of us man. I’m Soloman. Have a beer.’
I swigged from a bottle and shuffled Caribbean dance-style. A young lady in a Rasta hat danced over, and thrust her good-sized butt into me. ‘It’s good,’ Soloman laughed. ‘Ladies love doing that here.’
Fun and photos later, we hugged goodbye. ‘I’ll see you when the ship returns in three weeks,’ I said as I left inter-racial love and harmony temporarily behind.
RSS Feed
