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Stuff West Indian People Like, Vol. 1
No snow here.
Disclaimer: I was getting berated chatting with Slim a while back about ideas for our return and it dawned on me that I could easily do a post about Stuff West Indian People Like. The legal department suggested I double check Al Gore’s internet to make sure that there wasn’t already something like this out there floating around. Well I checked, and there is, and man was it a floater. But since my good is better than most people’s best, I decided to do it anyway, cuz I run tings, tings nuh run me!
Fete
Maybe it’s because I’m West Indian, but I’ve never met a group of people that love to party more than West Indians. That’s not to say that other races/ethnicities don’t like to party, but West Indian people use any and every reason to throw a party. Birthdays, anniversaries/wedding celebrations, and holidays are just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve been to parties for something as simple as someone receiving a promotion. This goes beyond just meeting for drinks…apparently a $5.00 p/hr raise and a new title calls for a plethora of aluminum pans full of food, a bottomless cooler of Guinness, and a friend of a friend that’s a DJ setting up his equipment in the backyard and pounding soca and/or reggae til the cops come…at which time they will be offered some food and invited to stay. Ironically enough, the time for the biggest fete is when someone in your family passes away. You can count on friends and family stopping by the house every night leading up to the funeral, and a bash after the funeral that would make Diddy’s birthday party look like a gathering at Chuck E. Cheese.
Dominos
If playing dominos was an Olympic sport, you can take it to the bank that some island nation in the Caribbean would win every four years. (I already feel the disagreement from non-West Indian domino players.) My dad actually stopped talking to me for two weeks when I was nine because I didn’t “read the board” correctly. Once again, not saying that non West Indian folk don’t or can’t play dominos, but island people take their dominos very seriously. So imagine my surprise freshman year of college when the game of choice during gatherings was spades. When I asked about dominos, I got a “not so much” response. Luckily, I met a Trini fella from BK that knew where I was coming from. Everyone should have a friend from Brooklyn. (Well, just Flatbush actually.)
Being “Fast”
I don’t mean Usain Bolt fast or horny teenager fast. When a West Indian says “you too fast” that simply means you too nosy. Not every West Indian you meet will fall in the fast category, but the ones that do seem to have a pretty firm grasp on knowing other people’s business. There is usually a group of about 4-5 people in a West Indian family that knows everyone else in the family’s business, as well other bits of information about random people that they’ve managed to gather. Quite frankly, it’s an amazing phenomenon to witness. After one 20 minute convo with my aunt, my father is fully informed on all the happenings in the family. Perhaps the CIA and the FBI should consider making a West Indian the head of their agency. We’d know every we need to know about the Taliban by April.
Work
You know the Jamaican dude that works on the floor above you that kinda looks like that personal trainer from your gym? Guess what….same guy. Having two jobs is not unique to West Indian culture, but please believe the majority of the West Indians you know have more than one hustle to bring in that paper. Show me an unemployed West Indian and I’ll show you a man that feels he has lost his self worth because he can’t “find a wuk”. You know that document you need notarized? Find the Jamaican guy, he’s a notary public too. True story.
Of course, there are more than 4 things that West Indian folks like, but this is only Vol. 1 so I’ll be back from time to time to help expose you Yankees to your neighbors in the sea. So if you are West Indian or lucky enough to be friends with one or a few, share some of your experiences, because I know you’re familiar. If you don’t have a West Indian friend, make one. Best.move.ever.
Limin’ hard,
The Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, Late for Work
***Please keep the victims of the catastrophe in Haiti in your thoughts and prayers. Call your local Red Cross to find out how you can help***
46 Responses to “Stuff West Indian People Like, Vol. 1”
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LOL! Thanks for this! It made me smile very hard first thing this morning & I even shared it with my mom. I have to say one thing that you left off is sea bathing…Every ailment on earth can be healed by a dip in the sea. Not swimming, or suntanning, just bathing in the sea. Another is cooking…all the women in my family have unspoken battles over the best fish cakes & bakes, or peas & rice, or cou cou, etc. not by challenging each other just by making sure they all bring their versions to any event and see which is the most popular. & lastly I would have to say RUM, RUM, RUM…it goes with everything & nothing all at the same time & is also a universal healer.
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Seattle Washington Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
The bottle of Wrey & Nephews that sat on the bar in my Grandma’s house often doubled as a substitute predecessor for Vicks Vapor Rub. My congestion cleared up right away and my family got to drink after it got brought out.
I’m also pretty sure they placed it on my gums when I was teething. That’s the only real way to get a taste for it when you’re older.
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styleosophy Reply:
March 25th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Wray is definetly an acquired taste.
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Dash Reply:
March 26th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Vapor Rub or Tiger Balm! LOL! YES!
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Also want to add, prayers for the people of Haiti…just saw the photos & it is terrible…
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CHeeKZ Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Word.. I don’t think RCLS had that in mind when he typed this. But its a fitting tribute to celebrate the culture of the West Indies, despite the fact that the news keeps repeating “the poorest nation in the western hemisphere” THANKS ANDERSON COOPER, I know!
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The Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, Java'd the f*ck up Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 10:23 am
News of the earthquake came in as I was finishing up the post. Keeping them in my prayers.
And yes, CNN is wildin’ right now. What the hell does the literacy rate have to do w/ the earthquake?
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Anonymous deux Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 11:38 am
I’ve been getting my coverage from BBC because CNN is just…. unfortunately such is American news.
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Slim Jackson Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 11:56 am
CNN is hurting lately…
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N.I.A. naturally Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Lately? Unfortunately, CNN has been hurting for a while now.
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N.I.A. naturally Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
BBC is providing live updates…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8456322.stm?ls
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Rice: We are the one culture that eats more rice than Asians. Only thing is our Rice has flavor. You can’t have a meal without some type of rice and bean combination. It makes it impossible to be Haitian and go on an Atkins diet.
All those beans have a positive impact. Its good for the blood which makes for … well pause. Just eat your sauce pois, all my haitians… your mother was doing you a favor feeding you all those years.
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West Indians like overly complex names OR overly simple names. And for my Haitian peoples unnecessarily French names. I spent several hours searching facebook for word about a friend and his family who are currently in Haiti (finally got word late last night that everyone is well and accounted for… Thank you Jesus). As I was looking through Charlemagne’s, Marie-Therese’s, Claude-Victor’s, and Henri Francios’ I had to shake my head. The few Frenchmen I know have nowhere near that kind of francophone flair to their names.
As for the rest of my West Indian friends, If you meet a man and his name is Alistair Winston Collington or David Bob John (yes, Bob not Robert) he most assuredly drinks Guiness totes a flag.
*posting from the iPhone so please excuse any grammatical or spelling errors
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CHeeKZ Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 11:44 am
HEY!
Our french names are elegant.
I hold my head high at all the Jean-Baptise, Francouis-Brutus, Pierre-Louis, and Fils-Aime. Its better than Shaquilla Jenkins.
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The Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, Java'd the f*ck up Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
LOL…yo mama name is Marie, isn’t it…
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CHeeKZ Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
naw… Genevieve.
But I have three aunts on the same side of the family named:
Marie
Marie-Josee’
and Marie-Louise
and my next door neighbor is Marie-Therese
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Kriola Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 1:52 am
I’m not West Indian, but I’m West African and my mom and her sister are named Maria (Maria José and Maria Idalina) and I’m Anamaria (My Grandmother is Ana) my cousin is Mari(a)nella and my aunt and my uncle are named José and Josefina. I guess us European colonized blacks aren’t very creative with names lol!
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A quick FYI… if anyone is looking for a way to help immediately, you can text “HAITI” to “90999″ and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross via your cell phone bill.
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Ms. Cherry Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Also… Wyclef Jean has a foundation called Yele Haiti. Text “Yele” to 501501 on your phone and it will automatically charge $5 to your phone bill and will donate to it his organization that will serve as a relief org for this disaster.
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Renee Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 10:48 am
Thanks for posting, I saw these on FB but no one was stating the organization. I was worried it was a scam.
That earthquake really hit me, I’m not Haitian but I’m back in the Islands all the time and the emergency resources are all but non-existent. I’m sure we can all spare 5 to 10 dollars.
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CHeeKZ Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
I feel you Cherry…
But my fam always believed that most of the money raised for Haiti doesn’t get there. I’m not going to poo poo the Red Cross, but you spell corruption H-A-I-T-I in creole.
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Renee Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
CHeeKZ we should add that to the list of stuff West Indian’s like
The goverment takes corruption to another level, they don’t even try to hide it.
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Ms. Cherry Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Yeah, I’m fully aware of how things go down in Haiti (pronounced aye?tee). There’s just so much devastation and I feel the need to do something. I said a prayer last night and lit a seven day candle but it just doesn’t seem like enough. I sent my $5 to Wyclef and all I can do is hope it does some good.
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CHeeKZ Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Look @ u miss sexy.. getting the pronunciation down.
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Ms. Cherry Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Someone just sent me this on Facebook and it sounds like a great way to help and know your efforts are actually helping people:
Red Cross needs Creole Speaking volunteers for a 24 hour PHONE BANK! Contact Br. Wilford @ 305-776-6900
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I love the post! I would like to add that West Indians also love overly sexual music, Soca, Calypso, and Reggae, all the popular songs are about getting it in, or doing it right.
We also love our manners, there is a West Indian moral code that’s very different than that of the US, using your Sir and Mam, and treating your elders with respect. I remember growing up if an adult asked you a question the answer was never yes/no, it was always yes (Mam, sir, daddy, mommy) or no (Mam, sir, daddy, mommy).
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I blend in so well with West Indians because of the similarities to my culture. The celebration of life parties (at a funeral), the celebration of anything (my son just returned from spain after two weeks), the respect factor, being “fast” but I have to admit, y’all have us beat with the work part. Great post!!!
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Being one of the few remaining “regular black folk”, I dont have much to say. However, I would like to see a dominoes tournament consisting of a Jamaican, a Dominican. a 35yo black man and an Italian. I think it might get ugly
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The Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, Java'd the f*ck up Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
LOL…they would need the same amount of cops they have on standby for the E. Pkwy parade
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CHeeKZ Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Dominicans go hard.
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Satya Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
lol I agree Peyso
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Ms. Cherry Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Big up to “regular black folk”!!!
(at least until there is proof of my rumored West Indian heritage)
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Love my West Indians!
Pray for Haiti please. Shyt is real!
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Haiti is so in my prayers… always.
This post had me laughing so hard and makes me miss one of my besties. I’ll never forget visiting her home for the first time and being around her family… I think they threw a ‘fete’ immediately- just because I came over
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I’m not West Indian, though some people in NC seem to think I look like I’m West Indian… or African. As if Africa is a country, and everyone looks alike. SMH…
I dated a Jamaican man, and he really liked my hips and thighs. And really liked how I worked my hips on the dance floor. In fact, he thought I was Jamaican when we first met b/c of my dance moves. LOL!! That was a good nite!
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Ms. Cherry Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Girl put those bones back… lol!
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We must get into a discussion soon on how Jamaicans are vastly different from your basic west indian..and not necessarily in a bad way either…
like the term fete…it’s a bit foreign to me..I attended my first fete last year and for the first time felt like I had to hide my JA flag. It was a major culture shock and folks were…..smiling.
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Ms. Cherry Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
As an outsider looking in I must say I vehemently agree with you… lol.
I tend to categorize West Indians into three categories – Jamaicans, Haitians, and then most other West Indians.
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The Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, Top Shotta Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Not so much using the word fete as what it means. We don’t say fete where I’m from, but the definition fits.
Yuh si me?
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The West Indians I’ve known do not fit these descriptions. And they also have not left a postive impression. But maybe because I see through the airs some of them try to put on.
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You hit the nail on the head, trust me i know…i’m from The Bahamas!
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Slim Jackson Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Which part?
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The Award Winning RightCoastLexSteele, Destined for Greatness Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
By the beach. DUH!
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msjjohnson1 Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Nassau…
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Slim Jackson Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Oh Okay. I was in Freeport for a week and the people were great. Had some of the best times of my life.
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KeraKins Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Me too! the 242(Bahamas) is the ish…eh…Slim…loved Freeport? try Nassau…it’s frickin awesome!
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