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Walking Back - In theDays of Cayman Past- Portrait of a Caymanian
By Will Jackson
The question is often asked, who is a Caymanian?
Many versions have been rendered as the solution to the matterbut I am thinking of the real Caymanian, as not just one who haslived the better part of a life time in a growing and prosperingcountry; I can think of thousands of such ones.
I am talking today of a different kind ofa Caymanian, as one who fought great survival battles and overcame.
Let me begin to tell you of just one such person who is no strangerto me, Stella Wood Welcome. Stella's mother, Ms. Gennetta wasthe lady of whom in a previous article I pictured as the maillady walking twice per week from George Town to East End in timeswhen mosquitoes ruled the land.
Stella was born out of wedlock. She entereda hard and perturbed world in the very midst of the world war,on 30 October 1915. As soon as Stella knew left from right, theurge to survive took deep roots and she began her own life's battle.
Well, the big issue at the time was ropemaking, this was the source of survival. Ropes added up to thecash of the day.
Everyone had to travel deep into the interiorof the land to find and cut the tops necessary to twist the strandthat would made into rope. Rope making was no easy task but herewas where the poor people of those times obtained their dailybread.
Picture if you may, young women as wellas older ones on Monday mornings going with their smoke pan, headinginland just after a heavy shower of the night before. The mosquitoesswarming just outside the perimeter of the smoke, only the stiflingsmoke holds them off until the burning rays of the sun drivesthem into hiding.
But those women are not discouraged, theypress right on to reach their purpose for the day, to cut twohundred or more tops, lifted them on their backs and would beon their way home. The earlier the better, yet sometimes it tookthem the greater part of the day to reap a basket full of topsto go home with. These loads had to be carried three of four miles,over cliffs and through swamps often.
This is the kind of world that Stella wasborn into, with all the odds stacked against her. By the timeshe was past school age, she obtained something a little betterthan a slave's job with a next-door neighbour who was among thelittle better off ones of the district, having a little storeas his means of survival. His wife was of the district's upperclass and with her fast growing family she needed help in thehome, where Stella fitted in.
The work was hard and the reward was verysmall but in the mist of all, the hard and bad times, a youngdevil was lurking nearby to fill the young girl's mind with sweetpromises.
Soon Stella's mother became too feeble tohelp her much, except to care for her little girl she went outto work, as was quite necessary. Heaven blessed her with a jobat Crewe Road with nice people, the Ryan's, who treated her mostkindly. She stayed there for several years in their employment.
Then one day along came an old seaman whocoaxed her into marrying him. This she eventually did and settleddown into her own housekeeping.
The marriage went well for quite a few yearsbefore her husband Barret Welcome became sick with a serious heartaliment and was forced to quit sailing. There was no pensionsor benefits for a seaman in those times; one lived on earningswhile they earned it.
So it was, Stella returned to earning herown earnings uphill. Well, by this time her mother was over ahundred years of age and needed continuous help.
Here now, was a sick husband and feebleold mother and with her being the only child, life sure becametough for poor Stella.
Well you know, when the storm become thedarkest, the light always shines brighter when it is dissipated.So it was for her: Next door to her house, a brand new DivingLodge opened it's doors to business and Stella moved right inwith it. Just like getting money from home without writing andasking for it. Here she could do her work and make several tripsover to her house to see how things were going with the limitedhelp she had.
The day came when her mother passed awayafter 102 years of life. But she still had her husband to copewith. However, he was helpful in doing things around the housewhile she was out. Here, life again had leveled off but then camethe time Barret could no longer get around to be helpful. So shehad to adjust herself to serving two masters.
Stella was a good cook and while the divinglodge changed ownership, yet her job remained the same. Her husbanddied and left her a widow, which she still remains, but the windblows cool around this dear lady now. At 86 years of age she livescomfortably in her own home. She has two loving daughters whoboth have faithful husbands, with several attentive grandchildren.
Stella is a devoted member of the UnitedChurch in East End and is very active in every phase of her church.She certainly thanks the Lord for the dark clouds that she hassurmounted throughout 86 rough years. Stella is one of the fewremaining Caymanians who passed the test and is living to tellthe story. So, whenever you ask the question, what was life likein old Cayman? Ask aunt Stella and she will tell you in just twowords Exceedingly Rough.