Using your head
on George Hamilton (Jamaica), 27/Jun/2010 19:33, 34 days ago
After enjoying breakfast and watching the Germany-England World Cup game at Audrey's, the conversation moved towards her African carvings above the TV which Aziz, her fiance, had brought her from Gambia. I mentioned I particularly liked the one of the woman carrying the bucket on her head and Aziz mentioned that he too could do that.Aziz told us that in Gambia the men carry firewood and the women buckets of water on their heads on a regular basis. I asked him if he would care to demonstrate and he was only too happy to do so.First he rolled a navy blue napkin into a ring and placed it on his head. He said the ring was more protection for his head than anything, especially when carrying heavy loads. He plunked the nearest item in his reach onto the ring, a glass cup, and easily stood up out of his chair, then started walking around the room ducking under door frames and keeping clear of the overhead fan without the slightest movement of the glass on his head. He can do anything while keeping that glass firmly placed on his head. So very impressive.Aziz said the trick is in keeping your neck straight. Personally I think there's more to it than that because when he bent under the door frame I saw his head tilt quite a bit which meant his neck bent along with it and the glass didn't slide off. Remember trying to keep the book on your head when you were a child? I could never do it for more than 5 seconds.I've been noticing people here in Jamaica carrying their loads on their heads as well and have taken a few photographs when they weren't looking. I don't want to look too much like a tourist, even though sometimes I must admit I truly am, but this ability of using our heads to carry items has fascinated me since I was a child.The man above carrying his cardboard boxes was in Ochi. You've got to admit, it's such an efficient method of carrying large items. Plus, as Aziz pointed out, you can stack things on top of each other as this man has done.This man also was in Ochi. He came in with produce and dropped vegetables off in the kitchen of the Indian restaurant where we ate supper, then headed back out again. Sometimes I get caught up in the moment and don't pull out my camera until it's too late. This was one of those moments - he walked out faster than I could get my camera ready.Besides, carrying objects, lots can be done with your head...even the first English goal in the World Cup game today was scored with a header.