Sherry Davis Johnson visited Barbados last month. She didn’t like it very much.
I left the [plantation] house feeling sickened by the experience because it wasn’t used as an avenue to educate tourist about trafficking humans in order for the plantation to turn a profit. Or on how “workers” is a politically incorrect term for slaves.
I’m reading and re-reading the article, and something about the tone of it perplexes me. I feel like Ms. Davis Johnson is angry at Barbados, and I don’t understand why. Because some people here work as cane-cutters (and no, Ms. Davis Johnson, when we call them workers, it’s not a euphemism for “slaves”)? Because we sometimes feed rum punch to birds and lizards? Because there’s a man here who carves and polishes pieces of mahogany and then sells them? Because people wear uniforms to work? Because we don’t lecture cruise excursionists about our horrible horrible history of slavery and exploitation?
After returning to the essay for the dozenth time, it seems to me that she didn’t like her experience of Barbados because it was superficial. But if you come here on a cruise ship for a less-than-24-hour stopover, what more can you honestly expect?
What can you say? She just did not like Barbados after a few hours visit. But for every one who dislikes Barbados, there are many hundreds who do love it in the land of cou-cou and flying fish.
BarbadosInFocus · March 05, 2008
Usually when I read negative reviews of Barbados, there are things mentioned in the review that I can understand and even agree with. But with this one, it just sounds like she’s vex at the island for no good reason. But as you say, for every one person who hates it here, there are others who love it. I think the balance is still in our favour?
titilayo · March 05, 2008
So, if you’re touring a plantation house, and you ask about the slave quarters which are a mile down the road, what do you expect? The tour you were taken on is the plantation house. She sounds angry and bitter, and angrier that Bajans aren’t giving angry bitter tours of their history. And angry that you dress in suits en route to work. Well, I’m mad about that too – who needs suits – but I don’t blame Barbados :-D
As for the “workers” comment, she clearly had a lack of understanding of what she was being told. Since she fundamentally misunderstood that working in cane fields didn’t stop with slavery, it’s hard to believe any of her perceptions.
Chennette · March 05, 2008
I am writing in response to a blog written on March 4, 2008. Please, pardon my tardiness, but I just found your remarks. I am Sherry Davis Johnson and GalliMaufry, I do wish that you had taken the time to email me to take part in your discussion of why I didn't enjoy my trip to Barbados.
It is true that I was only there for 8 hours and there is much more to learn about Barbados. I was on a cruise and signed up for an excursion called ‘A Taste of Barbados’ which was a tour of the island, historical accounts and lunch with traditional foods. This tour was cancelled due to a lack of interest. We were told that there was another less detailed tour with no lunch that we could take. Through no fault of Barbados we didn’t stop at a beautiful beach or any other place of beauty or historical value except for Tommy Bahama Rum Factory and the Sanbury Plantation House.
I did have a problem visiting the Sanbury Plantation House. I think that Barbados is doing tourists with no experience with the history of slavery a dishonor by allowing them to revel in the glory of “a bygone era” without enlightening them to the facts and realities of the suffering that belonged to the practice of slavery. Chennette, this should include a stop at the slave quarters to see how slaves lived by contrast. Calling them workers indicates that they were paid for their work, which they may have been AFTER slavery ended and that term may in fact be useful in present day terminology. But workers didn’t build the Sanbury Plantation and the contents they were paid for on the backs of free slave labor until 1834.
However, not to disappoint the folks, who pleasure the ‘bygone era’ there is a giant lithograph of the first black Madame Rachel Pringle, hanging on the wall in the Sanbury Plantation and it was proudly pointed out by the docent. What’s that about?
The story of slavery can be told with the beatings, rapes, mutilations and humiliation and it doesn’t mean that Barbados will be viewed less beautiful. On my trip to Barbados I had hoped to hear accounts of the Bussa Rebellion, Daniel, Cain Davis, the Arawak and Carib.
I assess the joy in place I’ve traveled by the demeanor of the residents. I watched the faces of the people on the street as they drove their cars, waited for the bus and even the docents at the Sanbury Plantation and nobody looked happy. Everyday that God wakes us up surely there should be a smile just for that!
Ironically, in your blog you accuse me of directing anger at the only humor in the visit, feeding rum to birds and lizards. The man that polishes the wood and sells something that took “a half hour to an hour” for exorbitant prices is an artist alright…but not the kind I’d buy art from.
No worries, Titilayo, I haven’t vexed the island. I just didn’t find what I thought I’d see. Perhaps upon my return to Barbados, you will all show me what I was missing.
Sherry Davis Johnson · July 25, 2008