“Barrel a come”

It’s the season of thanksgiving! Christmas is near and it is by far our biggest holiday of the year. Before we embark on this holiday, Jamaicans are planning well in advance in an effort to savor the wonderful Christmas season. Island living is the best kind of living, that is, until you desire goods made overseas. For most, it’s a few items here and there, but for the rest, it’s a few items here, there and with everything else in between. 

The bridge in accessing these goods from overseas are barrels. “Barrel a come” or “barrel come!” are the jubilant expressions in celebration of the new arrivals and that a time of joy is on the horizon. Depending on the relationship between the shipper and receiver, I would guess the average Jamaican household receives one to two barrel (the shipping container for cargo shipment) shipments a year. The closer the relationship the more frequent the cargo. However, it has become more common for one household member to travel abroad solely with the purpose of preparing a shipment, as previously mentioned in “forin.” There are the essentials and basic goods for living and occasionally, “I saw this on TV” items.  Now it’s social media that’s setting the request trends. There was a time when relatives would send Santa, (relatives overseas) a long wish list of desires. I was definitely one of them and my mom did her best fulfilling my every wish. It appeared like magic. I’d send a list via airmail and the items would appear in a brown barrel weeks later. One would be surprised at the kind of goods requested and how basic yet essential they are for everyday living. The average domestic barrel includes; rice, flour, sugar, cooking oil, dried fruits for baking, canned goods and bath soap. While it takes the experienced packer to ensure all items meet its receiver intact and closest to its original form, oil spills are nonetheless common and can damage the cargo — level of severity, all depending. If you’re lucky enough to have escaped an oil spill, everything else tastes like the scent of the shipment’s bath soap. Yet, it’s a risk almost always taken. Which begs the question — is there a better way?  

Yes. Change the way we eat and reduce the desire for goods made overseas. That’s a very tall order. Few might be willing to push forward and get on board, as Jamaican culture is so often defined by trends  — ‘how it has always been done.’ Many of the essential basic items are also made in Jamaica, but with the demand divided, the cost to the consumer is very high. This leaves families with few options, and traveling overseas to send goods home is oftentimes choosing to have it or go without. There is also the option of only shipping raw materials and building new infrastructure in the hope of cultivating demand, but that too is a risk. What if there is no demand? Who will sacrifice the loss? Yeah, our most vulnerable. 

Nonetheless, the impossible only appears impossible until it’s done. It will take  refocusing our minds and what we regard to be joyous. 

In the spirit of giving, Jamoji App has started a fundraiser to aid a mother in delivering the gift of a hearing aid for daughter, Jaydi-Ann Chambers. Please donate via Gofundme.com.