“Commess” is the Island word for gossip and for a lot of bequians it seemed to be a full-time occupation. With no televisions, telephones or computers to distract them people talked about each other for entertainment, and they did so with an inventiveness that was downright astounding!
When I packed my bag to go to the Caribbean for a year I had carefully included sundresses I thought would be ideal for teaching in the tropics. I was told on my first day that the dresses were not suitable attire for a female teacher because my shoulders weren’t covered. I had to go to a clothing store on the Island and buy t-shirts and skirts I didn’t like with my limited funds, and they made me too hot in the crowded classroom.
When I left the Island for the summer to work in Canada (I needed to earn some money to support myself on Bequia) I carefully bought myself a few loose dresses made with light material, ensuring that my shoulders were properly covered. They were perfect! Now I would be cooler in the stuffy classrooms, which could feel like an oven at times.
Alas, as soon as I returned to the Island and donned my new loose dresses people kept asking me when the baby would be born. I assured them that I was not pregnant but it became increasingly obvious that they did not believe me. O.K., I had gained a few pounds while away, feasting on foods I had missed while on Bequia, but not THAT much!
The gossip grew worse, much worse. A few months later my belly had gone DOWN in size instead of ballooning, and of course the whole Island was tracking its lack of progress. Word went out that I had “thrown away de baby”, in other words had an abortion. For a teacher to get pregnant out of wed-lock was frowned upon but forgivable, for her to “throw away de baby” was bad, it was downright criminal! My name was mud, my reputation ruined, all because I had bought myself a few cool dresses.
Judy, do you know how the word “commess” was derived? How did that come to mean gossip?
I have no idea how the word was derived but it sure is used often!
It may be from the French word “Commerce”…
Yes, I found two definitions online: “A confused or noisy situation” with an origin listed as “From French Creole commece ‘confusion’, from French commerce ‘commerce’.” And “A hot piece of news/ information of someone or something that usually start rumors” with no origin. Interesting!
We learn something every day 🙂
I didn’t know that there’s no telephone and no computer in Bequia, the last time I was there Bequia was a developed. Island with electricity and cellular phones, computers etc.
The story you read was written about the 70’s on Bequia, whole different place today….
Ugh! One of the reasons I left home. Too much commess. What a terrible thing to happen to you. I admire you for staying after that.
It’s true I had to grow a tough skin and learn not to take gossip seriously!
I am so enjoying your blogs 😁 refreshingly…..xox
Thanks Amanda, glad you enjoy the stories. Keep reading!
😂 welcome to Island 🌴 life where everything and everyone seems to be up for discussion! Good blog post… I enjoyed it.
Thanks!