Mama Said (No Back Chat)

Originally published by the Commonwealth Foundation in adda

After “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid

Walk on your toes; speak only when you are spoken to, but don’t talk in your belly so you wouldn’t have to repeat yourself like a pagalee; when somebody calls at the gate, pretend you are not at home; holding a boy’s hand will give you baby; but I don’t want one; no back chat!; this is how you wash away blood from your clothes, discreetly and by hand; you are too young for tampons; let all of your openings be filled with the word of our Lord Jesus Christ; on Sundays, be ready for church by eight even when you don’t want to go; this is how you add vinegar to the ochro stew so it don’t slime, and this is how you quail banana leaves for your granny to wrap the conkie; stop taking food from strangers – they will poison you; didn’t I tell you to stop begging for food like a street child?; this is how you clean and fry fish even if you don’t eat it; when somebody calls from the street corner, pretend you didn’t hear them; don’t ask your father why he drinks so much – I don’t; this is the tea you make to calm his stomach, and if he beats you, this is the tea you make to empty it; any good daughter swallows her pride and does what she is told; when you return home from the burial ground, walk backwards into the house so the jumbie dem don’t follow you; the neighbour said that she saw you in your school uniform talking to a boy from the next village; I was playing with him, but I didn’t hold his hand, mama; no back chat!; boys play on the street; you play with your books; don’t concern yourself with why your father didn’t come home last night – no man can love just one woman; this is how you iron his clothes for work the next day; crease the pants like the outer corners of his eyes; do you think any man will want to marry a lazy woman?; this is how you separate husband from father; this is why I stayed; one day you will understand.