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TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

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TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby ilove3 » September 23rd, 2011, 10:31 am

Hey 2ners, I think that this aspect of our culture is dying as lots of our younger people have no idea what some of our characters are. Even more, some people swear that they have had experiences with one or more of our local jumbies. If we can tell a bit of who and what they are, I am sure we would all appreciate this

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby ilove3 » September 23rd, 2011, 10:34 am

I would start of with Papa Bois who is known as the guardian of the forests. It is said that he is short, stock, with two horns and deer legs. He walks around with a horn and lures wicked hunters deep into the forest where they get lost. Papa Bois is not considered a malevolent being but rather, a kind and wise spirit that protects the forests and the animals living therein

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby dougla_boy » September 23rd, 2011, 10:35 am

Douens

Douens (Dwens) are the souls of children who have died before they were baptized. They are doomed to roam the earth forever. They are seen playing in forests and near rivers and the odd thing about them is that they have no faces and their feet are turned backwards. They may approach children and lead them astray in the forest until they are lost, or they may come near people's houses at night, crying and whimpering.

Old people talk: To prevent the Douens from calling your children into the forest at dusk, never shout their names in open places, as the Duennes will take their names, call them and lure them away.

Duppies

Duppies are ghosts that roam the earth at night. It is said that to keep duppies out of your house you must either sprinkle salt or rice grains all around the house; as the duppy must first count each individual grain before entering. By which time the sun will have arisen and they must then return to the spirit world.

Gang Gang Sara

Gang Gang Sara (Tobago Folklore by Alice & Gerard Besson) - The legend of Gang Gang Sara, the African witch of Golden Lane, has its origins in the latter half of the 18th century. On a stormy night she was blown from her home in Africa across the sea to Tobago and landed quite safely at the village of Les Coteaux. From there she journeyed to Golden Lane in search of her family who had long ago been transported there. She lived to a great age and is remembered for her wisdom and kindness. She became the loving wife of Tom, whom legend says she had known as a child in her native Africa. She lived to a great age and is remembered for her wisdom. After her Tom had died, wishing to return to her native land, she climbed a great silk cotton tree and tried to fly, not knowing that she had lost the art of flight as a result of having eaten salt. To this day the names of Tom and Sara can be seen inscribed upon the head stones of their graves where they have lain side by side for close upon two hundred years.

Jacakalantan

The Jacakalantan is said to be a mysterious light that appears and attracts people, misleading the unwary into desolate areas far away from their intended destinations. And then vanishes.

Jumbies

Jumbies are mischievous or malevolent spirit or creature.

La Diablesse

La Diablesse (Lajables), the Devil Woman, roames at night. She has eyes like burning coals and a face resembling that of a corpse, but hides it under a beautiful wide-brimmed hat and a veil over her face. She is dressed exquisitely in a blouse with puffy sleeves and long, petticoated, skirts. She has one cloven foot, which she tries to hide under her long skirts. She turns up at village dances, where she is immediately disliked by the women present, but she utterly charms the men and then asks one of them to take her home. He follows her, totally under her spell. She leads him deep into the woods and then suddenly she disappears. Unable to find his way home, the poor fellow stumbles around in the dark wood until he either falls into a ravine or a river to his death or gets attacked by wild hogs.

Old people talk: If you feel you may encounter a La Diablesse on your way home, take off all your clothes, turn them inside out and put them on again, and this will surely protect you from a La Diablesse.

Lugarhoo

A Lugarhoo (Lagahoo or Loup Garou) is a person who can change themselves into a half animal from the torso down; and can also alter its size from tiny to very large in an instant. This is done at night as it rattles and drags chains and carries in its hand a whip-like bunch of dried sticks and reeds.

Old people talk: If you want to see a lugarhoo and not be seen by it, take some yampee from the corner of a dog's eye, put it in your eye and peep out of a key hole at 12 midnight.

Mama Glow or Mama Dlo or Mama Dglo

"Mama Glow" or "Mama Dlo" or "Mama Dglo" whose name is derived from the French "maman de l' eau" which means "mother of the water" is one of the lesser known personalities of Trinidad and Tobago folklore. A half woman, half snake with long flowing hairwhich she combs constantly. Her upper torso is a naked, beautiful woman, the lower part coils into a large form of an anaconda snake that is hidden beneath the water. She is sometimes thought to be the lover of Papa Bois, and old hunters tell stories of coming upon them in the 'High Woods'. They also tell of hearing a loud, cracking sound which is said to be the sound made by her tail as she snaps it on the surface of a mountain pool or a still lagoon. Mortal men who commit crimes against the forest, like burning down trees or indiscriminately putting animals to death or fouling the rivers could find themselves married to her for life, both this one and the one to follow. Sometimes she takes the form of a beautiful woman 'singing silent songs on still afternoons, sitting at the water's edge in the sunlight, lingering for a golden moment, a flash of green - gone. Nothing but a big Morte Bleu, rising in the sun beams.

Old people talk: "Did you see a fish jump?" "Yes, but it did not go back in again!" If you were to meet Mama Dlo in the forest and wish to escape her, take off your left shoe, turn it upside down and immediately leave the scene, walking backwards until you reach home.

Mermaids and Fairymaids

Mermaids and Fairymaids (Tobago Folklore) - There be mermaids here and Leviathan, great denizens of the deep. Amongst the swirling currents and white capped blue-green waters, just where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, close by St. Giles and near to Misty Marble Island, past Anse Gouleme and Anse Brisant, towards the Bird of Paradise Island and down the coast past Speyside to Fat Hog Bay, it is remembered from long ago that this was where the mermaids came to play.

Tobago mermaids are male and live in the deep, deep sea. They mate with the fairy maids of the rivers and the secret mountain pools. Riding upon the crest of waves, they are handsome men like kings of old or warriors of long ago, beplumed and richly garbed. They may grant a wish, transform mediocrity into genius and confer wealth and power. Sometimes the water people seek relationships with mortals. Some men are particularly attractive to the fairy maids, especially men with smooth skin.

Fairymaids are said to be beautiful with long lush hair and one tiny foot in the shape of a deer's hoof, she may use her power to "turn" a man's head. She may steal his shadow and leave him quite demented. In which case, accompanied by friends and family and with the help of a "workman", he must go to the river and address the water pleading for the restoration of his lost shadow. This done, he must leave the water's edge and not look back. Fairymaids may be found in caves behind waterfalls or beneath certain bridges where the river runs deep and swift. In days gone by, they were seen near certain water wheels. To discontinue a relationship with a fairy queen, offerings of two pairs of shoes must be made. The first must be burnt on the beach, the fairymaid will then rise out of the water and ask if she is to be paid for past services. The answer must be "nothing but this pair of shoes". The second must then be thrown into the waves.

Papa Bois

Papa Bois, also called Maître Bois, lives in the forest and he is the father or protector of the animals that live there. He is often seen by hunters and other people who live near the forest. He gets animals out of snares and treats sick animals at his dwelling. He is an old man who is very hairy, like an animal and usually is only dressed in a pair of ragged trousers with a bamboo horn hanging from his belt. He can turn himself into the form of a large stag or any other animal as well to be able to observe the hunters unnoticed. He is usually very kind, but can be dangerous when crossed. He might even cast a spell on a bad hunter and turn him into a wild hog.

Silk Cotton Trees

Silk Cotton trees are regarded with a kind of awed reverance and fear. These are huge trees. It is reported to be very difficult to be able to find someone who will cut down a silk cotton tree as they are said to be the home of spirits and duppies. To cut it down is to free them to roam the earth.

Soucouyant

The Soucouyant (Sukuya), also called Old Hag, is a supernatural being who has made a pact with the devil to be able to change herself into all kinds of different forms. At night she sheds her human skin and changes into a ball of fire or any kind of animal and casts spells on people to turn them into animals also, but she has to slip back into that skin before dawn breaks and the Rooster crows, otherwise she will not be able to get back into it. So it may happen, that, when people suspect that an old woman neighbour of theirs is, in fact, a soucouyant, they may trick her by going to her house at night and destroying the skin she left behind by putting salt on it so that it will shrink and she will not be able to get back into it and thus die. In Trinidad, if somebody walks around with a "hicky" (soukie) on his neck, he may get remarks from his friends like: " Eh, Eh, Soucoyant suck yuh or wha ? "

Old people talk: If you wish to discover who the Soucouyant in your village is empty 100 lbs of rice at the village crossroads where she will be compelled to pick them up, one grain at a time - that is how you'll know the Soucouyant.

Witchdoctors

Witchdoctors, or as they are known in Trinidad, Obeah men, are said to abound. It is said that you can visit one to have any manner of spell performed to grant your desires. It is thought that curses are powerful and can be cast by anyone. Even your neighbour may put the evil eye or MalYeux(Maljo) on you. Any discomfort, hardship or illness may be attributed to this. It can supposedly be warded off by placing blue bottles around your property and by wearing bracelets or anklets made of Jumbie beads.(a little black and red bead found growing on certain bushes.)

http://www.tntisland.com/folklore.html
Last edited by dougla_boy on September 23rd, 2011, 10:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby crazybalhead » September 23rd, 2011, 10:36 am

There are books available with that info as well. Trinidad Folklore is one of them

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby ilove3 » September 23rd, 2011, 10:38 am

Nice Dougla Boi.... lets make this even better by getting some drawings.... and if we can get some that are unique to Tobago..

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby Hook » September 23rd, 2011, 10:44 am

I was just listening to a programme from NALIS building on this topic on Power102 ... good stuff

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby dougla_boy » September 23rd, 2011, 10:51 am

wat about stories of people having encounters with them? my co-worker once told me of her grandmother was walking home late at night.....and she lit a cig as per her custom when walking home late........then a big black dog ran up to her....she flick d cig and it burned the dog by his eye......next day an old man living isolated had a burn mark on his eye :shock: :shock:

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby ironman2012 » September 23rd, 2011, 11:11 am

i once heard some hunters say they shoot behind a manicou and missed,and it looked at them and smiled with gold teeth and ran.

Serious Talk

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby ilove3 » September 23rd, 2011, 11:20 am

I have a friend from Grande who was chased from the forests by a pair of red glowing eyes and I have a cousin who went up Maracas Village on the North Coast in an area known as the 'dasheen' where he told me that he and others say some douens and according to what I have been hearing for years, it is kinna normal for children in the area to see them

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby VexXx Dogg » September 23rd, 2011, 11:26 am

I once had a soucouyant GF and I work with a La Diablesse.
No lie.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby janfar » September 23rd, 2011, 11:33 am

Once me and my friends paddled up a river from the beach, about 2 hours after we came to a house. We entered and it had a rasta woman sitting behind a table. She started talking to me bout how i dont visit anymore then she looked at my friend with a level of curiousity in here eyes and told him,' you ave a touch af destiny about yuh'...

She then gave me a jar of dirt and we left to find her long lost love...

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby crazybalhead » September 23rd, 2011, 11:35 am

janfar wrote:Once me and my friends paddled up a river from the beach, about 2 hours after we came to a house. We entered and it had a rasta woman sitting behind a table. She started talking to me bout how i dont visit anymore then she looked at my friend with a level of curiousity in here eyes and told him,' you ave a touch af destiny about yuh'...

She then gave me a jar of dirt and we left to find her long lost love...


Ok ass. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


I sure it have mad people in Mafeking who have level stories.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby crazybalhead » September 23rd, 2011, 11:36 am

VexXx Dogg wrote:I once had a soucouyant GF and I work with a La Diablesse.
No lie.



Lord. :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby rfari » September 23rd, 2011, 11:42 am

nice ched. heard stories as well. i grew up in brazil village and my uncle once said tht he was liming with some friends on a culvert (small bridge) and they saw a fireball travel overhead and land in what is now the jai ramkisson hoising development. lime breakup one time

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby janfar » September 23rd, 2011, 11:43 am

crazybalhead wrote:
janfar wrote:Once me and my friends paddled up a river from the beach, about 2 hours after we came to a house. We entered and it had a rasta woman sitting behind a table. She started talking to me bout how i dont visit anymore then she looked at my friend with a level of curiousity in here eyes and told him,' you ave a touch af destiny about yuh'...

She then gave me a jar of dirt and we left to find her long lost love...


Ok ass. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


I sure it have mad people in Mafeking who have level stories.



dont be chupit eh hoss... they not mad... then shrinks aint know nothing...

Ah know it have some tuners who is tun gumbo in de night and stalk other tuners.

Also know that a certain mod have a buck... or is a buck.. not sure which it is.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby ilove3 » September 23rd, 2011, 11:44 am

There is a guy called Andrew aka Mad Flex from Sorey Village going up to Lopinot with reeeeel stories. For a young person, he claims to have some rel dread encounters

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby SUPAstarr » September 23rd, 2011, 12:34 pm

Trevor Sayers
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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby Dizzy28 » September 23rd, 2011, 12:38 pm

ilove3 wrote:There is a guy called Andrew aka Mad Flex from Sorey Village going up to Lopinot with reeeeel stories. For a young person, he claims to have some rel dread encounters


I know of Surrey Village, Lopinot

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby shake d livin wake d dead » September 23rd, 2011, 12:40 pm

VexXx Dogg wrote:I once had a soucouyant GF and I work with a La Diablesse.
No lie.


:shock: :shock: soucouyant GF

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby shake d livin wake d dead » September 23rd, 2011, 12:42 pm

personally know about the silk cotton tree stories,have one growing in my land way up in the bush,and according to the watchmen they saw and still seeing a lot of activities late at nights on in and around the tree..
Last edited by shake d livin wake d dead on September 23rd, 2011, 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby dougla_boy » September 23rd, 2011, 12:58 pm

shake d livin wake d dead wrote:personally know about the silk cotton tree stories,have one growing in my land way up in the bush,and according to the watchmen they saw ans still seeing a lot of activities late at nights on in and around the tree..



hoss, english is yuh 2nd language awa?

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby Hook » September 23rd, 2011, 1:16 pm

dougla_boy wrote:
shake d livin wake d dead wrote:personally know about the silk cotton tree stories,have one growing in my land way up in the bush,and according to the watchmen they saw ans still seeing a lot of activities late at nights on in and around the tree..



hoss, english is yuh 2nd language awa?



Granted said user has consistently demonstrated an inability to formulate proper sentences for the duration of his membership here and assuming the intended word there is "and", such typographical errors occur quite frequently, given the proximity of the keys on the standard qwerty keyboard. Therefore one should not be faulted for such a common error.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby dougla_boy » September 23rd, 2011, 1:24 pm

Hook wrote:
dougla_boy wrote:
shake d livin wake d dead wrote:personally know about the silk cotton tree stories,have one growing in my land way up in the bush,and according to the watchmen they saw ans still seeing a lot of activities late at nights on in and around the tree..



hoss, english is yuh 2nd language awa?



Granted said user has consistently demonstrated an inability to formulate proper sentences for the duration of his membership here and assuming the intended word there is "and", such typographical errors occur quite frequently, given the proximity of the keys on the standard qwerty keyboard. Therefore one should not be faulted for such a common error.

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or no problem....i understand........

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby janfar » September 23rd, 2011, 1:35 pm

Hook... husg yug kamy

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby BrotherHood » September 23rd, 2011, 2:27 pm

ironman2012 wrote:i once heard some hunters say they shoot behind a manicou and missed,and it looked at them and smiled with gold teeth and ran.

Serious Talk

:rofl: :rofl:

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby Marcos Dios » September 23rd, 2011, 11:52 pm

I have a friend who hears the sound of her son's voice at night, coming from outside saying, "Mommy, I'm coming home" very regularly and her son is at her side sleeping...and a woman that haunts her husband...he sees her in the windows, etc. Don't know what to call that one...

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby nervewrecker » September 24th, 2011, 12:00 am

hmmm....where to start?

well for one, have a girl that used to see a "spirit" when she was small, parents had some kinda prayer done & it stopped. Person whom did the prayer left a knife stuck in the door but the happenings started recurring & the guy that did the prayer is deceased.
Lately she has been having some issues with the said entity, anyone have any suggestions as to how I can help her out?

keep it clean eh guys.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby Rory Phoulorie » September 24th, 2011, 12:02 am

nervewrecker wrote:hmmm....where to start?

well for one, have a girl that used to see a "spirit" when she was small, parents had some kinda prayer done & it stopped. Person whom did the prayer left a knife stuck in the door but the happenings started recurring & the guy that did the prayer is deceased.
Lately she has been having some issues with the said entity, anyone have any suggestions as to how I can help her out?

keep it clean eh guys.


Put a scissors under her bed.

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby Chimera » September 24th, 2011, 12:06 am

always hear this story from some cousins of mine

few years ago...they had a cremation to go by mosquito creek, the whole family from north and it was the first time they heading south for a cremation.

near gulf city..one of the women in the car start to fight up and speak gibberish, they had to hold her down in the backseat because she keep trying to jump out the car, a usually weak woman...take 2 strong men to hold her down to stop her from jumping out the moving car, she then say in a deep man voice..."we almost reach the cremation site for me to go home ent"

they did several prayers for her after and she normal now

but i know it happened more than once where the 2nd time it took 4-5 male relatives to restrain her

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Re: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOLKLORE CHARACTERS AND TALES

Postby rollingstock » September 24th, 2011, 12:12 am

ironman2012 wrote:i once heard some hunters say they shoot behind a manicou and missed,and it looked at them and smiled with gold teeth and ran.

Serious Talk


De phoq! Dey shoot behind rahtid?

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