The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-04-21
THE WOMEN or JAMAICA.
They Are Hnsineere and LREy, saya
an American Woman Who Hna
Lived Amongst Them.

turned after years residence In Ja-
maica. The men have what little rec
reation there is TO be had but n never
occurs - them that their wives or sis
ters would enjoy anything besides
neighboriy gossip, and there is abso-
iutely no provision for the amusement
or recreation of mere females. Men
seem TO tolerate their wives, and one
never sees a couple out driving together
or on any sort Of pleasure excursion.
Tradition and custom exert a very
strong influence socially, and ideas that
we're common fifty or one hundred
years ago still prevail In jamaica Cos
sip and scandal being the only form OF
amusement. these are made the most
OF, and an American woman finds II ex-
ceedingly startling and annoying to find
herself engaged the next day after
having stopped a moment in the parade
70 exchange greetings with a native
man she happens 10 have a slight ac-
quaintanee wiSh. But such IL the preju-
dice one cannot pass the simplest civil
tiles with a person OF the opposite sex
without the scandal mongers taking Il
up and making an engagement out
oft
THE domestic appointments, too, are
In most establishments about a century
behind the times Everything Is done
IN the most laborious way, and any in
novation or labor saving device seems
70 be looked on with suspicion or dis
favor. The cooking Is all done in an out
side building and the food Is carried
into the house In years stay only
saw one cooking stove; the usual ar
rangement for cooking Is brick erec-
tion about four feet high with an open
wood fire on top. A couple OF iron
bars go across. and the pots and pans
are set right in the fire. When there is
10 be a roast the big brick oven Is
heated A great deal OF expensive Inn
ported food is used, such as cured fish,
butter in tins. enormous quantities OF
condensed milk, ham and bacon, and
jams. jellles and marmalade. Bread Is
very dear and very poor. All the flour
Is imported from the United States un-
der heavy duty and freight charges. and
the bakers take very little pains in maxi
ing bread. Il is always the same, and
one longs sometimes for a bit Of rye,
graham or French bread. The native
beef Il excellent. but they do not under
stand cutting Il. and one pays the same
price, about slxpence. for the lehst de-
sirable parts as for the choicest The
cook. generally a middle aged black
woman. cooks only the meat and vege-
tables. Pastry or desserts are not IN
her line at all, ard unless the landlady
exerts herself to make a pudding or pie
the boardsrs have TO dispense with des-
sers
The creole women are nos al all
pretty, but many Of them have graceful
and vlvaci0us manners, and there are
many naturally fine singing voices
among them They really cling surprls-
inely we'll. considering that they have
absolutely no vocal instruction. There
are No free public schools such as we
have ard children are not Obliged 10
20 to school Any young woman who
thinks she knows enough may become
a teacher or open a little school al her
home and she may teach subjects that
she has never been Instructed IN her
self. but has merely picked up By read
Ing 4 very few Of the larger schools
have head masters or mlsiregses frcm
Eeglard VINO are trained teachers. but
their assistants ard all iat teachers in
tee smaller sehools are irtiftrently
qualified native girls and boys Poor
people eannoi afford to give their chill
dren even such raGimtalary schooling
as the island has In the old days of
wealth and lavish living people sent
iheir ch!lzreH TO England to school. but
very few can aford TO DO that new
Many Of Che houses bssIeak the
wealth 81 two generations ago, with
their solid mahogany doors and stair
cases and massive stone construction.
when the psopls had plenty OF money
they did not DO any good with Il, their
only care apparently having been to
squandsr It. and now their children and
grandchildren are suffering the pinch
OF poverty The girls we're brought up
In absolute idieness. waited upon BY
an army Of servants. and a little simple
embroidery was the only form 0f toll
that ever occupied their tairiy frEers
To this day Jamaica women look upon
work as about the loves, form Of deg
radiation and they wilt resort % The
most ludieruus and desplcahle pxpedi.
eHts to gtf unt II dolnR a bit of work
One viii meet large families with hall
a dozen grown up Girls doing uoihlrg.
and a father lollirr on a email SALARY
20 support them AT n idlcness
They are very 'dressy' IN their pccul-
lar wHy Everything Is trimmed to
death with iueks. insertion. edFlnr rib
bon and every form of emhellishment
they can eoutrlge. ard they have no
conception Of the smarfness of SIMPLE
ity They Do not make any distinction
as 70 when to wear their nnery and
they will turn out for picnic orarrlcui-
tural show loaded With a. much itwtiry
.aH Hna fIa#hIaa ss the. ur..rtfI ,.sfar