Sugar Cane Alley (Rue cases nègres)

SUGARCANE ALLEY

Dedicated to the world's Black Shack Alleys.

Rivière Salée. August, 1930

It was school vacation time.

The children on Black Shack Alley

waited impatiently

for their parents to go to work in the cane fields

so they'd be left free for the day.

Jose...

See how neat the shack is.

Your clothes are clean.

Don't give me reason to be mad when I get back!

Good morning, Amantine.

Hurry, Twelve-toes!

Were you with the zombies last night?

Yes, I was on Madame Dede.

They've gone!

Come, they've gone.

Hurry! You'll miss the fight!

If the mongoose wins, give me your watch.

You're crazy! Carmen gave it to me.

I won. Give me your watch.

Miss, I didn't bet with you!

Liar! Give me your watch.

You only have bananas?

You don't even have codfish!

Last night we ate fruitbread and pork.

It was so very good!

So very good.

What's Gesner doing?

Hurry, Gesner, we're eating at Jose's.

Let's eat outside.

I have flour and codfish. But we eat outside.

Stop showing off. Let us in.

I said we're eating outside.

Quiet! There's the overseer!

The overseer!

He's gone.

Where's the sugar?

There's none.

Look for it.

I said there's no sugar.

You're sure your grandma didn't hide it?

It's all gone.

Too bad! I'll look for it anyway.

I told you, there's no sugar!

She must hide it!

If it's in Jesus' robes, I'll find it!

If you think it's in Jesus' robes,

then search in Heaven, not here!

The sugar's all gone.

You look in the boxes. I'll check the bedroom.

I'll come with you.

Don't you understand?

There's no more sugar!

I'll look under the bed.

Yes.

Nothing!

Look on the beams.

My ma hides it there.

I know! In the chamber pot!

Jose!

You're crazy!

Take off those shoes!

Gesner, you're a liar! You broke the bowl!

Ma Tine's bowl!

Liar! You did it!

Just say a hen did it!

Twelve-Toes' hen.

She climbed on the table and knocked down the bowl.

Julien Twelve-Toes' frizzy hen!

Scared that Ma Tine will beat you?

You need a charm.

No, a chant is better.

3 dogs, 3 cats, don't let Ma Tine beat Jose!

No. A charm is better. It'll save you.

No sugar! So let's eat the flour!

You pig!

We'll make a grass charm, so Ma Tine won't beat him.

3 knots in a blade of grass, you'll be saved.

Hold it tight!

When your grandma arrives, toss it behind you.

She'll scream and swear, but she won't beat you.

Don't stare at adults. It's rude.

Amantine, I see you're enjoying your pipe!

If I were alone I wouldn't light the fire tonight.

I'd put a pinch of salt on my tongue.

To keep the worms from attacking my heart.

Then I'd go to bed because I'm tired.

Tired like an old mule.

What does that say?

"Splendor and development of the bust."

"Rebuild your bosom with oriental pills."

"Develop firm breasts."

"No more protruding bones."

"Give graceful curves to your bosom."

A well-brought up child uses a spoon.

You broke my bowl!

And you had the nerve to glue it!

You thought I wouldn't notice?

The only thing your dead mother left me!

Little scoundrel!

What were you looking for in my things?

Get on your knees!

Ma Tine or not, work faster!

Do your work properly!

The bundles must be thicker and the cane is too short.

Do your work properly!

Make thicker bundles!

Ti Coco! No pissing on work time!

Fine him 15 cents! - Yes, boss.

Whitey's in his easy chair

Black man burns in the sun

Ti Coco pisses

Bossman comes along

Work!

Every day I'd go see Carmen.

He worked on the river boat that went to Fort-de France.

Fort-de-France...

The city that all the village children dream about...

It's you, Jose.

Isn't she cute?

And the one yesterday?

It's not my fault! Girls won't leave me alone.

Now, the serious stuff.

All right.

The "H" is good, so is the "L".

Your "O" is too fat.

Your "U" is dancing the beguine!

Is it really dancing the beguine?

Do it over.

A riddle!

I'm ready.

When ever you see her, she's pregnant.

But she never gives birth.

The full moon.

Another riddle!

I'm ready.

Guess it and I'll give you a white blackbird.

Little black boy, dressed in white, in a green castle.

Medouze, the cutter!

Ti Coco!

12 francs minus 10 cents.

A custard apple!

Cane doesn't need your fertilizer!

Listen to that!

You're always pissing!

If you're sick go see a doctor!

He's not sick, just lazy!

If my kidneys burst I still have to hold it in!

Take your money and scram!

Amantine, the Grandma!

Julien Twelve-Toes!

Is that all?

What did you expect?

You got your due!

He broke his back! That's all you give him?

Madame, 18 francs.

He couldn't do that many rows in 5 days.

If it was too much, he should've refused it.

You women always talk nonsense!

Could anyone else cut more cane than that?

Next!

Anastasie-Big-Belly!

Next!

Don't waste your saliva!

When you die, Whitey will stick our money up your ass!

God damn it! All my money went to the shop!

What can I do with no money? It's time I died!

45 francs.

That's not enough. You're short 6.50.

Put it on today's tab.

All right. On today's tab.

Give me 2 pig's tails...

Half a pot of flour...

And sliver of butter.

Is it you, child?

I'm not asleep, you know?

Just resting my old body.

Damn cane fields!

And cric!

And crac!

Are stories...

... worth telling? Yes! They are!

And cric!

And crac!

Once upon atime...

...in Martinique...

there was a sad and ugly old black man.

A liar would say, "ugly as Jose."

But I'm not a liar, so...

...I'd say ugly as Medouze.

Everyday, the old man spoke of his country.

Cric!

Crac!

Misticric!

Misticrac!

That country was called...

... Africa.

My dad's country.