Big Mama

I’m in an outdoor market in St. George’s, Grenada, browsing through exotic fruits and spices. Accompanying me is my guide, Shaun, a Canadian ex-pat who’s lived in the Caribbean country with his wife and five kids for almost a year. We approach a booth selling spices wrapped up for tourists; standing beside it is a woman as large in personality as she is in girth.

She sees Shaun first.

WOMAN: Give me a squeeze. Come here and give Big Mama a squeeze.

Shaun politely hugs the woman.

WOMAN: That be a good squeeze. Big Mama likes a good squeeze. My first white meat of the year.

SHAUN (thanks her for the compliment, laughing now): What’s you’re name?

WOMAN: Call me Big Mama. My name be Big Mama. That’s what you can call me.

She then proceeds to try to sell us spices, offering us “special deal” after “special deal.” When Shaun finally buys me a necklace of spices strung together to hang in your kitchen, Big Mama decides she has us pegged.

BIG MAMA: Love be in the air. Definitely, love.

We say nothing. We don’t want to disappoint Big Mama.

Photo: Big Mama shows off her spice necklaces - St. George’s, Grenada - April 2008, LV.

Posted by Lisa.

~ by Lisa on May 1, 2008.