Bocas' only Homeless

We want to put up some posts that convey more information about Bocas than the sand, sun and ocean.

This man is known to the locals as "Totita". I've seen him all over town and I have been intrigued by his story. He is the only homeless person in Bocas and unfortunately often smells like urine. I have often wondered why he is homeless, why his family doesn't look after him or have him go to the 'old folk's home' here on the island. It isn't like there aren't a lot of cheap shacks around here. Back when we first arrived here, when we lived on the second story of the apartment overlooking the ocean, I would often sit out on the balcony late at night looking out across the water. Frequently I would see "Totita" down below and I would watch him as he would husk coconuts and put them in a big bag. He must be in his mid 70's- he would haul around a bag full of coconuts weighing 80-100 lbs. Whack Whack! would be the sound as he used his machete to trim back the tough coconut husks. He would then grab the dense fibers with his hands and peel them back revealing the dark, solid nut beneath. I figured he must live on coconuts and whatever other food he could get begging from the local tourists.

Actually, I have never seen him beg or ask for money from anyone. But he must like the company I work for because I find remnants of his coconut work at both of our properties (separated by about 2 miles by the way). Sometimes when Carly and I would get up in the morning he would be asleep on the front steps leading up to our apartment. Didn't seem like a very comfortable place to sleep.

When I ran into him walking home last week I asked if I could snap his picture. Although he doesn't speak intelligibly, he seems to understand. He paused long enough for me to take the wonderful portrait above. I hoped someone would be able to tell me his story.

When I showed this picture to my work colleague, Numar, she exclaimed "Oh- Totita!".

"Totita?"

It turns out Totita has been wandering the streets of Bocas since the dawn of time... well as long as Numar can remember. Numar's mom tells her that Totita, in his younger years, was quite the ladies' man. Reputably the best looking bachelor in Bocas, he was known for his amazing skills dancing Caribbean salsa and his woman-loving ways. He would go to parties dressed to the "T" in clean, pressed starch-white pants and white patent leather shoes. Unfortunately it seems his promiscuity got the best of him. Numar explains that allegedly Totita was the subject of a voodoo 'hex' cast on him by a jaded ex-lover. Ever since then he has been 'crazy'. Now and then his family will take him in, clean him up and give him some new clothes. But he won't stay around for long.

In the picture you will notice the empty bag of coconuts over his shoulder and his machete under his arm.

The Caribbean Island city of Bocas is very different from the interior of Central America where I served my mission. There are no tortillas here- the native cuisine is a form of Creole cooking tied to the Jamaican roots of the locals. All the blacks here speak English and they prefer not to speak Spanish. The dialect is actually called Guari-Guari; it is hard for me to understand a word of this "English". The culture holds onto traditions that can be traced back to Africa such as tribal dancing in colorful clothes, music with deep rhythmic beating, and beliefs in the supernatural including Voodoo and Black Magic. Now, how to avoid getting hexed......?