Tempie Village elder satisfied with life

VIOLET Lewis celebrated her 78th birth anniversary on October 8. She is a resident of Tempie Village, West Coast Berbice, who is certain that this is where she wants to be – at home – a place she has lived all her life.

The elder is a native of the village, a place she grew up and played many games as a child with her peers, some of whom have since passed away, and others reside abroad.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she used to live at a house across the road, her parents’ place, before she got her own home, which is located just off the public road.

Lewis is a very friendly person who goes out when necessary and spends most of her time indoors due to her bad knee and arthritis pains in both legs.

Walking has become difficult, but she would put on a brave face and get out to go to the market or to get groceries.

The mother of five reported that three of her children live abroad and two are in Guyana and would constantly check up on her.

From the five children, she has seven grandchildren. Her husband passed away seven years ago.

Reminiscing on the past, Lewis told the Pepperpot Magazine that she grew up rough, and was tasked with most of the chores. Being the eldest, she provided support to her mother, a housewife, who took care of a stepdaughter as her own.

She described her mother as an extraordinary woman of worth who worked hard and cared for the home and 10 children.

Lewis reported that she used to have to fetch water from a far distance to their house, look for firewood for cooking and do the housework.

She added that things were hard back then, but life was good. These days she no longer cooks on a fireside but has a gas stove making things easier.

Lewis related that it is a modern time now and life is somewhat better, but the olden days, they did not have a lot of stress because their life was spent meaningfully doing work and chores.

She explained that her grandfather was Alfred Sutherland and his two brothers were the first settlers of Tempie Village. They pooled their money and bought the village which was divided into three sections.

“I didn’t have the insight then to ask my parents the names of my grandfather’s brothers, so I do not know, but I was told the story of how they bought the land,” she said.

She added that Plantation Tempie was a rice and ground provision farm, and, as a little girl, she had a lot of fun with her friends playing in the back dam.

Lewis stated that most of her siblings reside overseas but some have since returned to build houses in the village and others expressed their desire to return to Guyana to live.

She noted that Tempie is a quiet place and she does be at home mostly cooking and doing things around the house to pass the time and she is satisfied with that.

Lewis reported that a relative would stay at night with her and she has a housekeeper who would visit during the day so she is never alone.

She disclosed that she went abroad for eight years to live but wanted to return home and she is comfortable here, at her home.

Lewis also lived in Kwakwani but left there in 1973. She came from a family of farmers. Her parents were, and she had a simple yet fulfilling life growing up.

Henry Bourne, the elder
Henry Bourne is a resident of Tempie Village, a descendant of the Bourne brothers, who were the first settlers of the village.

The 82-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he would spend his time gardening and he plants his own vegetables.

He added that almost everybody in the community is related by blood and it is a very nice place to live.

Bourne prefers the quietness and tranquil lifestyle the place offers and he is at peace.

He stated that at times he would go out the village for drinks with friends and described life as fair in the roadside village of Tempie.