Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter

David Baker, 102 years old, and his youngest daughter, Blassom Baker, at their home in Bellfield, Manchester. - photos by Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore

Many people would love to live to see a century but realistically, they may not. However, up to September of last year in the hills of Bellfield, Manchester, there were four people over 100 years old.

Lifestyle took a trip to the community to see what accounts for the longevity among its citizens. Alda Morgan from the community was our tour guide. Lifestyle found three people (David Baker, Justina Morris and Jestina Coleman) over 100 years old and Dorris Mclean, 93 years old, in the community. Mr. Mitchell, who was 107 years old, died last September.

Up a hill, about a mile and half from Bellfield Square, is a narrow road with a steep dirt path to Mr. Baker's home. He is fondly called Pappa D and was sitting on the verandah and enjoying the windy morning. He was happy to have company and smiled to welcome us. He said he has been blind for the past 28 years and his mind goes and comes but he would be happy to talk us because his daughter, Blossom, does not let him talk much.

Pappa D will be 102 years old on July 9. Along with his late wife Violet, he had 12 children, six boys and six girls. Of the 12, a son died in a car accident at age 25 and the others have given him over 90 grandchildren. Currently, his youngest daughter, Blossom, is his caretaker.

'Crossed legs'

As he became comfortable to talk, he crossed his legs and folded his hands, resting them on his lap. He closed his eyes tightly and reminisced about himself. "My mother had 12 a wi and a only mi and mi sister still alive. She is 97 years old and she lives in Banana Ground in Top Bellfied," he said.

Squinting and tilting his head backward as if trying to coax his brain to recall his life as a young lad, he said he was a shoemaker, mason, whipsaw cutter, carpenter, farmer, and coal burner. "Mi a did bush doctor, too, you know. Mi cure whole heap a people with bush and people with asthma, too. When dem have asthma, mi just boil John Charles, jackini, trumpet, and fresh-cut bush together, then mix it with honey. And when you drink that, asthma gone," he said with a smile.

He describes, himself as very friendly and in his heyday, he loved to dance and play football. "Mi used to go all a Trewlany a dance (party) and mi did good pon football. Mi did love dem days deh man, never stay like now, wi did loving. Wi never kill people like nowadays."

Once jailed

He said he never got into trouble but he spent three nights in jail once. As he tells it: "Mi bredda Charles was fighting against Eugene (another brother) because mi madda mek Eugene woman come live inna the yard. So one day, Charles lick after Eugene but him lick down mi madda instead, an she fall down and ball out sey, mi dead, whoy!"

"Mi never get involve, but Raphael (another brother) lick back Charles fi we madda and Charles tun round and sey a mi lick him down 'cause him and Raphael were close. And mi still did try fi hide the truth and a so mi get caught up in it," he continued.

In the end, he was detained for three nights but released because the evidence against him was lacking.

Papa D also vividly remembers the Kendal train crash of 50 years ago. At the time, he was a relatively young man and it happened just two months after Alcan (now Windalco-West Indies Alumina Company) came to the area.

"Dem sey dem a Christian but dem did mix up. And yu know - one warner man did sey there was going to be a train wreck. Him tell the people from Williamsfield sey dem nuh fi no tek the train so nuff a dem travel by car. And yu know a what save nuff a dem? De train couldn't hold no more a dem how it did pack," he said.

He then moved on to tell us about his favourite political party. He said he was a born 'Labourite' and Sir Alexander Bustamante was his prime minister. He said that he is happy that the labour party is now in power.

No major illness

Pappa D also boasted that even though he is over 100, he is as healthy as can be. He has never had any major illnesses, and the only thing that affects him now is that his skin itches. He said he is able to walk but these days, he spends most of his time sleeping. He credits a diet of bush tea, yam, banana and dasheen for his good health. Currently, he eats everything, even dumplings. "Mi love mi yam and banana; but mi no fussy still, anything dem give mi, mi eat."

Aunt Jess

At age 105, Justina Morris, also called Aunt Jess, relaxes at her home in Davyton, Bellfield, Manchester.

Next stop was with 105-year-old Justina Morris (Aunt Jess) who lives in Davyton, Bellfield, about a mile and half from Papa D. She was just finishing her morning snack, a glass of Ensure. Her son Morcel Morris, who is 75 years old, is her caretaker. He is the only child of her five children is still alive. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she looked up, cracked a big smile and asked in a very soft voice - "Who are you people?"

Her son warned us that she does not remember much but he would be happy to answer any questions we had. She then turned to us and said, "I can't remember much, you know, 'cause mi brain nuh work so good again."

Aunt Jess spends most of her days in her room as she cannot walk around as much. He legs have grown weak. However, she has no major illnesses. She told Lifestyle that she loves to read her Bible. Actually, someone comes in every morning and reads to her. She told us that she was a preacher and she went around spreading the gospel. She was also a domestic helper and a seamstress.

Her son is very protective of her and said he does not even want her to lift a pin. He told us that she eats mostly crushed Irish potato and other crushed foods, but she loves Ensure, which he (Morcel) gives her once or twice per day. "Yes man, Aunt Jess a fi mi madda man and mi tek care a har. Mi nuh mek she want a nothing," said Morcel.

Aunt Dorris

Dorris McLean, 93 years old, spends most of her days reading her Bible, writing letters and listening to her radio.

Dorris McLean (Aunt Dorris) lives about half a mile from Aunt Jess in a little district called Nepristan. At 93 years old, she lives with her son, Nevell Mitchell. He is the only child of her three children still alive. She said that her family is known to have longevity because her mother, Etel Williams, died at about 96 years and her father Nathaniel died at age 90.

She has failing memory but she remembers that as a girl, she loved to play baseball. And as a young woman, she worked at the bauxite and citrus companies. "These days, I don't do much. Mi read mi Bible and write letters to my friends. Mi find every little thing to occupy my time; mi even do a little sewing at times and mi listen to my radio," she said with a smile.

Gum strong

Having hurt her legs, she is unable to move around much but she sometimes goes on the verandah to enjoy the breeze. She said her brethren from the Church of God of Prophesy visit her at times. Nothing bothers her and she has no major illness other than arthritis in her legs. She also eats anything and she loves cow foot, chicken and fish. "Mi gum strong, you know; mi even eat dumplings, " she said with a smile.

"When mi go to doctor, him sey, 'Mammy, yu no joke with fi yu food though'. Is 'cause mi weighty that is why him sey so," she continued.

She said it is difficult for two persons to lift her because as slender as she is, she is heavy.

She recalls that during Hurricane Charlie, her son, Nevell, was just a boy and the house blew down. "Mi affi tek him and wi run cross the road to the next house. When wi a run, one piece a zinc fly and cut mi pon mi foot."

"Mi sey the way the house did pack up with people, mi and mi son affi hitch up against the wall where did breeze just a blow in pon we. Boy it was a rough time," she said sadly.

She told Lifestyle that another rough time in her life was when her son, Derrick, died in 1980 on Good Friday. She said that Derrick and someone had a quarrel and the man picked him up, dropped him on his back, and it hurt his spine. He ended up in intensive care at the hospital. " Him spend one month a University Hospital. Mi sey mi did know sey him nah go live. Him ask me fi tell Nevell fi come trim him hair. Den before mi know it, mi see Nevell a come sey Derrick dead."

"It was a very rough time fi bury mi son and mi daughter. A only God help mi mek it out," she said sadly.

Miss Jess

Jestina Coleman, 100 years old, gets a hug from Jackie Minott who, along with other members of the Jamaica Standards Products team, presented her and other centenarians from Bellfield with Christmas gifts, last month. - Contributed

Jestina Coleman also lives in Nepristan but when we arrived, she had just eaten and was taking a nap. She is also known as Miss Jess and is 100 years old. Of her eight children, four are still alive. She is not very strong but she moves around with assistance. She has no major illness and spends most of her days resting.

Doctor's View of longevity

To find out more about why some people live so long, Lifestyle consulted Dr. Paul Morris, general practitioner, for his medical opinion.

He noted that there is no real answer why some people are predisposed to living long but there are a few things that may contribute to it. "It is often dependent on genetics, if long-livers are in the family, then chances are you will live long too," he said.

Also, he said that diet, lack of stress, environment and a healthy lifestyle (eating right, not drinking or smoking), plays an important role in living longer.

There is the myth that people who are married live longer. Dr. Morris' opinion is that people who are generally happier, whether single or married, tend to live longer.

Morcel Morris, who is 75 years old, would be expected to need someone to take care of him but he is the caretaker for his 105-year-old mother, Justina Morris.