The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

VERY few people live to see their 100th birthday, so when Anita "Mammie" Wilson reached that remarkable milestone last Saturday, her friends and family came together to host one of biggest celebrations Cat Island has ever seen to honour the matriarch and inn owner.

Starting from last Thursday, Mammie's loved ones started arriving at the The Bluff to spend time with her and celebrate her special day.

For actual her birthday, a full day of activities was planned, starting with a church service and including tributes by relative and friends. There was also a children's programme, dancing, rake n' scrape music and much more.

Her granddaughter, Monique Toppin, described the birthday celebrations at Mammie's Apple Tree Inn as "an amazing day with lots of tears of praise and thanksgiving, and of course many smiles and laughter."

"All had a sumptuous meal and birthday cake," she added.

Before her birthday on Saturday, Mammie spoke briefly with Tribune Woman, saying that she was thankful to God for allowing her to live to see this day.

She also expressed joy at being able to connect with her children and grandchildren, and being able to join in the with the musicians who played rake n' scrape versions of some of her favourite songs.

"I feel good to have lived this long. It was the Lord who allowed me to see this age, and I am grateful," she said.

"This makes me feel really good. I like to listen to the music. If it is one (song) I know, it is enjoyable to me," she said.

Mammie is considered a community leader and known from Orange Creek in the North to Devil's Point in the South. Her home has always been at the heart of The Bluff and open to all.

She was born in Young Yard in The Bluff, Cat Island, on June 17, 1917. Her parents were Binah Young, also called Roxy, and Edward McDonald. Her maternal grandfather was Sam Young and his father was Cofie Young. Her siblings were Eleanor Pratt, Carrington Hepburn, Maisie McDonald, Miriam Simmons, Lillian Kerr, James McDonald, Menerva Rolle, Emerald Johnson, Dolly McDonald, and Carol McDonald.

Mammie went to school in The Bluff, and sister Rosina Sands was her school teacher. Her friends in school were Winnie Hepburn, Olive Hepburn and Lee from Industrious Hill.

In 1933, she had her first child, Ruth King. She moved to Nassau to seek employment in the late 1930s and started work for the Rogers' family. During that time she lived in Miss Lyles' yard on Hawkins Hill. Her fiancé, John 'Rissie' Wilson, the son of Philemon and Julia Wilson, also of The Bluff, Cat Island followed her to Nassau with their young son Orthnell.

When he left for the United States to work for the Contract, a farm labour programme, in 1941, Mammie moved back to Cat Island.

In 1943, Rissie returned to Cat Island bearing Anita's entire bridal trousseau - her wedding gown, veil, shoes - everything she needed for their wedding. Her bridesmaids were Ruthie Strachan Mackey and Ethel Wilson.

The wedding took place in the Anglican Church in Roker's, and the bride and groom, along with the bridal party and guests, walked from the Bluff to Roker's and back. Granny Cherry made the wedding cake, a pound cake, and Mammie recalls that they had bean soup, along with all kinds of down-home island food.

Mammie was blessed with 14 children, six of whom survived to adulthood: Ruth, Orthnell, Agnes, Brenda, Livingston "Junior" and Dayne. She also adopted and raised two of her brother-in-law's children, Neville and Kermit Wilson.

Throughout Cat Island, she is known as a hard-working, industrious woman, who along with her husband, built a thriving farm, breeding cows, goats, sheep, chickens, and growing produce. At the peak of their enterprise they supplied the entire island with their meat products. Initially, Mammie also assisted her husband in the running of their bar, which was one of the major watering holes in The Bluff settlement.

To this day, she is passionate about her God. She grew up as a Baptist and was a lay minister for the Lovely Zion Baptist Church in The Bluff. In later life she converted to the Church of God and served as a minister in her local church. She has fond memories of church conventions in Nassau, where she would lead the delegations that travelled from Cat Island to attend these events.