Felicite ‘Ma At’ James of Mahaut and Roseau’s Alice Wyllis would baffle the smartest of persons looking for a specific formula to achieve long-life.

Both women were born on February 22, 1902 and last week joined Dominica’s growing body of centenarians. However, their lives, shaped over a century could not have contrasted more.

Transported to Jimmit from Layou when she was just one-month-old, Ma At grew up there and married Patrick James. Throughout her working and married life she toiled on the Belfast and Checkhall estates, weeding and planting sugar cane, and on the Hillsborough Estate in the tobacco fields.

Her marriage was blessed with 13 children, ten of whom she has outlived. Ma At has also outlived her husband Patrick by 38 years so far and boasts of having 24 grand children, 51 great grand children and 16 great great grand children.

Following the death of her husband in 1962, she moved to the nearby village of Mahaut where she has resided since.

Today, Ma At is completely blind and partially deaf. She walks with the aid of a cane and complains of severe waist pains, what she calls ‘mal-wen’ in the traditional patois, which she is more comfortable speaking.

She is looked after by her grandchildren Samuel Charles and Rosie Stephens who live with her at her Mahaut residence. When The Chronicle visited, she was surrounded by numerous family members, all proud of her achievement. A happy Ma At disclosed that their presence had magically warded off the often and severe waist pains.

According to her family, Ma At wakes early mostly every morning, often taking a morning drink of citronelle before settling back in bed for the better part of the morning.

SOFT FOODS

Today, although her meals are limited to ‘soft foods’ Ma At eats well, favouring potatoes and yams. When asked why she thought she had outlived most of her comrades, Ma At turns up her eyes expressively and declares “C’est Bon Dieu”. She has a similar response if you ask her how long she expects to live.

Like Ma At 100-year-old Alice Wyllis of Roseau is very religious. A devout Catholic, her room is filled with religious ornaments and symbols. Wyllis is also blind and partially deaf, but that is where the similarity ends. Unlike Ma At she cannot walk but is coping well with the discomforts of being bedridden. Wyllis was released from the Princess Margaret Hospital where she was treated for a high fever on the eve of her 100th birthday.

Still astute at 100, Wyllis is sharp-witted, jovial and by her own admission likes to talk. She has fond memories of her childhood, her family and her beginnings in the working world.

Wyllis grew up on Fields and Cross Lane and worked first at the Convent High School as a teacher before moving on to Green’s Pharmacy (now Jolly’s) and the Treasury Department where she once acted in the position of Accountant General. When she retired from the treasury she worked as a treasurer at the Credit Union League of which she is a founding member.

CHILDREN

According to her sister, Wyllis lived a simple life, always willing to help others and to give advice. Ironically, although she was most happy helping children, she never married or had any of her own. In a special interview with The Chronicle she disclosed that this was because she was overly fond of her work and refused to give it up to stay home to raise children.

Today Wyllis’ appetite has disappeared and accordingly eats very little. When she enjoys better health she spent her time listening to DBS’ call-in programme ‘Talking Point’ and the morning and evening news.

When asked if she would like to live as long as the 127-year-old Ma Pampo, Wyllis responded with an emphatic ‘No!’

“Ma Pampo is very happy but when you are this old you can’t do what you want to. You can’t sit like you want to or eat and it is very painful”, she explained.

Back to top
Discuss this story on our Message Board!

Back