Disclaimer: this article has absolutely nothing to do with star fruit!
Instead, it has everything to do with the sand the fruit playfully dips its toes in. I believe this shoot didn’t happen serendipitously. It speaks to my innermost wants and wishes.
See, earlier today, I found myself on set, endlessly attempting to capture the perfect picture of this fruit, but something was missing. On the surface, the shots appeared nice, but they lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. But, just as I neared the point of giving up, I noticed the fruit from a different angle.
I realized I was shooting a star in the middle of summer.
To keep up with the season, I could transform that star fruit into a starfish basking in the sand. At that moment, I attributed that idea to a burst of creativity.
But as I edited those photos, I saw this shoot as more than that. It speaks of emerging nostalgia.
Those pictures remind me of carefree days spent lounging on the beach, savoring grilled conch as if tomorrow promised endless pleasures. Little did I know, those simple joys would become treasured memories.
Over five years have passed since I last dipped my toes in the Haitian seas…
Nostalgia floods my mind, thinking of those bygone days. Days spent at the beach, where worries seemed to melt away with the sunset and the food. I know I don’t stand alone in this longing. For those of us from Port-au-Prince, over three years have slipped by without us seeing a Haitian beach. A recent trip to a Florida beach with Haitian friends confirmed it.
There we stood, far from our home coastline, reminiscing about grilled food on the beach, childhood favorites, and not so favorites.
We all longed for our lambi boukannen, the iconic grilled conch that would have made this day picture perfect. Our conversation soon turned to other nostalgic or bizarre dishes that must be specific to our culture. Meals like: kònfleks ak lèt, a simple dish of what we like to call Haitian cornflakes and milk; spaghetti ak òldòg, pasta served Haitian-style with hot dogs and a spicy sauce; labouyi, creamy and sweet porridges; akasan, a smooth corn porridge often enjoyed at breakfast; toufe legum, a vegetable stew; accras, fried malanga bites; pate kòde, fried dough today stuffed according to taste; marinad, savory Haitian beignets; foie dur, beef liver; boudin, pork blood sausage…Some we adored, others not so much, but each one a piece of home, and each one deserving to soon have their own article on this blog.
But for now, I shall dwell in the nostalgia that permeated our every being as we stood for hours in the Floridian waters, yearning for our Caribbean sea; that same nostalgia that inspired these pictures of the star fruit.
I recognize the deep ache those of us who have strayed far from home experience. Fortunately, my homesickness remains temporary as I always find my way back home.
Now, if only I could dip my toes in the Haitian sea waters once more, just like the old days. Then, life would finally near perfection.
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