Set in a rural Jamaican village, this story tells of the arrival of Miss Coolie, a mysterious woman from India, the new slaves of Jamaica, known to the villagers as “the snake woman”. Her presence unsettles the deeply traditional and Christian community, who view her with suspicion because of her exotic appearance, customs and independence. The story critiques prejudice, ignorance and resistance to diversity, highlighting the transformative yet unsettling nature of cultural exchange through the lens of colonial history and human relationships.
“Under Nana’s care, no such thing happened for she made certain to cut the navel string with special scissors used only for that purpose and carefully hidden away until the navel was cured, to wash the newly-born in water in which rum and a silver three- pence provided by the father had been thrown, to dress the navel with nutmeg, dose mother and baby with a heaping teaspoon of castor oil each, and make sure that a new broom was brought and hidden away in the room to be used later to sweep out all the dust which accumulated under the bed for the nine days so that it could be specially disposed of. During these nine days Nana was in total charge of the house- hold, doing all that needed to be done for the mother and child, at the end of which she would go away happy with another job well done, a silver dollar and a bankra of food. Only Mother Miracle was allowed into the room when she came bearing a cal- abash of her precious holy water. And on the ninth day Miss Coolie emerged from the room with Biya, for that is what she called her son from the start.”