Every product that appears on Condé Nast Traveler has been hand-picked by our editors. However, we might receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase using one of our retail links.
The paintings of Italian-born artist Agostino Brunias, who made a profession of depicting the island in subdued, stylized settings that covered up the harsh realities of colonial control, were my first visual introduction to Dominica. However, as soon as I step onto its winding roads, which begin to twist shortly after I arrive, it becomes evident that this region, which is situated in the center of the Lesser Antilles’ curve, is anything but tame. The two-toned leaves of its bois canot trees, which change color from green to white when they sway in the wind, shimmer and bristle with the power of the volcano. It lulls with the erratic sound of its numerous waterfalls, scatters rainbows haphazardly across its breathtaking horizons, and enchants from the depths with its vibrant coral reefs. And it roars come storm season.
The indigenous Kalinago people of Dominica survived invasion by the French and British, who imposed slavery on the Africans who now make up four-fifths of the island’s population and left a linguistic legacy of English and French-based Creole, by mastering the lush tropical rainforest that covers more than 60% of the island. If you visit Trinidad for roti and Jamaica for jerk, you should travel to Dominica for green things like bush rum and flower teas. There are a ton of medicinal herbs in the forest.
The Jungle Bay Dominica resort, located smack dab in the center of the Soufrière jungles, leans into nature instead, maybe realizing the futility of fighting against the earth’s generosity. When I finally get there, the kitchen is closed. Joanne Hilaire, the operations manager, tells me that they never let guests go hungry, though, so I can feel the warmth of Dominica’s welcome. The cook is preparing an excellently stewed dish of beans with taro, rice, and plantain for our late dinner, off the menu, while I have a refreshing ginger-lime cocktail that is a local favorite. When I wake up the following morning, I find that my villa’s doors open onto a private veranda that faces southwest toward Soufrière Bay, where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean converge. I let the light wake me for the remainder of my stay by leaving my blinds open.
White woman gave birth to a black baby from her white husband
Rachel, a new young mom from Tennessee, gave birth to a lovely baby boy on February 17.
Working as a cashier at the Celina 52 Truck Stop, the place posted on their Facebook congratulating on the new addition to the family. They shared a post along with a photo of the happy family with the caption, “Congratulations to our cashier Rachel and her fiancé Paul Buckman on their baby Cash Jamal Buckman being [born] on Saturday at 6:18pm.”
What caught the attention of many was that both Rachel and Paul are white while their baby is black.
As expected, people started posting mean comments under the post, accusing Rachel of cheating.
The store then added another post offering an explanation.
“Yes, Paul is the father. Rachel has African American DNA in her which can skip generations and cause a child to be born with darker skin,” they wrote.
Further, they stated that there might be possibility of jaundice, and ended their post with, “Please be kind.”
However, this didn’t put a stop on the jokes people continued making on the expense of the couple.
“Congratulations!!! I AM sure he looks just like his dad. Where is he?” one person commented.
“Definitely needs a DNA test; what if they accidentally mixed up the kiddos in the nursery?” another added.
“I feel sorry for Paul, being duped like this is a whole new level of creep. Hopefully he’ll wise up,” a third wrote.
Looking at the comments, Rachel decided to share a post that included her her own ancestry test results. She wrote, “For the haters saying that I [don’t] have black DNA maybe this will clear it up straight from my ancestry DNA results !!!! NOW STOP slandering mine and my [fiancé] Paul Buckman name. he IS the father of Lil Cash.”
Leave a Reply