Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2019 | Page 253

I
by Shana Jones
www.roamingaviatrix.com
magine one day you look outside to
see your garden totally destroyed, soil
trampled recklessly and recently-planted
carrots strewn everywhere. Arming
yourself with a weapon and a few choice
words, you venture out in search of the vandal.
A faint chattering sound and some rustling
leaves lure you to the nearby bush. You
approach, ready to fight, and find yourself eye-
to-eye with a small mischievous face and two
hairy, dirt-filled hands. Unfazed by you or your
weapon, the creature defiantly returns your
stare before scampering into the bush with its
partners in crime.
Unbelievable? For many Barbadians, not
really. Green monkeys, brought to Barbados
from West Africa in the 1600’s, have been
responsible for many devilish incidents on the
island: pulling up crops, taunting your animals,
throwing things at you, stealing your food,
trespassing on your property……If it sounds
too funny to be true, listen to what the locals
say:
. . .