Brooklyn Gets Hotter In August

August has always been for me the official Caribbean Month in Brooklyn. Jamaicans, Bajans and Trinis celebrate Independence in August and it is also the month which kicks off all the activities leading to the West Indian Day Carnival in Brooklyn next month, a notch. From North, South, East and West, people pour inna Brooklyn in August. Sounds of steel pan fill your ears with the smell of jerk chicken falling upon your tongue from your noses. Flatbush and East Flatbush are literally ignited with an extraordinary synergy. And the flags... Oh my gosh! The youth donning the various flags echoing their ethnic pride. That is so, sooo wonderful to see.... For real!

Old timers are rooted in our cultural habits and, luckily, some young ones are keeping the vibes alive. Daylight a ketch nuff people making dem way home from a fete Sunday mornings. And trust mi...some of them bath and gone to church to worship. Even week-day nights find people partying! The sugar cane and coconut vendor is happy ‘cause if we doana eat cane or drink coconut water any other time of the year, this is the month. And there is no better time for coconut water and cane juice...’cause it’s HOT! All the corn soup man happy... plenty of partying! Limers hunger from all the dancing and partying. Yeah, man. Brooklyn gets hotter and more fun in August.

And you neva know who you are likely to run into. Take this for example: Just last week I was out and about - having a good time - and guess who I met up with... a member from Third World. See? Yuh neva knows. Carrot and Jenny was chilling outside with some food and laughter. Just some cool runnings.

No joke, good things a gwaan inna the Caribbean Communities ...especially inna Brooklyn. Canarsie can now claim Caribbean Community status cause we have a high percentage of Caribbean folks. Yeah, man! Proudness full mi every single time mi gets an opportunity to see the power we possess working like a magic.

Yuh deh wuk the three job feh to pay the rent, keep up yuh style, nuh true, and the nice living room set not done pay for...Ooono! Must tek some time to enjoy some parts of life. It nuh right dat yuh jus wuk, wuk and .....Nuff things goin’...plenty for FREE.

How many of you know that Prospect Park featured Morgan Heritage this weekend gone, and that Shadow was there last month? Yuh can’t come here and just spen yuh time just a wukin’. When first yuh tek a Sunday evening stroll? Aaaaah...Remember the Sunday evening ritual?..After yuh eat dinner and the sun gone down, we clean up and go for a walk. August is ablaze wid plenty things Caribbean to enjoy.

Til next time...walk good!