LASCELLE Temasa may be the only resident of Esher, St Mary, who can’t mask his identity as even the little children can readily point you in the direction to find this popular resident.

This is not only because Temasa has lived in the community for more than 65 years but because of one unique feature which makes him stand out from the rest.

For 40-odd years Temasa, who is of Indian descent, has been growing his hair and beard. However, what is most intriguing to many, is his beard which flows freely to his chest and his floor length hair which has never been seen outside of the tam it is piled high in.

Temasa, whose flowing mane is said to sweep the floor, said he has never gone out in public with his hair uncovered.

“I always keep it covered and the only time I uncover it is when I wash it every other week and it’s because I have to go in the sun for a while for it to dry,” he told the Jamaica Observer North East.

“People try to see it all the while but I don’t show anybody,” he said, even as he gently declined the Observer North East request to photograph him with his hair out.

Although he always wears his hair in the tam which hangs down his back, Temasa said the weight does not affect his neck, explaining that he started growing his hair as he was motivated by the desire to not alter his appearance in any way.

“Because God give me mi hair mi sey mi not throwing it away and that is why I never ever cut it,” he said.

The husband and father of seven said he believes that growing his hair and living a healthy lifestyle have attributed to his never been sick. “I can’t even remember the last time I go to a doctor. I stop eating meat from mi a pickney and so all I eat are the things that I plant,” he said. He said, too, that he has stopped the use of chemicals on fruits and vegetables in his garden.

“I didn’t even get the ChikV when everybody else was getting it all around me,” the senior citizen said.

Temasa said he also opts to use all-natural products, including the making of his own cooking oil from coconut.

A veteran farmer, Temasa makes his living rearing livestock. However, he said that over the years he suffered greatly from praedial larceny and also came very close to losing his life a few years ago after he was attacked by gunmen who shot him five times.

“All now I don’t know who did it or why but mi did just come home from selling some goats and mi don’t know if is rob dem wanted to rob me,” he said.

— Ingrid Brown