Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS

2013-Apr-05-0812Hrs

Dear Errol:

Those documenting the history should be sure not to leave out "initiation" as one of the defining aspects of the Mausica experience, endured by all groups except the first one, with Felix, Jack Warner and others who introduced it (with no doubt the approval of Fitzy). I am wondering if members of that pioneering group are truly Mausicans,on account of this, but I am not going to push that too far since some of them might find out where I am living. Besides, they could take credit for doing the heavy lifting that is always the lot of pioneers. Indeed, the truth is that the group is on evidence exemplary.

Back to initiation, which remains bitter-sweet. I apologise to all of the first years who came in in August 1968, especially the girls in the lines on the tennis court, who had to place their hands in a paper bag, grab a frog,and pass it down the line.

But the year before in Haven, Sto, my roomate had also come down a line of us first years, with a bowl of medicine and a spoon in hand, and we each, roomate included, had to endure a teaspoon of gum of aloes.

That year Anna of Grenada destroyed the hair of my future bride, by soaking it with a good helping of old time starch that you used to boil. Some needless cruelty there, that has left some anger. There are other cases.

But initiation was essential, bar the excesses. I have vivid memories. I saw Ian Paul running across Fair Haven square with fear on his face, and second year Sahadeo from the Villa in pursuit with his famous cutlass.

Irma Clark had a sign that said "nobody died last year", and I spent much time that first week wondering about those words. They came from a bright mind.

Should courtships have been prohibited during the first week--until after the candle light procession on Friday? Some second year men (and maybe women) could not wait. There indeed were sub texts to initiation.

My roommate Sto re-christened me the very first evening I landed at Mausica. My marabella identity changed just like that. Nobody called me by name at Mausica, nor after, with one exception. And that is a span of 46 years. In Mausica cicrles, and rippling out to intersect with others I came to belong to, I remain Scratchie, or Scratchy. For efficiency I kept the name when I sang calypso there. But I spend some time back in Marabella these days, and when I lime in the pan yard or on any bar, I hear my original name, or another one that was associated with my football playing exploits there.

But there were other Mausicans who cant walk away from names they got there....Django, Horse, Pecos, Dum Dum, Paddy, among others.

Sto and I remain very close friends. He built my house three years ago when I returned to the country. I was at the wedding of his daughter short years ago...My daughter and his reconnected recently... He and Linda have brought son and daughter over to visit, plus a splendid grand.

The daughter, to whom I have over her life been "Uncle" Scratchie, is making this inter-generational. Now the grand is being taught to say "uncle Scratchie". And I say yes, give Uncle Scratchie a kiss.

But my name is Theodore Lewis.

Theodore Lewis