Well wait nuh. Lah ka may tay pweh! Pressure in de back seat.
I have to revert to Grenadian instead ah de Queen’s English for this one. I sit down cool cool home drinking a cup ah ginger tea when news reach me that there is a new book published in Grenada. I start getting well excited because I start thinking Jacob Ross, Jean Buffong, Merle Collins. No sah. The protagonist is a girl called Kellyane from Laborie in St. Georges written by some German Grenadian man called Ethienne. Well me two ears perk up and I say in me mind, well that food he eat really sweet if a man could write ah WHOLE BOOK about a woman in Laborie and I wondering how come my food doh sweet so cause as far as I know a man never write a line about me! Whole day I well vex and I can’t wait to reach home from work to read extracts of this book and to see wha is de scene (as we say in Greenz). Well before I decide to make the trip to Laborie to find out from she granmudda what going on, I decide to do some further investigations, I google it (as we do!) and see the name of the book is “Destruction of a Vain Woman”. It’s only then the old brain start to get in gear and I realise poor Kelleyan was getting de shorter end of the wood!
The link to a few pages of this marvellous book is here.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?
To cut a long pants short, this Ethienne intended by writing the book believed he was destroying and embarrassing Kellyane to reveal a devil in disguise, a soucouyant in first communion clothes. Instead he ended up embarrassing and illustrating the old adage- there is no fool than ah excuse me language, damn old fool. He admits that he ran a huge string of supermarkets in Germany (read old and haggard but with money), and remembers Kellyane with a “voluptuous figure, perfect roman nose and a pair of round buttocks”. These moneyed men are suffering from the worst types of delusion. Tell me, what else would a young, attractive Grenadian girl be after? He then admits that they had “hot steamy sex” right away, that same night. Then she admitted that she had TWO MAN! And she then told him straight out that she used her body for vengeance on men. And that she was looking for someone to take care of her.
Padna, what you still doing there? You waiting for her to take the money outta yuh pocket? Damn lucky you didnt walk away with a few disease. He only took offence when she asked for champagne with her meal. He said that made her a professional. I just say the chile was thirsty. As me granma used to say- Chuts. So champagne ent good for Grenadian girls mout now? I would have had a bottle of Moet to celebrate my good luck!
I have three words for Ethienne- “It dam good!”. Kellyane as you choose to call her took advantage of you trying to take advantage of her. She played you before you could play her. She laid all her cards out on the table, and you, enamoured by the thought that this young child found you attractive (she was a year younger than your son) were willing to give her the world. Should she have been noble and refused? Why? You are certainly not being noble now by writing and selfpublishing this bullshit "book". You chose to lavish her with gifts and money, you bartered and you bought and she more than fulfilled her end of the bargain. You admitted that you enjoyed your “passionate lovemaking” and “sexual expulsions” (what de arse dey call so?), why shouldn’t you have paid in some way for it? When I come to your supermarket in Germany, I am sure I cannot pick up your best choice product for free? I have to pay. Why shouldn't you, in some way, shape or form? You boast that your neighbours were the number one haematologists in the Island. You tell of your purchases of Rolex and Cartier. You bore us with details of your apartment near Grande Anse (I assume its in Lance Aux Epines). Have you ever lived in a house with a pan roof that’s leaking?Have you ever had to use buckets to catch water? Have you ever gone to bed hungry? Have you ever looked into your cupboard and just seen rice and ketchup and made that your meal of the day? Well if you haven’t you would come up your high horse and see just what Kelleyane saw- an opportunity, an opening, one you were only too willing to provide. What you didn’t like was that she took the power in this pseudo relationship from you, took what she had to get and moved on. The “book” reads like an apology to your wife- trying to explain what you now consider self destructive when you were enjoying it and basking in it all while it lasted. I would love to write Part Two- Destruction of a Foolish Man.
*Edited to add: I have just finished reading the "book" and to be honest I would change the name to "Confessions of a Papyotte". Kelleyane's behaviour is not something for me to pass judgment on (judge not...) save for me to say it reflects a lot about the obsession with material things and I was particularly disappointed, if what he has to say is true- that her family and her mother supported her. Eth admitted that Keleyane allowed a 15 year old to be raped? And he said nothing? What a spineless dog! He talks of her lesbianism in a way that suggests he finds it shameful yet you get the feeling that he was in on the "secret" and it is entirely possible that this is what he fell in love with- the feeling of being deviant. He lavished over $75,000 on her, spent FREELY and took freely. He admits to hitting her and pissing on her- if he admits to those, I bet it is not the only time it happened. He had a showpony- taking her to lawyers events, to Trinidad on vacation, and to "the international city of Hamburg" (ah laugh at that!). He seemed to want to show off that he was brushing a young ting. I do not feel sorry for him one bit! Instead I feel sorry for Keleyane, treating your body as a tool does not leave you with a lot of self esteem, self respect and self love and hiding behind sex and promiscuity is not at all empowering. Maybe one day she would publish her own diaries and do an expose on all the men (and women) who hide behind this respectable facade. It would be worth reading.
ha ha ha... It good for him. Fire in he backside, now he can't take it. Trying to recoup the $75,000 he spent on her by selling his rubbish book.
ReplyDeleteHe ain't realise is fire-wood he selling.
I used to live in St.Pauls... next ting you know is me neighbour oui.
Yes Aaron, he trying to make back the money- de book doh worth one shit. Yu maybe used to look at the laborie woman.
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ReplyDeleteThis is too funny...love to get my hands on a copy to read how silly he is myself but don't want to waste my money and buy the book, so i'm waiting to borrow a copy from someone...Anyone willing to help me?
ReplyDeleteI saw a lot of the hype and quickness of people particularly women to spread and gossip as to whether they know the subject and assist Ettiene in vilifying her. However I will not purchase and support his recouping his $75000. As you said, it seems she told him who she was, and while it benefited him to ignore it all was well. When his own actions possibly started becoming embarassing to him he decides to write a tell all as the victim? In otherwards he seems to be saying "I'm rich, old and I know you are not interested in me but my power and money, so that's ok. I'll spend as long as you allow me to pimp you and exploit you, and let me think I have some control. If you get tired and move on, then I'll try to destroy you. It will sell because society forgives men and demonizes women for the same behavior"
ReplyDeleteI have read this interesting piece of literature and having slept and awoken next day to brain signals that refuse to not think of the many questions that bombarded by curious mind about that which I read I am happy that Madame Paul has a place where I can let free all which hasn't given me peace since I first saw day's light.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what or how to think of the "book" (if you'd like to call it that though in present times anything could pass for a book) when some internet sites deem it autobiographical. I wonder just how close to reality the events described are. As having been away from home for quite some time it is shocking to me the perception one (though of not the highest moral standards it seems) of another country has about Caribbean women. As while the book has a tone of vengeance (and not love or atonement as the title and subsequent final chapter seem to infer) it comes across less of a story and more of a blatant expose by one ethienne ethienne who sees an opportunity to continue to degrade woman of no voice due to his background, accessibility of resources and obvious better understanding of the world than our troubling "protagonist".
At the end of day we have to look deeper into the insufferable chapters to see what the issues (some already pointed out by Nathifa) at are:
1) Major holes in our education system
2) Lack of real role models for young capricious women
3) The misinterpretation of success
4) The disturbing rise (and profitability) of exploiting sex
5) the debate on freedom of expression
These are our realities and realities that have been around for quite some time. So while others may joke or jest and point blame at one or the another waving the "so you make you bed is so you go lie on it" finger me and my inquisitive mind wonder of the aforementioned issues and the part I can play in assuaging at least one of them.
Safs
Hey Safs thanks also for this. So sorry that you were so traumatised. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst by no way I think this book is representative of Grenadian women in general- only of a certain group or clan which exists worldwide and I think most Grenadian girls are appalled and scandalised by the revelations.
I think you hit on two very good points- sexploitation and the misinterpretation of success. There is a "clothes' culture among our youth now that is really disturbing, once they can dress up nice all is great, forget education, forget advancement, forgot shelter, forget your mum and dad in a two by four house. I would love to teach them that there is nothing more sexy than that cap and gown!
Second- all these men who use girls for sex. I think the disparity between Eth's age and KA's was very disturbing for me, also the fact that a man would prey and have sex with and want to wife someone that young.
The lesbian stuff I will park to one side for the moment- it is in the next post :)
I am also concerned that he published this book using her real name (with only a very false and transparent abbreviation) and the names of her friends and family etc. I would so sue because I am sure he cannot prove that she ran a prostiution ring and that she had all these men and she had an abortion etc. it would all be hearsay- his word against hers and I would love Patricia Mark to get this case.
After my day commenting on this book in a more comical sense on Facebook, via Achebe’s profile, I would like to submit a more rigour analysis. I have separated my feedback in two parts. The first deals with my general personal comments on the book and the second take a more sociological constructive view to some of the issues raised, albeit subtle, in the book on the state of my beloved country. I will start with my general comments.
ReplyDeleteThe introduction reads like an extract from Sir David Attenborough – Life Series or Michael Palin – Guide to the Himalaya (i.e. BBC Nature Documentaries) albeit with a little more excitement from the documentary. I fail to see the connection between the geographical setting as presented in the first chapter of the book, and that “translation of irresistible ...romance”. The author failed to provide an adequate setting to launch into his story telling. I want to know and feel and hear and taste, what it was about that third Sunday in November – if he remembers it like it was yesterday, then there are element of that Sunday that stood out!. How the breeze was blowing, the colour of the sky, the movement of the people he came in contact with, I need a more descriptive milieu. Provoke my imagination and make me long to visit that place, where romance and love is irresistible. Rather, he jump straight into an apparent “maco man” description. “Mini-dress... round buttocks”. The author is an Engineer, right!, Then relate that apparently captivating woman to impressive buildings or architectural jargons – for instance: her chiselled and gracefully polished face perfectly tanned by the Caribbean sun... tell us about her figure in detail, elucidate upon the way she stood, the strength resonating from her arms, the line of sight from her stomach down to her toes, does she have flat or bulging stomach? Is there clear demarcation of her body sections? How does her breast complement her thighs? How is her hair style complementing her face and what she is wearing? Is her yellow top a perfect match to her dark blue jeans? Tell me, I want to know that woman!!! But no, ! he jumped right in to a perverted expression. “Voluptuous figure” – which I am sure refers only to her breast!...”pair of round buttocks” – I hope they don’t come in singles. (I am slightly vet)
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ReplyDeleteFrom here on the book concludes, sorry but it opened and closed on the same page. My summary: The author had a one night stand, well no!, as a friend told me “a one off” apparently there are fundamental differences, who knows. But it is essentially about a man who got some good sex, or as we say on the bloc “ah nice pussy” and wanted more. He failed in his attempts and created 96 pages of whinging, mourning and other childish behaviour in an attempt to get some more. The end!
I have to be honest, I started reading this book last night and got to page 36 and thought “this is a bloody waste of my time... I have a long day tomorrow”. The author wrote the entire book in a monotone! I have read academic papers on “Institutional analysis of pre-industrialised civilisation”- written by a Historian and edited by a Geologist, that were more interesting, passionate and romantic that this book. I fail to follow the author. I am not an A-class English student but his adjectives were poor or marginal at best. I wanted to know about this Gaga G and Rennie from Grand Anse, what they looked like? gold teeth in their mouth and dreads on their heads? Which bus they working on? What time they leave home in the morning? Which block they hung out at? Where do they lime in town? Describe them to me pleaseeeee. Moreover, he failed to evoke varied settings in the book which will captivate, transpose or juxtapose the reader, making them want to be in that setting. If Kellyane was so good, I wanted to taste that goodness through the reading; I wanted to feel as if what is being done to the writer is being done to me. Kellyane, should leave female readers envious of her skills. But no, it sounds as dry as the sex with this apparent “black Karma Sutra instructor” (pg.7). Unless he thinks Karma Sutra is an Indian cuisine. Trust me, I would know, I live in Southall – Little Bombay of the UK.
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ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, taking a more sociological view this book raises some interesting questions about the state of affairs in Grenada (borrowed from Safiya via Facebook). I am stunned by some of the activities described in the book and I believe that they tantamount to organised crime – prostitution, targeted sex, etc. I don’t want to sound like I am an old, out of step man, but there is sometime morally wrong in Greenz, something is failing the young people, be it the churches, the schools or the neighbourhood. Young people are growing up faster without adequate social support and then being catapult into an environment instructed by the fairy tale lives as displayed on MTV and other developed countries way of life. I listen to various Grenada radio stations daily and some of the lyrics from the Reggae song cast a shadow over the quality of the young people’s ability to develop cognitively with the right balance of morally acceptable judgement. These educational institutions (Radio, television) fail to safeguard the imposition of uncultured elements from within our Grenadian society. For instance; The UK has a watershed to protect its young people against being exposed to certain materials which can negatively impact upon their future development, what we have in Grenada? Nothing – it is like an “open-see-pulka” all old rubbish comes in and we accept. If we are to develop as a strong windward Island economy, the young people need to understand the value of hard work, dedication, and commitment. While I am not against relationship with others who can help one advance their way of life, it should not be seen as the only way, and done in ways which are both manipulated and counter-productive because as far as I read, when the money was withdrawn Kellyane spell in the high life fell as well. Far from the sluttish picture painted of Kellyane, this book unearths some social issues to which attention and corrective steps must be drawn.
Lloydie, that was great- I must admit that I dismissed it as any great literary oeuvre from the very beginning so I was no surprised that he did not let me live in that moment. All he narrated were a series of episodes and he hoped that the expose would carry itself.
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the most poignant things that you said was that something is missing in young people's lives in Grenada and that they are being failed. I do not want to read too much into this episode because it may be just a specific experience, we should not let one bad mango spoil the whole chow!
However, I think you hit the nail on the head when you say that any and everything infiltrates our Caribbean young people and they accept it as gospel. They think the way people dress in the videos on MTV is "normal", they watch shows like Tila Tequila's filth and think that it is glamourous, and to be honest a lot of them just need good mentors and guidance.
All I could do is laugh! LMAO!
ReplyDeleteAL YUH GON MAINSTREAM BOUY!
ReplyDelete