So, Sabi, Eugenia, their kids and, it would seem, Edge, who was like their family, have been taken by Hurricane Tomas.
Livity Arts Studio, their workplace and home were swept entirely away under the power of water, land and the mountains. An almost unbelievable event for those of us who knew them…and many knew them. They were like family to many, good friends to more, business partners to many of the traditional crafters – Daphne Stephen, Irene Alphonse, Cathy Osman, just a few who had a special relationship with them.
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| Eugenia and Sabi, Balenbouche, Summer 2010, Photo by Tricia Fay |
For the rest of us in the arts and crafts community, they were a fixture – always there – part of everything. You name the event – they would be there in some form or other…some of us would pick n choose, deciding some events ‘were not worth our effort’…not Sabi and Eugenia – they might think it, say it, but they’d be there anyway, to support the arts “Yeah man, Finola, you know…it’s what we do” That’s what Sabi would say, and Eugenia would smile and make a little face, her heart in the same place.
I remember in the midst of the troubles of the St. Lucia Arts & Crafts Coop, where Sabi was the President…we all sat outside while the Board met…we were ‘complaining’ that Sabi was too soft…many there did not realize Eugenia was sitting quietly with us. She eventually piped up and said “I’m tired telling Sabi he has to be more firm” But let’s be honest – it was not in Sabi’s heart to believe anything bad about people…he could not give up believing there was ‘a reason’ no matter how bad it seemed to the rest of us anyone was behaving.
I drove by Livity so, so many times, not stopping, sometimes missing the horn to beep “hello”, but always saying “hello” in my heart. Now I cannot help but wish I’d stopped more often. How many times have I felt that recently with the loss of people in my life? Too often.
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| Livity Arts Studio |
I saw Eugenia last briefly – stopped by on a rainy day to get a bamboo basket for our cat to sleep in – we have two huge ones from them for our spoilt dogs. She emerged dust covered with sandpaper in hand, from somewhere in the back…eyes puffy but smiling, working hard as always. I got my basket – which I have in my studio, the cat preferred his current bed…and I was glad anyway – I liked the basket :-)
The last time I saw Sabi, stopped at Livity, I was taking Andy and Rich from Dominica to discuss the upcoming training that the FAO, through the Ministry of Agriculture is doing. It was a great visit. We looked around at the calabashes – carved, stained, woven onto by Daphne – we talked about it all – laughed at the number of bags of calabashes, green, dry, small, large, that we saw just everywhere, and Sabi laughed “Yeah man, and that’s not all you know – we have more!”
When we looked at the coffee beans Sabi started to talk about how long it had taken them to perfect the roasting of the coffee…I would know – we used to roast coffee and had long been asking Sabi for coffee off his land, but as it always was with him, he loved to do it himself! We talked about how most people end up burning it, and we discussed if it was Arabica or Robusta we had here – and eventually just agreed it was the best coffee anyway, anywhere – and I remarked that people had emailed us from all over the world to say so! So he asked would we like some. YES! Of course the answer came…so off he went to brew some up.
It was a great cup of coffee, fuel for more chat.
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| Coffe and Cocoa beans at Livity |
You know the secret to getting good colour on a calabash? I can tell you now – I am sure Sabi wouldn’t mind. Sharpie markers.
I was asked today if I’d speak to the media about Sabi and Eugenia – I’d happily do it, but you know, much as I am so involved in the arts and crafts, much as I knew them many years, I know many more of you also shared this friendship…please share here…and I set up a facebook group – Livity for Sabi and Eugenia – so we can plan to do honour to their memory and keep their spirit alive, please do join and talk there too.
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| Eugenia and Sabi in St. Kitts, photo by Urmie Persaud |
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