Photo by Marguerite Wynter
I spent several years living in Cedar Grove. The local village is nestled between the upscale communities of Hodges Bay and Crosbies. If you are heading to or from the airport you might miss the village but inside the heart and soul of the Antiguan people is felt in the churches, rum shops and corner stoops. The tennis and ball court is a gathering spot of the kids. There is a shop that used to be called Joe’s where I still buy my Ting or Ribena for Maggie. Up the hill was Miss George’s where I bought bread and listened to local gossip and chat. The corner church had lovely gospel music on Sat. nights. On the side near Miss George’s is Judgement City, a stone stoop where local men gather to chat and gossip and pass judgment on those who have been scorned, who have committed an infraction or who simply need to be set straight by the local brethren. Many a quarrel have been witnessed at Judgement City. Up the hill is a rum shop and restaurant where locals and tourists gather. It is a sleepy village most days. Sadly the still night is woken by the pathetic cries of dogs tied to their 24/7 prisons in tiny yards. Animal welfare is not in the forefront of concerns in much of Antigua. Beyond the village lies the Caribbean blue where many locals still fish and enjoy a sea bath.
