"St. Vincent" (by ryan brooks)

Gobel was a handyman in the village. He could build or fix just about anything. The two of us built the shelves in the Library at the primary school in the village. Unfortunately what little money he made went to buying Very Strong Rum, St. Vincent's own over-proof rum. At 170 proof (85% alcohol) it literally burns your throat and stomach as you drink it. He struggled with alcohol for a long time before his liver finally gave up and he died and few months ago.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:07:23 +0000

Gobel was a handyman in the village. He could build or fix just about anything. The two of us built the shelves in the Library at the primary school in the village. Unfortunately what little money he made went to buying Very Strong Rum, St. Vincent's own over-proof rum. At 170 proof (85% alcohol) it literally burns your throat and stomach as you drink it. He struggled with alcohol for a long time before his liver finally gave up and he died and few months ago.
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Armond was a particularly poor farmer in the village. Farming is no longer lucrative in St. VIncent unless you own the land that you work which very few people do. In this picture Armond is standing up against the outside of the small plank board shed where he lived. If he wasn't working in the field I could almost always find him drinking and relaxing in his house with friends.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:11:26 +0000

Armond was a particularly poor farmer in the village. Farming is no longer lucrative in St. VIncent unless you own the land that you work which very few people do. In this picture Armond is standing up against the outside of the small plank board shed where he lived. If he wasn't working in the field I could almost always find him drinking and relaxing in his house with friends.
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On holidays community groups and churches would organize 'excursions' or day-trips to the grenadine islands, a chain of small islands to the south of St. Vincent. The ferry would leave early in the morning from the capital and land at one of the grenadines for the day allowing the passengers to spend a day on the beach or visit relatives. Most people would drink all day so when they got back on the boat in the afternoon they could barely stand.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:15:14 +0000

On holidays community groups and churches would organize 'excursions' or day-trips to the grenadine islands, a chain of small islands to the south of St. Vincent. The ferry would leave early in the morning from the capital and land at one of the grenadines for the day allowing the passengers to spend a day on the beach or visit relatives. Most people would drink all day so when they got back on the boat in the afternoon they could barely stand.
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Cat-face is a really quiet and timid guy until he gets a few drinks in him then he more out spoken and will shake your hand indefinitely or give you a 'bust' (a very common informal greetin where you bump knuckles of a clenched fist) with with you over and over giving him his second nickname Bust-it.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:46:46 +0000

Cat-face is a really quiet and timid guy until he gets a few drinks in him then he more out spoken and will shake your hand indefinitely or give you a 'bust' (a very common informal greetin where you bump knuckles of a clenched fist) with with you over and over giving him his second nickname Bust-it.
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Lessie Hackshaw is the oldest man in the village at 101 years old. He can no longer stand or sit upright and has a very hard time walking but that doesn't keep him from being a part of the village social scene. I would often find him on the porch of this shop drinking with the boys. No matter what state they were in they would always make sure that he was taken care of.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:50:31 +0000

Lessie Hackshaw is the oldest man in the village at 101 years old. He can no longer stand or sit upright and has a very hard time walking but that doesn't keep him from being a part of the village social scene. I would often find him on the porch of this shop drinking with the boys. No matter what state they were in they would always make sure that he was taken care of.
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Carnel was one of the exceptional chefs in the village. He would often be invited to functions just so that he would cook which he loved. However, whoever was organizing the cook had to hide the rum from him so the he wouldn't get too drunk to finish the job, which he often did.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:17:36 +0000

Carnel was one of the exceptional chefs in the village. He would often be invited to functions just so that he would cook which he loved. However, whoever was organizing the cook had to hide the rum from him so the he wouldn't get too drunk to finish the job, which he often did.
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This fisherman and bar owner sings to me while playing his homemade guitar made of fishing line, wood and a large tin of Crix salt biscuits, a staple food in St. Vincent.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:54:42 +0000

This fisherman and bar owner sings to me while playing his homemade guitar made of fishing line, wood and a large tin of Crix salt biscuits, a staple food in St. Vincent.
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I-Feel was one of my neighbors. He was severely crippled so that he could barely walk and his arms and hands were badly contorted. Because of this he of limited use in the fields though he filled another extremely useful roll in the village making brooms and replacing the broken handles on cutlasses and sharpening them. The little money that he had from this and from begging went towards Very Strong Rum.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:01:00 +0000

I-Feel was one of my neighbors. He was severely crippled so that he could barely walk and his arms and hands were badly contorted. Because of this he of limited use in the fields though he filled another extremely useful roll in the village making brooms and replacing the broken handles on cutlasses and sharpening them. The little money that he had from this and from begging went towards Very Strong Rum.
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Pasha is the poorest part of the village and the source of constant issues. There were regular public brawls and cursing matches frequently fueled by drugs (marijuana, crack) and alcohol.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:15:44 +0000

Pasha is the poorest part of the village and the source of constant issues. There were regular public brawls and cursing matches frequently fueled by drugs (marijuana, crack) and alcohol.
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As a largely Christian nation, biblical holidays are celebrated in grand style. Easter falls around the end of tourist season. Vincentians being very timid in nature stay off to one side of beach separate from the tourist influence engaging in the their own type or raucous partying involving lots of alcohol, loud music and provocative dancing.

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:09:57 +0000

As a largely Christian nation, biblical holidays are celebrated in grand style. Easter falls around the end of tourist season. Vincentians being very timid in nature stay off to one side of beach separate from the tourist influence engaging in the their own type or raucous partying involving lots of alcohol, loud music and provocative dancing.
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