Death of a Sales (Wo)man
Within our midst, at 10 North Street, some 86 years, Jamaica was gifted with a spirit who would come to embody the title “Miss Jamaica” – Louise Bennett. Within her four score and six years she achieved national and international acclaim as an authority on and an exponent of folk Jamaicana… quite a monumental achievement in an era where, sadly as now, elements of our collective identity that are aligned in no uncertain terms with our African heritage were - and are - shunned, questioned and viewed with a discernable ambivalence.
In attacking these prevailing views through her work in promoting and celebrating local folk forms, and of our indigenous patois, Bennett was then a true revolutionary. Decades prior to Cassidy’s Jamaica Talk or Carolyn Cooper’s articles in patois, and the inexorable public debate on the merits of teaching the local dialect in the public education system, Bennett gave us Jamaican Folkways, Jamaica Singing Games (1953) and her signature Jamaica Labrish in 1966. These publications were some of the pioneering tools she used in educating the Jamaican audience about itself and moreover, about how to appreciate, enjoy and celebrate – if not to venerate – these sacred forms of transmission.
Her methodology, in the true sense of a teacher, or indeed, as we have now come to realize – as Griot, was to use creative, yet effective means of instilling a sensitivity toward our local forms that was contrary to a generally accepted, if not erroneous philosophy, that what came from the bowels of the masses was less than worthy. Her radio programmes, including those aired on the BBC, the many Pantomimes – which formally introduced the Jamaican theatre audience to the character of Anansi, Ring Ding – which honed and demonstrated the talents of our young and impromptu discussion-performances demonstrated the richness and vitality of our intangible heritage in tangible ways.
In so doing, Miss Lou did what the Right Excellent Marcus Garvey was to pronounce as one of his greatest challenges… that is selling the Negro to himself. In their respective campaigns, Lou and Garvey strategized that the elements of self and identity which were presented as abhorrent traits were in fact the Negro’s most prized possessions. This paradigm shift was to form the basis of the philosophic products of both salespersons, and in true form, they were relentless.
In our contemporary period of apathy, and the pervasive culture of cruelty which manifests itself in the most disturbing of violent and deviant acts, Miss Lou exemplified a gentility and joviality that was primarily infectious and powerfully disarming. These traits are reputed to be that of the mass of Jamaicans, and by exhibiting them in her daily life Miss Lou taught by example.
While her accomplishments are many – recognized by awards including the 2001 Order of Merit (OM) from a grateful nation, both the Silver (1965) and Gold (1978) Musgrave Medals and being installed as a Fellow of the Institute of Jamaica – Miss Lou’s signal achievement may very well have been her ability to sell the Jamaican to himself. It is in this regard that we may choose to reflect on a life of selfless service to her nation and we can fittingly say, now…”mek good duppy fallow you.”
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