Under the scorching sun in Newton, Christ Church, with only passing clouds as his shelter, 31-year-old Kemar Small stands as a passionate coconut vendor, gladly catering to his customers.
With practised swings, he slices the top off each coconut and drains the liquid delicacy into clean plastic bottles before skilfully chopping the nuts in halves to expose their jelly-like flesh for each customer to further enjoy.
To many, Kemar, and others like him, might appear to be just a ‘coconut man’, but to him, this work allows him to be much more: a provider, an adventurer, and a “hustler who knows how to make a dollar”.
He told Barbados TODAY that his job title is… coconut navigator.
“I’ve been doing this for five years now, and I love this job because it’s adventurous,” he said with a grin.
“You meet new people, you learn different things, and doing this work, I get to see and experience Barbados in ways most people don’t.”
Kemar revealed that his trade takes him far beyond Newton, with his quest for coconuts leading him to the hidden corners of Barbados.
“I get to see different breeds of coconuts, gullies, fields, various beaches, terrain, and it comes with a lot of off-roading so I get to see Barbados in a different light while doing the coconut work,” he said.
“The work has shown me a lot out there in wildlife and things that people probably haven’t seen like little springs and waterfalls that run into the sea and things like that.”
Kemar didn’t start out as the expert he is today. He shared that he began as a loader, hauling coconuts with a friend. Together, they bought a truck and started small, learning as they went.
“I had a partner and we got a truck and started picking and making ourselves coconut businessmen. I started as a loader, then after that I learned how to cut, then how to drive and then I ended up being a coconut navigator,” he said.
A coconut navigator, as Kemar describes it, is someone who knows the land like the back of their hand. A navigator is familiar with all the spots that, according to Kemar, are legally accessible to pickers.
“We learned where to get the coconut and put ourselves out there until we got to the point where we could hire youngsters,” he added.
Beyond the adventure, this work has allowed Kemar to build a life.
“Since I’ve been doing this job I’ve achieved three vehicles. It has also helped me take care of my three children and myself,” he said.
He acknowledged that many continue to underestimate the ability of the work he does, passing it off as worthless living. However, he noted that it is a means of survival, without the stresses associated with higher education.
“What I’ve got to tell the people that’s looking down on this profession is that they would have to come and experience it,” he said with a smile.
“Don’t just judge because you see us doing it so… It’s hard and it’s a job that would keep you fit also and it helps you survive without you having to go to study these hard [subjects] on how to make a dollar, this gives you a good dollar.”
He noted that being a coconut vendor, like all jobs, has its challenges.
“Our biggest challenge is when there is a drought because coconuts be hard to come back. When the island’s not getting any rain. I don’t worry though, I’m a coconut navigator. I know how to find coconuts every day,” he said, his face beaming with pride.
Offering a word to youth who may be “struggling to make a dollar”, Kemar said, “My true advice is to look for a hustle.”
“It’s going to be hard at first but just find what you’re good at, because everybody has a talent, find what you’re good at and stick at it.”
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