My Story
Growing up in the beautiful 36 miles of Dangriga, Belize, I loved
words
tree climbing
sea bathing
singing
my family
stories or uraga
lunch & dinner
school, church
talking Garifuna
Yes, I loved school at Wesley. Pencils and the black and white exercise book, teachers, principal, books, recess and friends to play with, the green and white uniform, church, Sunday school, harvest, maypole and lunch time.
Yes, I loved fried fish, white rice and ripe plantain, hudut, tamales or gadamalu, panadez, fudge, tablata and my favorite wangla. I loved almost every kind of mango, crabu or murein, guava, sour sop, coconut, cassava or areba.
Yes, I loved bathing at sea and washing off bar mouth, I loved the bus ride and the scenery on the Hummingbird Highway, I loved Jankunu at Christmas, and the Charekanari, and the light cake, and the sorrel, I loved the smell of johnny cake baking, the baking of cassava and the playing marble in the middle of the street.
My parents were the typical Caribbean parents who left their child or children with family to travel abroad to seek a better life. My father visited us, but I don't remember being introduced to him so I only peeked through the peep hole when he visited grandma. I met him and mom formally at the age of ten when I arrived to America. I didn't know them before then.
I was raised by my Grandmother and Grandfather, and I grew up with all four of my siblings. It was five of us, all girls. My Mom had us pretty young and had us right behind each other. We are one year apart, except me and my baby sister in which we are two years apart.
I also grew up with a half brother, and I am close and connected with another half broker and a half sister. We all live in different states so we don't see each other often but we try to keep in touch with each other.
My dad worked as a Floor Clerk at the New York Stock Exchange and retired from there. He was a good dad because he made sure we had a roof over our head, had food to eat, had clothes on our backs and he insisted that we speak Garifuna in the house, or at home. We give him kudos for that. My dad cared and loved all his family, and he was loved by his family also.
My Grandmother and Grandfather and my Mom and then my Mom again and me.
My mom worked as a Bank Administrator at Bank of America on Wall Street. She was a hard worker because she would come straight home to take care of five children, feed, bath and make sure our homework was done before she retire for the night. My mom was very kind, mild, quiet, generous and sweet. She loved everyone and everyone loved her. She had a passion for the elderly and for children and youth.
I gave up my previous career ambitions — neon signmaker, tightrope walker, astronaut, zookeeper — and set about writing songs. Through Sing Out! magazine, which published my first essay, I found pen pals in Ireland, England, and Switzerland, and we wove a web of poems and songs across the ocean long before the internet.
From high school I went to Centre College of Kentucky, where I studied music and English and decided writing was the work I loved most. There I met musician and writer, Steve Lyon, and, though I never became a zookeeper, I did marry a Lyon and raise cubs of my own, Benn and Joey.
Me and my Sisters
The house my sister and I grew up in
My Mom and Dad
From high school I went to New York City Community College, and then transferred to Syracuse University. After Syracuse I returned to Brooklyn, and went straight to the Garifuna community and I have not turned back. I too everything that I learned in Syracuse University Visual and Performing Arts and applied it to the performance groups I created and facilitated since I graduated.
Garifuna Performing Arts Company
I started my family immediately after I got married. I didn't dream of having four children, but that is obviously what God intended. My children are a blessing and they are a joy. I thank God for blessing me with them. I also have a Grandson and he is also a joy and a blessing.
The Bullock Family
Mr. and Mrs. Bullock
Even after all these years, I'm not so different from the little girl I was who loved mangoes so much she ate them right after pulling them off the tree, and who still have to eat roasted cashews every time I visit Belize. While driving cars have turned into walking to do what I have to do, I still love: words, family, stories, lunch and dinner, school and church. Only now I'm older but it is STILL ME!!!!
My Grandson