An Ode to Our Zoe Lady

Tati Altagrace well seated on her throne in the salon. Photo from sometime in the 90s.

Ladies and gentlemen, observe the magnificent being at the top of your screen. There, you will witness the all glorious Zoe Lady (pronounced Zō) in her ideal environment.

Confidently, she watches us from behind those shades as an air of satisfaction breezes by with the knowledge that you will become a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer. But, why? What would possess her to believe in the lowly creatures that we, currently, are (If you are not, this does not apply to you. But, we know who we are).  Well, my fellow observers, that is because the celestial wisdom and power of the Zoe Lady wills it. Thusly, from upon her throne, her professional will is our academic command.

Her highness is native to Haiti, and where Haitian descendents reside. She is the all powerful matriarch of the culture. And, though, she is not always respected, the fate of the heritage weighs down on her well-founded shoulders.

This branch of  Homo Sapiens Sapiens is known for being able to leave her country to provide a better life to her occasionally lazy, ungrateful offspring. She often would abandon her dream of owning a 3 Michelin stars restaurant and become a nurse to ensure the Zoe babies never suffer as much as she did.  Often, the Zoe babies were raised without her husband around. She’d work so hard the only sleep available was 2 nights a week (for many, this is not an exaggeration).Yeah, she is that fierce.

Usually, when the Zoe Lady has this crossed legged posture, seen here, she is quite dangerous, optimal potential. Sandals on her feet are weaponized and transformed into fatal boomerangs thrown at terminal velocity. If, by any misfortune, she senses juvenile disrespect to any of the sacrifices she had made, except the force of her wrath with the intensity of 1,000 raging stars.

This month, let us take time to appreciate the Zoe Lady. She is an unsung hero who deserves more than March for a celebration of existence. She deserves the entire Haitian culture to pay homage for nurturing and believe in it to continue carrying the weight of delivering us from our lesser selves.