The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston

As Old as Time

What are your fondest memories of Kingston or the city you live in?
 Mine are all from Christmas, the decorated stores, the lights strung up in the plazas each competing with their version of the nativity seen or Christmas tree with gifts underneath.  The streets lined with vendors trying to make the last sale before they have to pack up.  The smell of melting cotton candy, roasted peanut, jerk chicken and exploded fire crackers.
How about the smell of fruits soaking in wine, freshly baked Christmas cakes soaked in rum and the sorrel-ginger wine.  I remember the smell of newness; fresh curtains hung at the windows, a new coat of paint or white wash on the wall. Christmas carols playing over the radio or television as early as November, children getting excited for the new toy they will get, the new Susie Dolly or G-I Joe.

But what about those changes over time, have you noticed the changes that are happening in our city over the years? Have those changes eroded your fond memories? Or have you made new ones?

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston

Work Hard and Play Harder

For a country that has a national debt crisis we surely can party!  Hot Mondays, Bembe Thursday, Weddi Weddi, Dutty Fridays, Wata Party (never mind the water shortage in many rural areas and water restrictions for many of us in the St.Andrew area).  Jamaicans always find the time and resources to enjoy themselves, never mind the cost of it all.  But I will agree that the Jamaican dancehall is a lucrative business and many of our nations children are feed and schooled from earnings in the dancehall. Lets look at the ways people earn through the dancehall.

• The artist who designs the flyers & teasers
• The girl who pose for the photo to go on the flyer (Clears throat)
• The peanut, wrigleys, lighter seller
• The beverage company (truck driver, loader)
• The seller of all things "herbal"
• The store owner who sell the bling bling outfit
• The hairdresser & barber
• The taxi drivers
• The DJ
• The entertainer
• The promotor
• The owner of the venue
• The jerk chicken, soup with roast corn man
• The security 

Me leave out any body? If I did fill it in for me.
      

If we are to explore the various avenues of the dancehall, we have to mension the music, fashion, dance moves and the players of the dancehall.  Kingston is never without entertainment on any given night.  There are many websites dedicated to providing the city dweller with information about the next party and our local newspapers are not to be out done.  Living in the city we work hard and play harder.

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston

David vs Goliath
Who are the movers and shakers of your city?
I'm yet to figure out who is the Goliath of Kingston and who is David.  As we go about our everyday lives do we consider our position on the ladder? I often wonder if my contribution to the city's life is felt by others.  Like a pebble thrown into a body of water, do I make a ripple or does my stone simply sink to the bottom and the water remains still?

Here in the twenty-first century it is quite customary for the under-dogs of society to be the Davids and triumph over the Goliaths.  But there are those among us who prefer to be Goliath and reign with terror and strength. Making all others around them fear but there is always a revolution a foot.
Bob Marley "Small Axe"

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston

The Light Within
I can only imagine how some people function in their environment. What are the things that motivate them and give them the push they need to go on.  Quite recently, I have come to make a self assessment in this regard and I will admit that it took me a while to pin point the light within.  It's not that the light was out its really just that there were other things casting a shadow over it.  My will to fight and survive is quite similar to others but my little light flickers differently.

On a daily basis I observe people and wonder if their light is burning and if so do they realise that there is a burning desire inside them.  When do we feel like we have had our moment in time?

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston

Damian Marley - Set Up Shop [Official Video]
Survival is a must

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston

(Damian Jr  Gong Marley - Welcome To Jamrock(Uncensored))
Unfortunately many people believe this is the reality of the entire island.  This is the reality for many but not for all.

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston.

Hustlers or Survival Enthusiasts?

Since the "recession" when money became scarce and people were told to brace themselves or tighten their belts I have noticed that the number of vendors in the market place have tripled; it may be more.  People have resorted to supplementing their income (those who have a steady income) by becoming merchants either from the back of their motor vehicle or via Facebook.  I cant count how many of my contacts have created a page dedicated to their side job of make up artistry, clothes, jewellery and shoe sale. But what has forced us to become overnight entrepreneurs? 

Downtown Kingston

What have you been doing for survival?
People who I've spoken to say they have resorted to some drastic measures to make the dollar stretch.  Strategies like,
not turning on lights until the last moment when the sun goes down, unplugging all appliances, changing to energy saving light bulbs, re-using water used to wash dishes or the car to water lawns. While these strategies will reduce energy consumption and promote a "go-green" lifestyle, the utility bills are still high.  The simple fact is the dollar just wont stretch therefore the need to supplement the household income.

We all have our means of survival including those that do not have a steady income, for a moment if it has not yet happened to you, imagine yourself without a job and the bills are piling up and you and your family have to eat.  What would you do to survive from day to day? The street vendor or young man at the stop light wiping wind shields have this reality daily.  They have to do what they can to survive; unfortunately sometimes this exacts in illegal activities but what are their alternatives.

Living in the city requires a certain stealth and cunning in order to survive, many of us seem to be getting by while others are serious experts. Where do you fit in?

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston.

Masquerade

What defines you as a city dweller? Is it where you live or where you work?
Is it how you look or the clothes you wear?
What are those markers that gives you your identity?
I would like to believe that we all have marks of identity that are sub-terrain, something deep inside us that is the very essence of our being. Something that is like no other.  On the surface we all look similar despite our attempts to remain "individuals".  Just look at how we dress; ladies we buy the same skirt or blouse style displayed by the designers on runways. Gentlemen, you all gravitate to  the same code of dress with vivid colours and tight jeans yet you are an individual.  At what point do we stop being individuals and become a collective body.

What about the mask we all wear daily?  Are we aware that we are masked?
What are we hiding from the public?
There are those of us who are masked to deceive others but a few of us mask our selves as a defence mechanism.  Like the ladies you see walking in the city with a stern look on their faces; are they really delicate and emotionally driven?  Then there are the men who present themselves as stallions; uttering all manner of garbage to women in order to woo her.  God knows I have been called a slew of names "my size..., sexy mama (this one while I was pregnant), champion (my favourite)" those are the ones that are fit for public display. Could it be that these men have confidence issues? Ladies the next time a man asks for your attention in a peculiar way, give him a few seconds of your time and see if he can keep up the conversation; have fun with it.

We all parade in the city in our many costumes and masks, performing the dance of city life.  This masquerade is most entertaining if you stop to observe it, but it is always refreshing when you remove all the make-up and expose our essence, that little something inside us that makes us who we are; that makes you and individual.

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of Kingston.

DO NOT READ THE BOOKS! (1713 OR 2013)

There's an old adage that basically says if you cant beat them join them and I think those slaves that were put in charge of others out in the field decided to stop fighting and joined the colonialists.  Heavy thoughts, I know but here is the story.  Woke up Sunday morning with swollen tonsils, they were so bad I could hardly speak so we decided to get some medication at a well known pharmacy in Half-Way-Tree. Purchased our items and on walking out a picture from the magazine rack grabbed my attention.  My curiosity was peaked because I noticed that the magazine was tailored for expectant mothers and new parents and as is our case we have a bright one year old D'Mitri who keeps us on our toes. I picked up the magazine and noticed that on the cover was one of Jamaica's popular female singers who recently had a baby.  I decided to flip through just glancing at the pictures and made a few comments about them to my husband. The light over head dimmed as though rain clouds had blown in and hid the sun. I angled the page so that I could see the images, at that point a voice from over my shoulder bellowed, "Miss you cant read the books". So I replied, "Yes I can read the book, I have been reading since I was four years old."  The voice again "There is a sign that says you cant read the books." I paused, looked at Shaun, spun around and saw a tall, slender young man. At first glance I thought that he was deprived of cornmeal porridge as a child and therefore he had very little meat on his bones.  His timid eyes behind his square framed spectacles darted between Shaun and I as I imagined Shaun was starring him down as well.

"I don't see a sign that says so."

"There's one on the top of the stand here that says so" his arm mildly lifted towards the ceiling and my eyes followed.

"The sign is above eye level, I would not have seen that" I whipped back. 

"Well it is there" he said. "Indeed" I said. This frail security had stirred up anger within me "It is 2013" I said "Why am I being told that I should not read something that is in public view?" By this my throat was so inflamed I retreated to the exit but realised that Shaun was not in tote. I spun around to see him fixed by the book stand engaged in a stare-down with the security.  The fellow in his discomfort managed to pull off an about turn and slid away. Seeing Shaun in protest I decided I was going to let my voice be heard; swollen tonsils and all.  I began to rant about racial inequality, education being accessible to all, reading as a fundamental skill, freedom of speech and a whole bunch of other things that eventually got the attention of others. By the time we left the pharmacy we had issued lessons in history, English grammar, aesthetics and common sense.

The security guard was probably not expecting the conversation to go in that direction but lesson learned.  To be honest I don't blame him because he could not beat them so he joined them.  He was only a pawn in the game of "store policy" chess; it was his job to watch over the store and he was sent to tell us to put down the magazines.  There are many establishments in the city that have various store policies scribbled and hung haphazardly in the stores.  These generally give the establishment a cheapened look and personally it turns me off from spending money in the store.  What is more menacing is the worker who has to interact with the customer and try to explain why they cant pick up a magazine and flip through the pages. During my rant I asked what do they consider to be reading? Because me flipping the pages and looking at the pictures could be reading but in MANAGEMENT's eyes I had sat down with a warm cup of something, cleaned and adjusted my spectacles and was ready to dive into a best seller.  As part of our protest we read all the head lines from the magazines, pointing out that we were now reading. For this there was no response, instead we received questionable stares.  Those who know us, know that we could careless what you think of us as we are both dramatists; criticism is our fuel.  I must be fair and admit that I understand that the store has to ensure that the merchandise is kept in good condition for those who will purchase it and therefore they want to minimise the handling of the magazines but its down right ridiculous to tell someone DO NOT READ.

Our country already has issues with literacy and numeracy, what message are we sending when put up signs that begin with DO NOT READ? It is no secret that the owners of slaves did not want them to be literate therefore it was illegal for a slave to learn to read or have a book in his possession.  The security guard had provided for me a trip to 1713 and I never want to go back. I will read everything I see for as long as I can see and you best believe my son will do the same. 

The City as a Market Place: A Panoramic View of the city of Kingston

Survival of the Alpha Male

So ladies, how many of you feel that there is significant change in the way our men look? 

Travelling through Kingston on any given morning, affords you the opportunity to ogle at the specimen of males and you cast judgement without hesitation.  Admittedly I do it too but I have come to realise that a revolution is on the horizon as many of our males are appearing more feminine.  I use the word "feminine" based on my cultural background and up bringing. Yes, I'm being subjective but he who is innocent cast the first stone. Please note that the males I am describing are those seemingly of the heterosexual nature who are our bank tellers, office clerks, customer service reps among others.

A younger generation will debate that these changes are styles and argue that I am behind time. Really?

Lets take a closer look at these changes from head to toe:

• The haircut: sometimes looks like they paid half price or not at all (for those of the Caucasian ethnicity)
• The well arched eyebrows: sometimes shaved to non existence, the only thing missing is the make up highlight.
• The t-shirt or buttoned down shirt: more like baby-t, often two sizes too small and the colours influence raised eyebrows. I asked one guy who works in my office why he altered his shirts and he replied, "So they'll fit his curves." Yea!
• The trousers: Really? skinny jeans and capris with the lurking multi-coloured under wear.
• The shoes: I love shoes like most women, but what sets me apart  from the rest is my appreciation for a well made, great looking men's shoe. I have no interest in wearing it, but I enjoy seeing men in a great pair. However, people buys shoes for various reasons; special occasions, fetish, work, price, etc.  So I wont be too harsh about the shoe.

Now I'm going through all of this to highlight the notion that these men who get dressed in the morning and step out, carefully selected their outfits to impress (not sure who) but hopefully for their sake someone is.  I believe that these are the men who ladies are attracted to and the men do boast about their many conquests.

The average Jamaican man likes to consider himself an alpha male in his pack and the streets of Kingston is his territory.  However, it is most frightening when these supposed alpha males mask themselves behind styles that suggest otherwise. The male body when illustrated is rigid with majority straight lines, the female body is displayed with more curves with soft  features. Be truthful ladies does it not seem like the lines are blurred when it comes to the two genders?

 I will refrain from debating on those females who go out of their way to look masculine; that's for another time.

Is there a psychological issue embedded in this phenomenon? I wonder if because the female is more appreciated and sought after because of her physical features, our men are drawn to a less rigid look in order  to feel appreciated and attractive?

I leave you all to decide.

"The City as a Market Place", a panoramic view of the city of Kingston and St. Andrew.

Journal Entry One

  I often walk the streets of Kingston with a clear idea of where I'm going and what I am going to do.  Most times its to run an errand or two, grab lunch, get a manicure or pedicure, buy groceries or just traversing through the city on my way to other parishes.  Truth is I live in the heart of it all.  When I'm asked where do I live; its easier to say Half-Way-Tree (HWT)  than to say Eastwood Park Gardens, because then I would have to explain where that is and the many ways which one can enter the community.  Similarly, one can enter HWT from various directions all of which take you into the heart, right by the clock.  But I will get back to that later.

I will admit that while I'm in the city I am captivated by the colourful nature of Jamaicans.  The city is my television, internet, magazine and any other source there is there to gather information and inspiration.  I am amused, bewildered, intoxicated, disappointed and angered all in one day by the city's life.  I tell people all the time that I do not need cable or television as the city offers a bellyful of laugh.  One such source is the drove of drivers on our roads.

Many Jamaicans can comment on the transport system and its administrators to a point of  no return and all will chime in on the hoggish drivers on our streets.  But before I get there, lets set the stage.  We have a vast number of road ways going in and out of the city all of which play a major role in commerce and the country's production rate.  These roads act as information free ways, delivery and bus routes, while functioning as a path of freedom or adventure filled with obstacles and booby traps much like those in an Indiana Jones movie.  The average city dweller has a mapped route that will take them from home to school/work in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of traffic (or so we think); so too those who travel in and out of the city.  However, the possibility of arriving late is always lurking in the just before the shadow; especially if one particular driver decides that he will change his route.

Had I been a gambler I would be a billionaire for every time I saw a taxi driver stop in the middle of the flowing traffic for a passenger to get off, or suddenly turn into or out of traffic without signalling.  I could put on my pot (as my granny would say) every time the traffic slowed down, that there was a police officer at the traffic sign directing traffic.  Because of fear of being ticketed most Jamaican drivers crawl below the speed limit to a point of stop upon seeing a police car or officer.  Which leaves one to question if that is not illegal?

Then there is the matter of if your car is road worthy?  Question is, are our roads car worthy?

Yearly Jamaicans pay insurance, license and registration fees in order to ensure that they comply with the country's laws and provide the government with resources to maintain these roadways. But who ensures that they are maintaining the road. What if we were to audit the administrators who were responsible for maintaining the road ways?  Could we charge them or impound their vehicles if they were not complying; more like since they are not complying can we charge them?

The state of our roadways leaves a lot to be required and may possibly be the reasoning behind our drivers' hoggish behaviour, it is also a factor to consider when the government is looking to improve GDP or make  changes that will sharpen our image in the eyes of the beholder (World Bank & IMF).