When Sugar reigned supreme

I recently learned of the new series #Queen Sugar via a friend’s social media feed and the overall synopsis and review reminded me of my childhood in Bim (that’s Barbados for those who don’t know). Most people associate Sugar production in the Caribbean isles with slavery, indentureship, hard times,oppression and the list of negatives go on and on BUT for me sugar the growing, reaping and production of it all brings back some of the happiest, most heart warming and comforting childhood memories. Before we go any further let me just answer two things that may be going through your head at this point.

1. Yes I am fully aware of the historical ties of sugar to the Caribbean, actually I can proudly state that I am extremely well versed on it as history was not only my favourite subject at school but it is a topic I have been pretty much obsessed with my entire life,I am one of those people who never stop researching,learning, reading.
2. No I am not a demented twisted individual for having the sweetest memories over a topic that some would automatically look on with a dash of disdain,frowning brow and whole heap of #sideeye

That disclaimer out of the way, I am super excited to see what this series will be all about and as I am currently based in the UK I am not overly hopeful that it will be shown on any of the local networks anytime in the foreseeable future but just knowing that it exists and the feelings it evokes are enough to let me stop for a few moments and just do a little wander back in my mind of what the sugar crop meant to me as a child:

Memories of Crop Time in Bim

• The Anticipation…there was an energy in the air at the start of crop, for me it was  knowing that my belly would be full of nothing but cane juice extracted directly from the source (we Bajans simply say sucking cane). Additionally freshly cut fields of cane meant plenty room for kite flying which meant it was Easter season oh and it also meant trash bone to make your own home-made kites
• The Smells … there are certain smells that were prevalent only during Crop time such as (1)passing the sugar factory and becoming entranced from the smells that wafted through the air as the canes were converted into sugar , (2)the sweet scent that emanated from freshly cut cane as the Harvester made its way through the fields and (3)burning cane…this one was not a good one but it did happen without fail every Crop season.  Some idiot would decide it was a great idea to to torch an entire field putting life at risk and I can recall this element of fear going through my 6 year old head when my dad got a call that a fire was ongoing and he would get dressed, leave home at some wee hour of the night/early morning and go to put it out …didn’t know that the Farmers themselves had to to manage the cane fires themselves did you?  Well now you do…. there was help on some occasions from the local fire station but I will speak more about that in a future post.
• Fireflies… lots of fireflies and their ‘lights’ illuminating the night even brighter with the canes cut and providing a view for miles and miles around you;
• Fish and bread… now I am not really sure why fish and bread are things I associate with the sugar crop as they could be had all year round but as crop always took place during Easter (or Easter during crop depending on how you look at it) which was generally a period where fish consumption was higher may explain the fish.  As for the bread well for some reason my Mum and the other ladies in my family baked and experimented with bread making a whole lot more at that time of year :S
• Roast Corn – corn and cane go hand in hand with my family and after filling my belly with cane juice I would enjoy some super yummy roast corn that was one of the many crops my Dad grew.
• Scary Stories… for some reason stories of seeing spirits and tales that scared the heck out of us young ones (but we still loved it)were more rampant during Crop.  Maybe that time of year awakened the roamings and energy of those whose physical presence was long gone but Spiritual ties to the land had not been broken or were at rest

Anyway all of my random ramblings of my childhood moments,memories and happy feelings aside I am really looking forward to watching and reviewing Queen Sugar. Sugar and the ‘land’ set the strong foundation for who I am. I am intrinsically tied to it and will always have a deep and reverent respect for what many view as ‘inferior’ and am super eager to see the magic that awaits from #Queen Sugar story line.