1820 results
Jamaica
accompong
A maroon chieftain after whom the town of Accompong in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica is named. He is thought to be from an Ashanti family and related to a number of other Maroon leaders (Quao, Cuffy, Cudjoe, and Nanny)
person
Trinidad & Tobago
chinee tambran
Fruit of the Vangueria madagascariensis tree which is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family native to the African continent having edible fruit. It is a large, orange fruit that is edible and often consumed locally.
fruit
food
plant
Aruba
Bonaire
Curacao
kachu
A trumpet like instrument made from an animal's horn. It was traditionally used as a Maroon communication and ceremonial tool. It was also used by slaveholders to summon slaves to the fields at work time.
St. Vincent
nine mornings
A Vincentian holiday season festivity that begins nine days before Christmas. During the festival Vincentians wake in the early hours of the mornings and partake in a range of activities including street concerts, sea baths, fetes, and games.
Trinidad & Tobago
diablotin
A nocturnal, fruit eating bird that navigates by echolocation (like bats). They are mainly reddish-brown with white spots on the nape and wings. Lower parts are cinnamon-buff spotted with white. The stiff tail feathers are a rich brown spotted with white on either side. In the past, the fat chicks were boiled down as a source of oil.
animal
bird
Trinidad & Tobago
oil bird
A nocturnal, fruit eating bird that navigates by echolocation (like bats). They are mainly reddish-brown with white spots on the nape and wings. Lower parts are cinnamon-buff spotted with white. The stiff tail feathers are a rich brown spotted with white on either side. In the past, the fat chicks were boiled down as a source of oil.
animal
bird
Jamaica
paul bogle
Paul Bogle (ca. 1820 – 1865) was a Jamaican Baptist deacon and is a National Hero of Jamaica. He was a leader of the 1865 Morant Bay Protests, which agitated for justice and fair treatment for all in Jamaica. Leading the Morant Bay rebellion, he was captured and hanged on 24 October 1865 in the Morant Bay Court House by the United Kingdom authorities.
national symbol
person
Guyana
Suriname
Trinidad & Tobago
tassa
Tassa is a form of kettle drum, presumably of Persian derivation that was brought to the Caribbean by indentured Indian workers durin gthe 19th centruy. It is made by tightly covering a clay shell with goat skin; early versions were covered in monkey skin as well. When ready to play, the goat skin is heated by aid of a fire to tighten the head, making the pitch higher. Modern versions are made of metal 'fiberglass' clay pots with a plastic head that is tightened with screws or even a plastic head that is tied on to the pot. These last longer and do not have to be adjusted as frequently.
Suriname
asema
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
folklore
Suriname
fayarass
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
folklore
Belize
old heg
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
folklore
Guyana
Jamaica
old higue
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
folklore
Dominica
succouyant
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
folklore
Trinidad & Tobago
sukunya
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
person
Belize
wangla lady
A ghost or spirit that lives as an old woman by day, but turns into a blood sucking monster by night. According to some legends, she is able to to take off her skin and put it back on.
folklore
Barbados
Dominica
Guyana
black pudding
Sausage made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.
food
Barbados
Guyana
Trinidad & Tobago
blood puddin
Sausage made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.
food
Guadeloupe
boudin
Sausage made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.
food
Martinique
boudin creole
Sausage made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.
food
Trinidad & Tobago
chadon beni
A seasoning used in chow , souses or other cooking it is also referred to as fit weed
Jamaica
chuck
A sharp pushing blow made to the face or upper body using one or both open hands.
Trinidad & Tobago
eh
A replacement for the word 'not', e.g. it eh long translates roughly to It is not long
Jamaica
etu
A dance performed at weddings, feasts and wakes. It is traditionally performed by those of Yoruba descent
Barbados
Grenada
Guyana
Trinidad & Tobago
US Virgin Islands
freshwater yankee
Someone who goes to the States for a short trip and comes back with an American dialect.
Jamaica
gully bean
A small green, bitter tasting berry. It is sometimes eaten alone after boiling or cooked with saltfish
plant
food
Trinidad & Tobago
guntas
A gangster or "bad man". One who gives the impression that they should not be trifled with.
Jamaica
jackass rope
Cured smoking tobacco rolled into the shape of a rope for the purpose of storage and distribution.
Jamaica
St. Kitts & Nevis
leggo beas
One who acts wild, rambunctious or unruly like a an animal (beast) recently let go from confinement
person
Jamaica
long
Thin or watery in a bad way - particularly as related to drinks or liquid foods like soup.
Grenada
maroon
A group of men who voluntarily cooperate on each other's tasks (e.g planting crops, or clearing bush)
US Virgin Islands
miss blyden
A drink made from prickly pear steeped in rum, sweetened with sugar, and buried for many days.
food
Jamaica
nutri bulla
A small lightly leavened sweet bread distributed to school children as part of the country's nutritional program
food
Jamaica
nutri bun
A small round bun that is distributed to school children as part of the country's nutritional program
food
Trinidad & Tobago
puddin
Sausage made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.
food
Trinidad & Tobago
sa wa
San Juan- a small city in Trinidad that locals refer to as sa wa or the croisee
Barbados
Jamaica
Trinidad & Tobago
skin up
To make a facial expression of scorn, disgust or contempt by the raising of the upper lip
Jamaica
susumba
A small green, bitter tasting berry. It is sometimes eaten alone after boiling or cooked with saltfish
plant
food
Antigua & Barbuda
Belize
tata duhendeh
A mythical short man who lives in the bush. He is thumbless and has backwards pointing feet.
folklore
Jamaica
tekeisha
A woman who exploits men for financial gain, particularly via the use of affection and sexual favours.
Martinique
ti po
A rum based mixed drink that traditionally includes rhum agricole, lime, and cane syrup, and fruit flavouring.
food