"Observing the Canadian-Caribbean Self." Review of Robert Sandiford, Sand for Snow: A Caribbean-Canadian Chronicle.

"Observing the Canadian-Caribbean Self." Review of Robert Sandiford, Sand for Snow: A Caribbean-Canadian Chronicle: Montreal: DC Books, 2003. 188 pages. $15.95 paper. $26.95 hardcover.

Robert E. Sandiford's Sand for Snow is a compilation of columns he wrote for the Barbados Nation over a six-year period. Robert Sandiford, the child of Barbadian immigrants living in Montreal, goes to live in Barbados and observes and comments on Barbadian society but assesses his comments in light of his own sensibility. This reviewer responds to such books with' scepticism: scepticism about what would unify such a work; whether the themes explored go beyond the ephemeral issues of the day or week the column was written; whether, considering the author's age--he was between 28 and 34 when these columns were written--they could surpass the cant of youth; whether, given the sort of pre-digestion, usually trivialization of serious issues, newspaper authors must engage in to please their readers, editors, and advertisers, these columns would be interesting. I am happy to say that none of these possible disappointments is present in Sand for Snow.

This is a book of reflections and observations. Sandiford is a writer who has taken the time to understand what constitutes his being, and to measure how the essence of his being influences his responses to the issues he deals with. Foremost in his understanding of himself is the extent to which his growing up in Montreal in a home of Barhadian parents has shaped his perception of the world. One might say that via a convergence of accidents Sandiford was blessed with the opportunity to live in Barbados; and given his training and interests, was able to use the experience as a sort of laboratory to explore, among other issues, the question of identity.

In terms of my own interest as a reader, the topic--how much of Caribbean tradition West Indian parents impart to their children--preoccupied me. It became quite clear that the aphorisms West Indians employ to convey folk truths and to set the moral compass were well taught in Sandiford's home. In fact the text is replete with them in actual form or in paraphrase.

It's clear that it was Sandiford's father who played the dominant role in transmitting such wisdom. Indeed, Sandiford's language explodes with admiration for his father: from the lessons on sexuality, to uncompromising respect for women, fidelity in marriage, to the storytelling sessions among his father and uncles. Every West Indian born and bred knows that fathers rarely play such a role. We envy Sandiford and admire his father.

It is therefore not surprising that when we read Sandiford's thoughts about his own marriage that many of these values are echoed. Moreover, at Sandiford's age, one when the exigencies of romantic love cloud all else, we see him already aware of the need to cultivate love in marriage if one is not to become the victim of limits. Here's a sampling:

   I want to save my brother-in-law from himself as much as from the
   world, telling him things like no hitting on another man's woman,
   whether she is with him or not. And hit a wall rather than a woman;
   better yet, strike nothing at all. Walk away.... Say sorry and mean
   it when wrong. A strong man is strongest when all of his strength
   is not in his two hands.

   Sometimes a word or a look is all that's needed to reach another.
   Other times, though, only a touch will do. Reconcile instead of
   compromise so no one loses. But also know when to call it quits.
   (135)

Sandiford's advice exceeds his years:

   It's not only important to know who you're sleeping with, know why.
   Act responsibly--respect yourself. Inherent in this practice is
   respect for others. Don't hurt someone if you can avoid it.

   Be faithful; know that a man who breaks more promises than he
   keeps is not someone people will want to deal with in a meaningful
   way.... Relationships take tremendous imagination. Take nothing for
   granted. Build partnerships--share the load. Learn from a woman,
   especially if she is a good woman.

   No matter how much you know, never believe you know it all. Listen
   to family and friends about their passions. Whatever the material,
   the source of inspiration take it all in.... Maintain an openness
   of spirit. Don't be limited by the narrowness of others. (135)

It is clear to this reviewer that although Sandiford might not have intended it, the columns he selected follow an archetypal pattern. They move from innocence to maturity, or put differently, from illusion to reality. In fact the book begins with a naive, gushing appraisal of Barbados at the beginning and ends with a balanced, clearer portrait. An episode will suffice to exemplify this pattern quite well: the planned bicycle trip around the island ostensibly in one day, based on stories he'd heard from his father. But Sandiford soon finds himself battling rain (and I suspect fatigue) and halts the trip at the half-way point.

Sandiford's craftsmanship as a writer of fiction serves him well in this work. He understands the encapsulating power of symbols: the breadfruit tree and the maple leaf, for example, as icons of Barbadian and Canadian realities. He is also astute in that he leaves these icons as reader spaces; in other words it's up to the reader to ruminate on the implications of these choices. He understands too the use of detail. Indeed many of these pieces would have been quite banal but for the rich evocations, the poetry, inherent in the details.

Finally it's worth mentioning the valuable work Sandiford does here in deconstructing the stereotypes in which the Caribbean is trapped, and the role tourist boards play in cultivating them. Raised with a dual sensibility, Sandiford is able to see Barbadian society with unfamiliar, unglazed eyes, and report with frank yet discreet honesty its strengths and failings.

My only negative critique of this work is that some of the columns raise questions that are never answered. Since the pieces that comprise Sand for Snow are selections, I imagine that these questions might have been answered in columns that are excluded. Nevertheless this is a minor point and I highly recommend this work