Dominica  

 
The maps below show the location of Dominica and the parish of Soufrière, where I was born. Dominica is a wonderful, wild, windswept place of approximately 80,000 people, the majority of whom are descendents of various African peoples brought to Dominica, forcibly, in the 18th century by some Europeans who made the absurd claim to be Christian. An absurd claim indeed. So much for: blessed are the gentle, blessed are the peacemakers, there can be no limit to your goodness etc. (J. Christ, Sermon on the Mount, New Testament, Bible)

I left Dominica in 1961, when I was 5 years old, to join my parents in what was then a rather bleak England. Thirty years later I returned to Dominica to visit my elderly relatives. It was an overwhelming experience, both joyous and sad. I am grateful to have had the chance to see them before they said goodbye...forever. Goodbye granddad, goodbye granduncle. May you rest in peace.
 
 

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