THE district between Litchfield to No. 28 Village, West Coast Berbice, I call home. In the 14 villages that span this district, my forebears purchased three, which are Litchfield, Kingelly and No. 28, which allowed us as children to traverse freely along this corridor. It is this community that shaped my formative years and played a major role in influencing who I am today. Growing up in an extended family structure, the influences of parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and others were significantly felt in a child’s life, and Christmas was the making of special events and moments.

As the descendant of five major families, namely — the Thompsons coming out of Hopetown, the Carmichaels of No. 28, the McPhersons and Semples of Litchfield, and Thomas Lewis, my great grandfather, coming out of Ithaca — you could not escape nor wanted to escape their values, love and protection. Though they are many things about these families that were connected, as with every child, something unique about each family remains lasting memories

From the Thompsons’ side, which is my maternal side, I remember vividly this was the family that prepared the Christmas cakes and homemade bread , which were distributed to families and friends, in and out of the village. The womenfolk got together with big tubs and buckets, washing the butter (salted red butter) and stirring the fruits with big spoons, pouring the batter into pans, and putting them to bake in big mud ovens in the yard. As children, we waited patiently for them to finish baking the samples in order than we can have the first taste of the black and sponge cakes.

The Carmichaels were the providers of the meat, be it beef, pork, mutton or fish. It was assured there would be meat to make that pepperpot, roast and garlic pork for Christmas Day, and curried mutton for Boxing Day. Fish was either baked or served as cutters for the menfolk who were drinking. The best pepperpot for me was cousin Naomi’s. Cousin Hertense Cambridge, presently residing in the USA, would remember well my craving for this dish.

Hertense was cousin Naomi’s niece and spent much time with her. When Leslie ‘Gopo’ Cambridge, another cousin living at No. 28, and I visited this home, Hertense will make pepperpot sandwich for us. She would put pepperpot at the bottom of the plate, then some rice overlay, with another hefty serving of pepperpot on top. This pepperpot was primarily of cow heel, cow face, and ox tail. When you were finished eating your fingers and mouth became clamped with the glue from the meat. This was a treat ‘Gopo’ and I could never have enough of and has informed my love for this dish unto today.

The Lewis’ family at Litchfield that includes centenarian James Barrington (J.B) Layne, William ‘Big man’ Semple and the late Ivan ‘Vano’ Wade would arrive from the gold and diamond fields (bush). Every child in the extended family was treated to a small piece or gift. Unto now I can vividly recall cousin Louis ‘Bellows’ France –who though today has lost his sight but remains very alert — would take me to Georgetown just before Christmas to go shopping.

From the Semples — a family of both my parents’ lineage — were known among us as the religious family. They had great influence in the church community. I was raised, baptised, and confirmed as a communicant in the Anglican Church. I was an altar boy, and participated in the Church’s concerts and other activities, which is largely in part to this side of my family. As children there was no debate or dissent when it came to worshipping in church every Sunday. No member of an extended family tolerated non-conformity to the religious values they upheld. At Christmas the children got dressed up in our ‘Sunday best,’ attended mass and had to be of our best behaviour.

From Kingelly sprouts the McPherson family who held significant sway in the village’s activities. Great uncle Harry Young and his cousin Joseph McPherson, both deceased, controlled the hub of activities. In their homes resided the big jars in which the ginger beer was made, which was their speciality. Cousins would have travelled from Georgetown and New Amsterdam to spend Christmas in this village and the hub of activities would be in these two homes. Ice was bought from the train that comes from Georgetown travelling to Rosignol, to put in the ginger beer. As a child, this ginger beer while very tasty was hot. In the making of it, it was set for several days and rice placed in the jar as part of the ripening process.

Christmas was the period when the menfolk working at the bauxite companies in McKenzie and Kwakwani, the sea defence on the East Coast, gold and diamond fields in the interior, employed at the Ebeni Cattle Farm in the Berbice River, manganese company in the North West District, construction workers from Georgetown, and those doing other jobs in New Amsterdam would return home to the villages. As children we looked forward to this, not only because we missed them and would hear stories of their experiences, but also the gifts and small piece their presence brought.

One Christmas I received four toy guns as presents which made me feel like the most formidable cowboy in the villages. Back then, guns were associated with the police and cowboy stories we read, and seen as a means of protecting and defending families and assets and ensuring law and order.

Christmas as children in those days meant we had each other. Whatever little we had was shared. Each family played an important role in raising us. And there was the joy of knowing that there were others who loved and cared for us outside of our mothers and fathers. This for me left lasting impressions that we are capable of being our bothers and sisters’ keepers, there are established rules (written and unwritten) that guide relations, and treating each other with respect regardless of age or status in life, are values to be upheld.
Here’s wishing that your Christmas will be bright and happy!