73.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchives@School: Lukata Olasie Samuel

@School: Lukata Olasie Samuel





Lukata Olasie SamuelLukata Olasie Samuel knows what he wants to be when he grows up — the 12-year-old harbors no doubts.

"I’ll be an actor or a lawyer," he states, matter-of-factly, although he has little stage experience and has yet to defend his first case.

Right now, however, you needn’t direct your glance to the stage or the courtroom. You can see Samuel tending his parents’ farm’s stand. He handles the task with adult aplomb, knowledgeable about his produce.

He is the youngest son of Bordeaux farmers Benita Martin-Samuel and Lucien "Jambie" Samuel, proprietors of the Green Thumb Farm, which is at the heart of the We Grow Food cooperative. Lukata’s name, in fact, is listed on the business card, right along with his parents.

He knows his way around the plant world the way other youngsters know computer games. At the Bordeaux market the last Sunday of the month, Lukata is there helping to bag up spinach, cilantro, collard greens and sugar apples, whatever is in season.

Most recently, the family has brought its produce to the new Sunday market at Yacht Haven Grande, which operates the first and third Sundays of each month. You can see Lukata patiently explaining to the customers the various vegetable and plants. He is an unerringly polite young man. "Please," "thank you," a "may I help you?" and a smile are all part of his repertoire.

He says he can hardly remember when he wasn’t working on the farm.

"I was about five when I started helping,” he says. “I like weeding, watering the nursery plants."

Though he says he hasn’t really learned to cook, as yet, "just sandwiches,” something special may be coming up. His father may divulge the secret of making "Jambie’s" famous pumpkin soup.

"He says he plans to teach me very soon," Lukata says with a smile. His father has no qualms about advertising his pumpkin soup — which he cooks in huge clay pots at the Bordeaux market along with a chunk of "the best" cornbread — as "the very best.”

When he is grown, Lukata says, "I’ve told my mom I’ll always have a little farm on the side, for weekends, but I’ll be an actor and a lawyer."

He says acting has come naturally to him. From as early as he can remember, he says, "I can pick up voices and footsteps.” He continues, “I can listen to you for a while and I can pick up your voice. And I can hear your footsteps, too."

The youngster’s only stage experience so far was the Gladys Abraham Elementary School Christmas play last year, where he played the heartless innkeeper, as part of the school choir production.

"I was the motel owner, and when Jesus’ mom and dad, Mary and Joseph, come to the door, I tell them all the rooms are filled, small and large, no more rooms," he says."But, then I say they can sleep in the barn."

Now, how about the legal career? Samuel knows his abilities; he has no doubts.

"I’m good at getting people out of trouble," he says. "I could be good at lawyering. People get paid for lying. I want to tell the truth. You can lose and still justice will be served."

Samuel says he will defend people who are guilty, if he thinks he can help them.

"You have to act on the side of the law," he says.

His mother, Benita, says, "I tell him acting and being a lawyer are alike.” She continues, “It’s all an act, and he loves to act."

Lukata will enter the seventh grade at Abraham this year, unless he wins a scholarship to the Montessori School.

"I’d really like that," he says. Benita Samuel says no decision has yet come from the school.

Lukata won a scholarship this summer for a six-week summer program at the St. Thomas Yacht Club youth sailing program.

"I had to write a letter saying why I wanted to attend," he says. "I wrote that I had been sailing once and I really wanted to learn how. It was fun, I learned a lot, and they have invited me back for the winter program, too. I love the water."

The family is enjoying a beach day at the Save the Lindbergh Bay rally. Lukata says he has an interest in the environment, but, "I really came today to go swimming," with which he runs down to the water, and with one, long graceful dive, he disappears into the surf and is off.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.