| La Marchanta Herminia and La Marchanta Luisa were ladies from Santiago
de Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. When I lived there, these
ladies and others would bring many of our household needs to the
gate of our house. Their nasal chants would ring out, ”Repollo,
lechuga, ajiles!” “Flores! Flores! Flores!” or
whatever they were selling. One of the most remarkable things to
me was the huge, delicious, cooked beets.
The cook would stroll to the gate. Flamboyant dialogues, bargaining,
and gossip would take a great deal of the morning as a new marchanta
would arrive and the other departs. As they would start to their
homes before noon, they would take out long black cigars and puff
to relax. They rode sidesaddle because they were ladies. There
is a certain formality about being male and female in the Caribbean
culture. I liked to see the burros clipping along at a good trot,
swaying not bouncing on their little feet. |
