Reporter Keisha Shakespeare is all business.I MAY be a country girl to Kingstonians but this country girl is no farmer, much less cane cutter. No, that line of work is not my calling.
However, last Wednesday, challenged by Lifestyle Editor Grace Cameron who dared
us to experience what female cane cutters face, I found myself in a field cutting cane.
I should've followed my first instinct and run as fast and as far away as possible when she first raised the idea. I didn't, and instead went along with the plan to visit Bernard Lodge Sugar Estate in Lakes Pen, St. Catherine,
to start chopping cane at 6 a.m.
At 4:30 a.m. I was up and getting ready.
By 5:30 I met up with the others and we
were on our way. To add to my anxiety we got lost several times and before finding our destination two hours later with the help of Alfred Williams, head of extension
department of the All-Island Cane Farmers Association. Williams, bubbling with excitement, had machetes, files and gloves for us.
By the time we arrived in the fields the cutters had long started their day but when we stepped out of the pick-up they all paused to look at us. I guess they were wondering "what the heck are they doing out here?"
It didn't take long before a well build cane cutter, Swayvan Henry, who calls himself Acid to come up to me.
"A why dem people come down yah fi do. Dem t'ink dem can chop cane like mi. A mi dem call di cane killa."
ACID REIGN
My first thought was all that sun must have finally got to him. As it turned out Acid was quite nice to us, especially me. He took my machete when he saw that I was struggling to sharpen it and when he was finished he showed me how to cut the cane and stock them properly. He then gave me back the machete and told me to get on with it.
When I started I realised that this was a very hard job. After the first 10 minutes sweat was running down my spine, face and arms and my heart was racing like a bicycle going down a steep hill. I lasted for 20 minutes before I had to stop for a break. My cutting partner, Barbara Ellington had to stop after
15 minutes because she was feeling nauseous, before starting again. After toiling for at least 45 minutes I decided it was time to stop. I was not in the mood to collapse.
A MEASLY PAY
I was so grateful when Racquel Henry, the lady selling drinks in the field brought me a box drink to quench my thirst. I tried to chop a few more pieces of cane but only lasted for seven more minutes before giving up.
While I sat and watched Nashauna Drummond and Grace Cameron chopping like there was no tomorrow I had a chat with some of the cutters. When they told me that they were making $145 per ton I was appalled. I had not cut a ton of cane and I almost toppled over.
I cannot imagine these cutters toiling for hours in the sun for a measly $145 per for a ton of cane. I found myself in a cane field
cutting cane. I think it is sad.
Keisha Shakespeare
