My Trini Page

Another unique Trini saying

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 02:23:00 +0000

Another ubiquitous Trini saying

is that of 'bouncing yuh (your) head'. This does not mean to bounce or knock your head accidentally. This Trini saying is usually worded something like this:
1. He/She bounce he/she head
2. Yuh (you) bounce yuh (your) head.

This saying means that the person referred to has made a bad or terrible mistake or choice. Many times it is made in reference to starting (or ending) a relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Usually the comment made would be like:

"She bounce she head to go with dah/dat (that) man."

Thus implying that the woman in question has made a bad decision or choice. This saying also has a double meaning as well, in that the speaker implies that the person made a bad choice due to being ignorant of certain knowledge or information that is unknown to them (about their boy/girl friend) and that it will be subsequently made know by the actions or behavior of their boy/girl friend eventually.
For queries or further information feel free to contact me at: mytrinipage@gmail.com

Lopinot in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:17:00 +0000

Here are a few pictures of the Lopinot Historical Complex that was taken in April 2013. The complex is a historical site that traces its origin back to the Count de Lopinot.

Beginning of Walkway


Walkway main entrance

Some paranderos

Old time dirt oven

Real Trini Sayings

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 04:50:00 +0000

Here's a few words and sayings used in Trinidad and Tobago:

Backayard: Refers to the crude and unsophisticated way that some people behave and talk.Used to describe uncouth persons.

E.g. The ways how she does behave, like she from backayard or wha?

Yardie: This refers to what we Trinis call a common fowl (chicken) or yard fowl. To be politically correct, a yardie is a chicken that has free range or is allowed to roam free.

Buss ah cuss or buss ah good cuss: To hurl profanities at someone real badly who deserves it.
E.g. Ah buss ah good cuss on he.
I cursed him real good.

Easy like squeezy: Used by little children to describe how easy a task is to do.
E.g. It easy like squeezy.

On like boil corn: Another phrase used by children to describe how smoothly things/events are happening.
E.g. Yuh on like boil corn.

Ten Things I Love About Trinidad and Tobago

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 04:05:00 +0000

Ten things I love about Trinidad and Tobago

1. Our Culture. Call it what you may, its a melange, a pelau, or callaloo. Trinbago culture has a little (or a lot of everything). We have a mixture of various cultures from around the world such as African, East Indian, European, Chinese, Amerindian and then some!

2.. Free Tertiary Education. Its wonderful to be able to get a tertiary education without having to go into debt. Our government pays for all tuition up to the undergraduate level. At the postgraduate level they pay 50% of the tuition fees

3. We support Our Own. We rally behind our own on the international stage, such as Keshorn Walcott at the 2012 Olympics or Anya Ayoung-Chee on Project Runway.

4. We are a Tolerant People. Say what you may, Trinbagonians are highly tolerant, different races, cultures and class exist in relative harmony.

5. There's never a dull moment in Tnt. Everyday brings some fresh development that leads to a lot of bacchanal or confusion. A check of the daily newspapers is sure to reveal or expose some new bacchanal.

6. Our food. Just as our culture contains elements from various parts of the globe so too does our food. Trinis know how to cook and eat! Doubles, roti, pelau, coo coo, callaloo, wild meat, geera pork, barbequed pigtail.....and the list goes on. We surely love our food

7. We have a lot of holidays. Some people say we have too many holidays! Lol! But we enjoy them all to the max :)

8. We know how to party and have a good time. We can turn most any event into a lime. We use the word 'lime' to describe our socialization. One of the best limes ever is the 'river lime'. Trinis love to cook, bathe, drink and dance.....aka lime by a river.

9. Our language. Our language is so warm, vibrant and unique as it is also part of our unique culture. Words such as miserable, ignorant and horn have entirely different meanings in Trinbago.

10. Our Creativity. Trinis tend to be very creative. We are a talented people, just a glimpse of our Carnival reveals our creativity.

There you have it folks, a True Trini's list of why she loves Trinidad and Tobago.

Some more Trini Sayings

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:08:00 +0000

Hello All! I was doing some intensive studies and so was unable to devote any time to my blog. That's in the past now......so onto some sayings!
1. Magga - refers to someone or sometimes an animal that is very skinny slim or slender and looks undernourished.

Examples of use in Trinidadian language:
Dat gyul rel magga!
That girl is really skinny!
2. In ah timing! This is a salutation or greeting when leaving or parting from friends, family or other company. It means "Until another time" or "Til we meet again."
Hope this post has helped or aided in your understanding and appreciation of the Trinidadian Dialect.
I'm still working on my e-book which has been delayed due to my studies but I hope to resume and complete it soon. God bless!

Another Amazing Trini Saying

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:28:00 +0000

Today a well known Trinidadian saying came to mind.... Today's saying is : All food good to eat but all talk ent good to talk.What does this saying mean?

This is to said to warn/let someone know that the time is not right to speak about the topic that he/she wants to discuss. So essentially this is a warning to drop the topic.
I am presently engaged in some intensive studies and cannot post saying as regularly as I would like. As a result of my studies I have delayed the publishing of my book about Trini Sayings and Proverbs until I'm finished with my studies.

Ramping Trini Style

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:55:00 +0000

In Trinbago words can have a different meaning from that found in a dictionary....Take the words ramp and ramping for example, the Trini meaning is play usually rough play or horse play by anyone (kids and adults alike). Ramp or ramping usually takes place between two or more persons. Activities that can be referred to as ramping include play wrestling, fighting games and the like. Indeed many times ramping went from being a game to real fighting, wrestling and the like. Many Trinbagonians can testify to this fact!

Examples of usage: Day like to ramp on de bed. They like to ramp on the bed.
in speech D two ah dem rampin in de yard. The two of them ramping in the yard.

Another Classic Trini Saying

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:24:00 +0000

Here is another classic Trini saying...'Ah go done yuh worries'. Translated accordingly 'I will done your worries'. What does this mean? It is a threat to do you (bodily) harm or kill you. The implication is that when your dead or badly damaged you won't have anything to worry about again, hence 'done yuh worries'.So when a Trini threatens to 'done yuh worries' take it seriously, it can mean the difference between life and death.

Bamboo Bending for Divali in Trinidad

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:37:00 +0000

Divail (Diwali) will be celebrated on Saturday 17th October 2009... I have seen some folks doing searches about bamboo bending. So I did a little research, trying to find out about this local practice here in TnT. Bamboo is bent and shaped into various designs and arrangements on which lighted deyas are placed on Divali night. It creates a magnificent scene as the deyas arrayed on the bamboo are a spectacular sight tp behold. The darkness of the night makes the lighted glowing, deyas seem surreal; an apt depiction of the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil....I got off track for a moment there, so on to the story....First, the bamboo is cut and hauled from the bush (forest) on many instances. Bamboo in Trinidad is very sturdy and can grow as high as 15 feet or even higher.Bamboo usually grow in a group together called a 'bamboo stool' or 'bamboo patch'. Green bamboo is very pliable and flexible making it the perfect material for bending. While still green, the bamboo is split lengthwise, the longer the strip the better for bending. Next the bamboo strips are twisted, bent and otherwise shaped depicting various things: star, flower or sometimes a simple border especially on personal property. Next the bent bamboo is firmly anchored into the ground through the use of wedges/ pegs. This continues until the desired frame is erected. Some designs are high in the air and so may have more than one 'level' of bamboo. These strips that are not anchored in the ground are nailed or tied to each other using wire. Obviously, more ornate and complex designs are done on temple grounds and other well revered and visited sites. As night approaches on Divali, the deyas are filled with coconut oil (although these days deyas filled with wax are available also) and placed with care on the bamboo designs. What a sight to behold!

All information above is second hand and is for informational purposes only. Please do not attempt or engage in these activities on your own.

Trini Slang

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:03:00 +0000

The Trini language or dialect is awesome!So here is another noteworthy phrase or slang... "Who in the kitchen does feel the heat". This means only those who are going through a certain experience (e.g. unfaithful spouse) are the ones who know what it is like. Those on the outside can say what they like but they are not the ones going through it, they're not feeling the 'heat'(e.g the pain, heartbreak of the unfaithfulness in the marriage).

Another great Trini saying!

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:16:00 +0000

I recently began collecting Trini sayings and proverbs for my book. Here is a common Trini saying: He always bawling. Here 'bawling' is not referring to crying/ wailing or the like. "Bawling' here is talking about a person who is always complaining about going through hard times whether or not they are really going through tough times.

Trini proverbs and Sayings

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:07:00 +0000

I've decided to add a few trini sayings or proverbs. 1. "Don't count egg in fowl bottom". This is almost the same as 'don;t count your chickens before they hatch'. Therefore it means don't count on things working out a certain way until you see it happens.
2. "Peas doh bear corn"(peas don't bear corn). It means that a person's offspring is just like that person in character or looks.
So enjoy these witty sayings! I am presently researching some of the newer sayings that are making the rounds now. Language as we know is dynamic always changing evolving and some sayings/ phrases of yesteryear are rarely used by trinidadians at present. These newer sayings are still very unique and are becoming part of our trini dialect. These will be released in time.

New E-book

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:53:00 +0000

I am currently working on an E-book and it will probably be ready late this year or early next year. For the last few months I have been really busy collecting material for my book, my responsibilities like my job, family, church. I have not been really been able to get online very much due to my packed schedule. I contemplating writing a series of E-books but how that will turn out remains to be seen.

Fat at forty

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:21:00 +0000

I was very slim and trim a year ago.... but now as I approach 40 I'm experiencing middle age spread. Quite a challenge for someone who for 30+ years had to do no exercising or workouts. So what brought on the weight gain? Could be a slowing down of metabolism, more driving/less walking, more time in front of tv/ pc or a combination of all these. So now I have to find a way to get back slim. So I went online and found a site called www.nowloss.com. I got a lot of simple exercises that I can do quite easily. So I have decided to try some of these. Hope to lose some of the 40+ pounds I have put on since last year. So if you're like me around 40 years or so and having problems with losing weight don't give up look around there are many sites that offer helpful advice and suggestions.

Pictures of Trinidad

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:52:00 +0000

Here are some pictures of various places in Trinidad... For more photos visit panoramio where I have posted some photos of trinidad. Enjoy! Pictures from the top:1. Mayaro beach

2. The beach by the Lighthouse, Point Galera, Toco.

3. Salybia beach in the early morning.

4. One of many scenic areas along the north east coast near to Balandra.

5. Historic 'Growing Stone' before the village of Biche.

A Trini Wake'

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:54:00 +0000

A Trini wake is truly a sight to behold... and hear! If it were possible the noise and bacchanal at a Trini wake could 'wake' the dead. What exactly is a Trini wake? Well, according to the older folks, long ago when someone died their body was kept at home (there being no funeral agency), and the relatives, friends and neighbours of the deceased kept a wake or watch (much like a vigil) for a few days and nights. The dead person would then be buried. This of course occurred before the era of the autopsy. Indeed a few persons have reportedly came back to life, this of course being simply that the 'dead' person was in a coma etc and revived.
Now a Trini wake can be a spectacle akin to Carnival, there is music, singing, beating of drums, card playing, dancing, drinking of alcohol, serving of the tradtional hot coffee, crackers and cheese ('crix and cheese or butter), cheese sandwiches. A Trini wake is therefore loud, noisy and can go on from sundown to sunup. In many wakes persons 'make' their own music from improvised 'instruments' (a 'rum' glass bottle and a metal spoon). A wake provides an opportunity for the relatives of the deceased to be comforted by the presence of loved ones, friends etc. It also helps family members to bond as it provides an opportunity for social interaction for those relatives who reside abroad or at a distance away. It also serves as a way to take the strain of the death and upcoming funeral of their deceased loved one.
This being said there is singing of hymns and sometimes preaching at wakes but this is mostly done at Christian wakes. It is quite curious, but many Trinis will attend a wake but not the funeral of the deceased. Why? Sometimes due to work and not being able to get time off, at other times due to the emotional distress of the funeral (crying, wailing etc), or simply the fact that some don't like 'church' where most funeral services are kept.

Trinidad Carnival

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:11:00 +0000

Trinidad Carnival is truly a sight to behold. It resplendent with all the vibrancy of tnt's multicultural society. Carnival is full of excesses: colour, skimpy clothing, music, vulgarity, alcohol and the likes. For the 2 days prior to Ash Wednesday the streets and roads of all towns and villages are filled with revelers, music trucks, vendors, masqueraders in their costumes etc. It is truly a spectacle to behold. Schools are closed as are most government offices and banks. The fun and fetes for most start from Carnival Friday for most people. From Friday after work the 'liming'/socializing usually begins. It continues throughout the long weekend into Carnival Monday & Carnival Tuesday. Of course not all trinis partake of Carnival. There are many who choose an alternative route. They instead choose to spend their Carnival away from the bacchanal and revelry. These folks go to beaches and other isolated areas. There they 'camp out' and also enjoy themselves but without alcohol, drugs, immorality and the likes.
Carnival undoubtedly brings in much needed revenue to some sectors of society here in tnt. However with the upsurge of crime in tnt visitors and locals alike need to exercise caution while partying and feteing. There is also the problem of drinking and driving during the Carnival season, with its resulting accidents ,deaths and trauma. There is an even more sinister aspect to Carnival as in tnt most babies are born approximately 9 months after Carnival. Some women and girls end up with unwanted pregnancies...and then the prospect of AIDS and other STDs.
Love it or hate it Carnival is here to stay and so all of tnt must be able to tolerate each other whether we celebrate Carnival or not.

More Trini Sayings

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:31:00 +0000

I really forgot to post some more Trini sayings a long time ago, so here they are...
1. Playing dead to catch corbeau alive - A corbeau is a large bird that is a scavenger. It only eats dead animals and the like. So the only way to catch one is to pretend to be dead. This saying means in order to 'catch' someone at something you need to play the 'game' until the person is 'caught'.

2. Friend + Enemy = Frien-e-my (fren-ee-me). This says it all but still I'll say it: refers to an enemy who pretends to be your friend.

3. Stress + Pressure = Stressure (stress- shah). A beautiful trini word to express (you guessed it) extreme stress and pressure aka hardship.

4. When you can't get Mammy, take Granny. This means to make do with what you have until you can get what you want.

5. Dotish or too-tool-bay. Means stupid, foolish, idiot etc

There are many unique Trini sayings that have been passed down for years. Some of them are newer like frien-e-me and stressure. These sayings are part of our rich, complex, diverse and vibrant Trini culture. Another aspect of our culture is Carnival. So my next post will be undoubtedly about Carnival...

San Fernando

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:58:00 +0000

Here are a few pictures of the City of San Fernando, the second largest town of Trinidad...

Toco, Point Galera

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:34:00 +0000

Here are some pictures of the historic lighthouse at Point Galera, Toco. Toco, situated at the north eastern of the island of Trinidad is a very picturesque village that is virtually crime free so far. Point Galera has very rugged, majestic beaches and islands that leave you awestruck. It is truly magnificent. The lighthouse and the surrounding grounds were a bit unkempt and needed a little sprucing up. On a more positive note there were benches and tables that folks like me can appreciate after going up and down the cliffs and out on the Point. Nevertheless, the beaches and surrounding landscape were quite awesome. I think that the powers that be needs to have a bit of security around as the area is very lonely. While there several visitors local and foreign arrived to view this historic site. So enjoy these few pics of the lighthouse and environs.
NOTE: The pics are somewhat hazy due to a lot of sea spray from the waves bashing against the rocks and sides of the cliffs.

Diwali (Divali) in Trinidad and Tobago

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:31:00 +0000

Diwali (or Divali as we spell it in good old Tnt) is truly.... repesentative of our unique cultural diversity and unity at the same time. It is a time of great unity in our country as many indo-trinidadians and afro-trinidadians inter-relate on a grand scale. Of course there are the usual racists aka haters who 'love' only those of their race. Thankfully we have not had the ethnic violence as many other countries. Today is a public holiday here in tnt and most business places were closed as well as most government offices.
Yesterday (the day before divali) I chanced to pass through Princes Town (a town in the southern part of the island of Trinidad) and was surprise that the 'town' was overflowing with shoppers reminiscent of 'Christmas shopping'. The banks had long lines as well as the supermarkets. The significant thing about this was that the shoppers were not only of east indian descent but of all other races as well: afro-trinidadians, mixed etc. Truly Divali can now be said to be truly a national holiday. Many prepare sumptuous indian meals and sweets. Those who don't prepare any are invited over to share in the feast by their neighbours, friends, relatives and co-workers etc. The most awesome aspect of Divali is the lighting of diyas (deya in trini language) after dark on Divali night (tonight by the way. In the yards and gardens of many homes, savannas, etc many Hindu devotees erect beautiful structures out of bamboo by splitting and bending into various shapes and symbols etc. In a little while my kids and I will be journeying around our village/ neighbourhood to view the lighted deyas. Hope to bring back some pics. So enjoy!

Murdered Raped Shot Killed Executed

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:57:00 +0000

Shot dead! Executed! Murdered! Raped! These are tired, worn expressions you see almost everyday in newspapers... as well as on the television and radio. Many people no longer venture out at nights as it isn't worth the risk. In spite of this there are multitudes who do venture out at nights and there are many second hand stories that abound with their encounters with the 'criminal elements'. Not long ago a dear friend of mine related an incident where her niece boarded a 'private' car working as a 'taxi' late at night. Upon reaching a certain junction the male driver said he had to take a detour... She got frightened and jumped out of the moving car. The driver obviously up to no good, tried to grab her as she jumped out. Thank God there were no other accomplices with the driver or else this young lady would have become a crime statistic no doubt. This young lady could have been, raped, sodomized or worse...
Everyday the headlines scream at us and we have become accustomed to them like the way we brush our teeth. Murder and violent crime has become an everyday occurrence and no longer horrify us as it should. It's a rare day when something other than murder makes the front page of any newspaper...
To the relatives of those victims of heinous crimes, you have my sympathy. It is hard to lose a family member but under such conditions it can be devastating. My heart goes out to you. I will continue to pray for our nation, youth, & everyone as we all need protection from the Almighty. God be praised for keeping my family and community relatively insulated from the crime that plagues our nation. As a Christian I believe in Bible prophecy which states that people will wax worse and worse. According to the Bible things will NOT get better but invariably more and more worse. So keep praying people cause only GOD can keep me and you safe from crime. Think on these things....

Horror in Tobago

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:19:00 +0000

Trinbagonians have become so accustomed to crime that it no longer has the ability to shock or cause dismay.... This is my thoughts about the recent murder of the Swedish couple in Tobago. As far as I know Tobago has less crime than Trinidad therefore its all the more shocking and most of all sad. This couple did not deserve to die like this! Nobody, in fact deserves to die in this manner!
This crime only serves to damage our reputation as a tourist destination and will cause many to think twice before visiting our shores. I know I certainly won't visit any country where I won't feel safe. So imagine how foreigners will feel about visiting our isles now! It can cause many to lose their jobs as if the tourists stay away from Tobago, those employed in the tourism industry will suffer loss. In addition foreign investors will simply take their money elsewhere to invest if incidents like this continues to occur. Crime is the ultimate expression of selfishness. I sympathize with the families of the victims, may God be with you at this time of your grief. To the citizens of Tnt please choose what is right and do the right. Let us follow the golden rule and put away selfishness: Do to others as you would have them do unto you.

Beautiful Flowers of TNT

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:07:00 +0000

Am having a lot of problems with my 5+ years old pc, so cant post as I'd like. Please pray for me: I NEED a new pc or better yet a laptop. My teenage daughter and I are avid amateur photographers of flowers, flowering plants, shrubs, trees and natural scenery in general. The following are samples and represent pics taken at different parts of our country over the past few weeks. So enjoy!

The Gas Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (a true trini) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:22:00 +0000

Was away from the pc for a while.... For a long time I wanted to focus on the budget that was presented by our Minister of Finance a while aback. One of her pronouncements was a $1.00TT increase per litre in the cost of premium unleaded gasoline from $3.00TT to $4.00TT. Now the reasons for the said increase was amongst other things to help the environment. Just as surely was the fallout as some sectors of the populace predicted an increase of taxi fares due to this (as in tnt many new taxis use premium gas). Most assuredly this was bound to happen. Now many taxi drivers are talking about increasing their fares. Another debate has arisen from this as many persons who were advised to only use premium unleaded fuel are now contemplating using 'regular' or as we say here 'super'. Some folks have stated it is going to ruin your new car's engine (gasp), while other experts have stated that nothing will happen if you use regular fuel. A friend told me she heard that her vehicle (nissan almera), mine also can use the regular gas. She heard this on a local radio talk show programme. So in the midst of this the poor new car owners are confused about what to use in their cars. I think the government needs to fully investigate this and bring their finding to the nation. I for one will not be putting regular/super gas in my vehicle until I am fully convinced about this. I too will investigate this on the web. Any suggestions? Don't want to ruin my new car that I am still paying for.