M

it looked with me standing in front of him at 5’9.

“Hey Simone!” I realized that I had not responded.

“Hello M. Nice to meet you.” I couldn’t stop staring at the top of his head.

“You ready for a workout. I want to show you what I can do for you, and maybe you can help me. You are here to help aren’t you,” he said with a smirk?

I had to laugh. “Direct me to the change room, and I will be right out to help you help me.”

“Head to the back of the gym. The women's locker room is on the lefthand side. I will be waiting for you.”

I made my way back smiling to myself. What was this little man going to show me? I was pretty athletic and had been working out for a few years. As I changed my clothes, I reflected on the fact that I had assumed he was tall. That was my own fault. I couldn’t blame him for his height. Plus, this was business. Nothing else. I looked in the mir- ror; “Alright Simone. Let’s do this.”

OMG! The workout with M nearly killed me. He showed me a few simple things, and honestly it nearly killed me. After 45 minutes he had me sweating and on the floor.

“Wow M! That was amazing. I was here thinking that I was in shape. You definitely showed me,” I said laughing.

“Hey, don’t let my size fool you. I have made bigger men than you cry after working out with me. Go ahead and shower up. Let’s grab something to eat. Put some fuel in your body.”

“Nothing would be better.” M helped me off the floor and I headed back into the change room to get ready.

Well, that was certainly interesting. He had completely caught me off guard. That would not be the first or last time M did that.

Things were about to get interesting, and not in a good way…

Whereas in the Spanishspeaking and French-speaking Caribbean, Native Americans, maroons and enslaved Africans who led revolts against European oppression are sometimes honoured with statues, which is rarely the case in the Englishspeaking countries. For example, in Puerto Rico there are statues of Native American freedom fighters, in Cuba and the Dominican Republic there are statues of both Native American and African freedom fighters, and in Guadeloupe and the (formerly Danish) Virgin Islands there are statues of African freedom fighters.

Students in the Caribbean could benefit from being more informed about the persons who fought for their freedom as individuals, or who sought to obtain freedom for entire groups of the oppressed, or enslaved and who so often gave their very lives to bring this abominable institution to an end. Learning of their resolute bravery is a first step towards granting them the recognition they deserve as Caribbean heroes.

So, when studying our history, we need to break out of the mental silos imposed on us by our colonial past and appreciate that regardless of language we, the peoples of the Caribbean, all share the same history of resistance to oppression and exploitation. Arriving at this conclusion will enable us to transcend the barriers that currently separate us from each other.