Ethnographic Study: Waters Avenue

WATERS WALKING TOUR OCTOBER 22, 2011

7  

2  

1  

3  

5  4  

6  

8  Waters  A

ve.  

O4  St.  Harm

on  St.  

37th  St.  

S  36th  St.  

E  32nd  Ln.  

E  33rd  St.  

34th  St.  

35th  St.  

E  36th  St.  

Seiler  Ave.  

E  38th  St.  

E  39th  St.    

E  40th  St.  

Live  Oak  St.  

Hamilton  Ct.  

35th  St.  

E  36th  St.  

34th  St.  

E  38th  St.  

E  40th  St.  

E  32nd  Ln.  

E  33rd  St.   TOUR ROUTE

1   Savannah Barber and Styling Institute

2   Community Benches

3   Off the Grill

4   Bus Stop

5   Old Barber Shop

6   Clothing Store Exterior

7   Kennedy Fried Chicken

8   Corner Shop

How long have you lived here? In Savannah? Yeah. My entire life, 27 years. It’s depressing, but whatever. Why is that depressing? I haven’t moved anywhere. How often do you come here to Waters? I come here at least a couple times a week…I Probably don’t come hang out in the neighborhood as much because there’s nothing over here that I wanna do.

LISA*

*Subject’s name changed to protect confidentiality

What about you, do you live here or do you live outside [Waters]? I live here. How long have you been here? I’ve been here about six, seven years. They call me Black. How did you get to know everyone when you came here? That bench…that bench right there. Was everyone warm and welcoming when you came or did it take some time? They was warm and welcoming.

TINA*

*Subject’s name changed to protect confidentiality

When you guys think of Waters Avenue how far does that stretch?

All the way down to the southside, and where does it start?

Tina: Waters Avenue go all the way down to the Southside.

Down on Wheaton Street. And they’re doin’ so much

good work on Wheaton Street, houses…

Lisa: “It’s a club…My mom goes in there but I would never…”

Interviewer: Who’s your mom?

Lucy.* Got two gold teeth right here…crazy lady.

*Subject’s name changed to protect confidentiality

Neighborhood gossip spot

“I would love to take you over here to

Off the Grill. I love their food.”

So, you said you come here sometimes to hang out?

And what do you usually get when you come here?

Lisa: Um…to get my food and bust their chops. I almost said a

curse word but I forgot you’re recording me.

Lisa: Macaroni and cheese…double mac. And ribs (Tyrone, the owner, chimes in),

and red velvet cake.

Lisa: This place up here on the corner, Waters and 37th, the brick building right there by the bus stop (indicates that it is owned by her father)

Lisa: Hey, don’t judge us, this is a bad economy, whaddya want?

Tina: Ain’t no roof on it.

They sell

ghetto clothes.

Their  chicken  is  sooo  good.    Oh  my  god,  it’s  like  a  black  woman  is  in  the  kitchen  but  she’s  not.  I  think  they’re  Pakistani  or  something.  

Their chicken is sooo good. Oh my god,

it’s like a black woman is in the

kitchen, but she’s not.

How have you seen this street change?

Tina: It’s goin down…way down.

Nothing

for the kids

I’ve seen some nasty stuff in the convenience store…if you

walk around this neighborhood you’ll be like

‘wow,

these kids are so not taken care of.’

It’s like infuriating. And they wonder why.

Lisa: I really have a low tolerance for BS. Like, I think I give off the vibe of don’t even try it…Or

if you do mess with me you’re probably gonna end up without a finger…

Lisa: Or shoot it off one.

Tina: You gonna bite it off?

What kind of hopes do you have for the

community?

Tina: Maybe like an Arcade

for the kids. There’s nowhere to play for the kids. The kids playin’ in the fields…

I mean they don’t have nothing to do, so what they do?

Gang around the neighborhood, do crime…drug boys.

CHU’S MARKET VISIT OCTOBER 25, 2011

This store been open since ’69… and I was born in ‘64.

Mr. Allen used to own this store, an old black

African American, and he sold it to Sharpey.

Is business good?

“We open a third register during October, November, and December…

Are these local places that you get your meat from? Roger Wood is local.

These come from DL Lee, that’s a

company outta Alma, Georgia.

That’s Joe Lewis strips.

How do you cook your greens?

Out of everything here, what’s your favorite thing that you’ve made?

Joe Lewis strip, pigtails, and smoked neck bones. All those are a hot

variety.

Have you took ‘em to the minus below?

Open till six fifty Monday through Saturday. Six fifty on the dot.

Julio… that’s on the

real bad end

chore boy and rose.

Don’t order no

Stay away from those.

They call this

homicide county.

Keep your eye on the news.

Come here on vacation and leave on

probation.

Q&A