Supply is one of the villages in Mahaica on the East Coast Demerara and is home to more than 500 people. It is considered by its residents to be the most harmonious village in Guyana.
When I visited, I found Kussilla Jagasar in a deep conversation with her ‘samdin’, Bhagmatee Ivan, at her daughter’s residence, a stone’s throw away from where she lives. She introduced herself and her samdin explaining that Ivan’s son is married to her daughter giving meaning to their samdin relationship. Her daughter, she said, had invited her and Ivan over since they were the eldest of the two families.
Jagasar was born in the village and celebrated her 89th birthday on December 17. When she was a child, she shared, her father planted rice and she and her siblings (a brother and sister) took care of the cows and other livestock. “Meh bin deh bout eight to nine/ten year when I used to tek care of the cows dem,” Jagasar related. “By then me had already know to cook all kind dishes… dhall, rice, curry, polourie, biganie and all kind sweet dishes. When me reach 14 me marrid.”