Image taken from Blog Skins
There are certain terms, inflections, idioms, colloquialism, slang, buzz words, expressions specific to islands or countries. At this moment I am thinking about the colloquial words that abound in our native island’s speech. Sometimes it maybe difficult to decode and these expressions are literally and hardly ever found in the dictionary. Yet we know our own particular slang patterns very well.
I remember one Christmas Enrique and I went to Montserrat and he ran to me and said that the girl sitting on the stools at the bar is from The Bahamas. I told him no way, I asked why did he think so. He said her accent, what she said. He also noticed the distinct design of her jewelry, which looked to him to be Bahamian bought, particularly the design of her wedding band. At that very minute my brother who came in on a flight with her told Enrique that the girl at the bar was a Bahamian. Yes, Enrique gave me the look; how dare I do not believe that he did not know his own people.
Okay, so I called my Aunt late one night hoping she would be up, she said she just finished washing her dishes and “lock off de light” and why am I calling her this ‘odd hour of night’ I recalled for years I could not stop using the term when I was going to turn off the light.
The other day, my friend was saying to me she will never forget when she visited Cat Island and she asked a lady how may children she had. She said “I been behind that door five times” which means she had five children. I have heard the term “coat suit” which is a sometime used Bahamian expression for a “three piece suit” several times and each time it brings the same chuckle as it did the first time. Often it is used as an outright joke when someone is dressed up as in “Why you so dress up in your coat suit?”
I hope that you can share a light moment with your friends or co-workers the slang terms, colloquialisms even idioms that you may find of interest. Enjoy your day or what is left of it my friends!
When I was in University in the United Kingdom I had a Marketing teacher and she continuously drummed into my head that marketing was everything … much to my chagrin. Last month I received two emails from two different companies announcing that one of my favorite authors would be releasing his new Book in April, so I can pre-order and be one of the first to have it. I was excited, but did not bite the bait at the time, then again as if they knew my buying habits they sent another reminder so of course I bit the bait. I thought; it is a book I would like to have in my library and being hard cover I could not let it go this time so I purchased it.
I got the book yesterday while in the grocery store my husband read a good bit of the book while I was inside. As I approached the car he smiled Brenda you need to see this. Guess what it was a poem on acacia trees, amazing; the power of marketing. One of my friends usually sends me lovely notes on a weekly basis there are no coincidences. It is beautiful to be able to converse and share life with people of like minds.
Sometimes in life we set a course and fail to reach a destination, maybe because we inadvertently set the wrong course and so we end up at an undesired destination or back where we started. Set the course again and at first it may be brilliant and then gradually we end up going the wrong way. Today as I sizzle and am dazzled by the book “The White Egrets.” I can not help smiling and agreeing with the familiar phrase “marketing is everything.” So, today my friends, be sure footed and set on the right course, knowing that there will be people to guide you if you chart a course after their own paths. If you are in doubt, do not, because of how you may view them, know that they are already where you would like to be.
Today I set a course after one of my favorite authors,yes, you may have guess it…Derek Walcott!
Photograph taken from The Montserrat Reporter
In a previous post I discussed the jumbie table. There is also a dance called jumbie dance which is tied to ancestral religion. According to the Dictionary of Caribbean English usage it defines jumbie dance as a religious dance organize to induce spirit-possession and divination; it is accompanied by a folk-band such as the WOO WOO BAND, it is impassioned and can last throughout the night.
Dr Howard A. Fergus further highlights in his book that the jumbie dance can be the purest manifestation of folk religion in Montserrat. The sound and tempo of the music produced help to bring worshipers in a trance-like state which brings devotees into communion with the world of the dead.
It was told that in the 1990s Montserrat Cricket team was on a loosing streak in the Leeward Island tournament; a jumbie dance was organize at the Sturge Park to break the spell, it was met by a public outcry and condemnation from the Christian believers stating that the practice was evil and it has brought shame and disgrace upon the nation.
So many cultural traditions in the Caribbean have been wiped out due to an over-emphasis on the European traditions. We continue today to loose our former identities and move onto a more nondescript and homogeneous global culture.
Every Christmas Eve it is part of our culture in Montserrat to set the jumbie table (jumbie are ghosts). The jumbie table reveals a tradition held by my ancestors many years ago. When Montserratians (people from Montserrat) say jumbie table we are referring to the table set at Christmas Eve with all the food (roast pig, bread, blood pudding, duckna , black cake [fruit cake], pork, chicken, turkey, potato pudding, dasheen, yam, bananas, macaroni cheese, rice and peas, goat water, tart) and drinks; wine and spirits (water, sweet drink[ soda], lemonade, Guinness, Vita malt, brandy, beer, ginger bear, ginger wine, Manischewitz wine and sorrel drink) that we would consume on Christmas Day. Just before the meal on Christmas day the spirits (liquor) is poured into the corner of house around the table for the ancestors.
As I explain the jumbie table I sit here compelled to note this. I am in a state of disbelief that my mother and my cousins both sixty plus stated they have never seen a jumbie table set by their parents. My cousin, who is my age, exclaimed “how old are you Brenda?” It seems as if anyone younger than my grandparent’s age (eighty plus years) have not shared this experience. Fortunately for me my cousins Grand Aunt is still alive, so she called her right after I spoke to her. She confirmed that I am not hallucinating or having an out of body experience by remembering the details of the jumbie table. I quickly learned that the term jumbie table is an endearing and commonly used expression but many of my generation and my mother’s generation have never seen a jumbie table set.
It is believed when the tradition was abandoned, and the jumbie table not set, the jumbie would come out making noise all night.
For me the jumbie table commands respect, in that it makes us feel pride in our heritage. It does not spell suspicion but admiration for the practices held long ago by our ancestors. I understand that it may be a part of our African heritage to carry out this practice. Our culture is rich in history and traditions and identifies us as a people. The fact that I am in my thirties and have witness the setting of the jumbie table for many Christmas by my grandparents is indeed a compliment and honor.
Recent Comments