Me and the Bees

Admittedly, I am lost when I hear Patwa. My American socialized ears are unaccustomed to the West African accent and British English that is sprinkled with Spanish and expressed in a complex tone. The Western media exposes us to British, Australian, and New Zealand English, but not to Patwa and other varieties of Caribbean English. The threads of history are embedded in Patwa: the transatlantic slave trade, Spanish and British colonization. The Patwa tongue illuminates the resiliency of people on this island whose ancestors survived hundreds of years of oppression. Their descendants continue to fight for economic justice and political sovereignty under neoliberal colonialism. 

Today, transnational organizations encourage Jamaica and the greater Caribbean to keep bees as a means to eliminate rural poverty. Beekeeping is a strategy for economic development because (1) beekeepers can use local materials to build hives with little capital, (2) they are low maintenance, (3) they  have the potential to yield lucrative raw products such as honey, wax, and propolis, and (4) raw products can be used to create add-on products like lotions, candales, and medicine. 

My first challenge as a beekeeper was developing an intellectual pool of knowledge about bees. During my first week at the farm, my mentor Agape provided a comprehensive PowerPoint about the Italian honeybee. This presentation encapsulated bee biology, pollination, development, mating behavior, the roles of the three different bees in the hive, and comb identification. During my afternoons off, I increased my understanding of the Italian honeybee by reading books and articles so that I could feel confident in the hives. 

A beehive is a book and each comb is a page in the book

Once I gained a basic understanding of the Italian honeybee, I was ready to read the hives. My beekeeping instructor Kwao explained that a beehive is a book and each comb is a page in the book. We must read each page to understand the book. A literate beekeeper applies what they learned from books and experiences to identify the state of the hive. For instance, I learned to identify the age of the comb based on color (an old comb is darker, and a young comb is lighter). The age of the comb signals important information about the health and resiliency of the colony. Another example of reading the hive is assessing the status of the queen bee. It is difficult to spot the queen in a hive with tens of thousands of bees. I learned that freshly laid larvae is indicative that the queen was there at least three days prior. However, a greater assessment of the queen bee’s status is egg identification. I trained my eyes to spot bee eggs at the bottom of the comb, which tells us that the queen is present and laying eggs. These are a few examples of how I gained literacy as a beekeeper to gauge the health of the hive. I applied what I recently learned about Italian honeybee biology to determine the state of the hive.

Someone once recounted to me that Samurai warriors in ancient times underwent intense physical training and learned how to play a musical instrument. This training was combined to strengthen their mental and physical tenacity to maintain left / right brain balance, which ultimately helped them develop into well-rounded warriors. This concept parallels beekeeping, as beekeepers must pool their mental and physical capabilities to support the longevity and productivity of a hive.

Academia was the center of my life for the past 4 years. My body became accustomed to sitting still for hours while reading a book. I learned that I was capable of cranking out 6 pages of my senior thesis in 10 hours to meet a deadline for my advisor. College expanded my critical thinking, reading, and writing skills to new heights. While my energy was channeled into strengthening my academic abilities, my physical stamina was neglected. 

 I am not a physically active person in that I do not regularly exercise. I tried to be a gym person, but I will never be a gym person. However, there’s nothing I love more than embarking on a rigorous hike that leads to a beautiful sunset. I love the feeling of getting out of my head and into my body through rigorous exercise. Beekeeping helps me feel more comfortable with exerting myself physically. 

Handling a 5-pound honeycomb in the oppressive humidity while wearing a thick jacket was out of my comfort zone, to say the least. I had plenty of beekeeping-is-not-for-me moments. However, I trucked on and learned that I am capable of stretching myself in new ways.  

Another aspect of beekeeping that distinguishes it from an office job is a beekeeper’s ability to pool their physical and mental strength while working in a high-pressure environment. During my internship, I was stung 13 times! If I had known that we would be handling bees with our bare hands, I probably would have stayed far away from Jamaica. I can confidently say it was extremely painful, but it wasn’t the end of the world and it was totally worth it. Getting up close to a wild animal is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s absolutely terrifying and exhilarating. While bee stings can be avoided, they were a part of my experience. I learned how to gracefully get stung, gently remove the stinger to avoid upsetting the bees with frantic movements, and resume our efforts in the hive. 

They say your mind gives up before your body does, and I second that. I feel confident in my ability to remain calm and collected in a high-pressure situation.

There is something enchanting about beekeeping

 The vibration from thousands of bees humming at the same time metaphysically syncs up to your brain

Your mind is not concerned with problems of the world, but at last, what is happening in front of you