Traditions, magic, spirits, obeah, religion (Kwéyòl glossary)

Traditions, magic, spirits, obeah, religion

Trinidad and Tobago 

(Kwéyòl glossary)

1. Ala: The name of God, as He is known in Arabic and in Islam.
2. Abo-abouké: Short hunchbacked people who live on the far side of the sun
3. Ababo: Yodel used to welcome Orishas [Yoruba gods]
4. Ado: A small calabash used for making magical potions and powders
5. Awobobo: Howl used to banish evil and bring good luck to the home
6. Andjabé: Said of someone who is possessed by a devil
7. Angajé: Said of someone who has made a pact with Satan
8. Bazil: Death personified
9. Boubou: Goblin-like creature; will punish greedy persons
10. Bolonm: The spirit of an aborted child
11. Ben fèy: A herbal bath, thought to bring good luck and remove back magic
12. Benni: To bless
13. Benni kò: A prayer performed over the body of a Catholic
14. Bennédiksyon: Blessing
15. Bèlzibòb: Beelzebub
16. Bon: Good
17. Bondyé: God [general term]
18. Bondyé Bwa: Any wooden idol
19. Bondyé Zendyen: Any Hindu God
20. Bongo: Dance for the dead
21. Bwa Sòlèy: Son of Papa Bois and Ti-Marie
22. Démou: Demon
23. Diviné: To foretell supernaturally
24. Divinè: Seer [man]
25. Divinèz: Seer [woman]
26. Chapèl: Chapel, Sanctuary
27. Chaplé: Rosary
28. Choubichou: A kind of talisman
29. Chouval: A person used by an Orisha
30. Danmbala: A serpent God worshipped by the Rada community [Belmont, Trinidad]
31. Doktè-fèy: Leaf doctor, anyone who heals with herbs and other plants
32. Dèy: Mourning
33. Djab 1: A character who appears in Creole folk-tales as a well-dressed European man
34. Djab 2: The traditional devil with horns, a tail and a pitch fork
35. Djab molasi: Demons who haunt sugar plantations; they represent the spirits of slaves who died on the plantation
36. Dwenn: The spirits of children who died before being baptised; their feet are turned backward
37. Ébadi: Love potion given to a woman
38. Fè mal: To do evil, harm supernaturally
39. Fèt Lanmò: The Feast of All Souls
40. Fowmajé: Silk Cotton Tree; it is believed that spirits live in these trees
41. Gadkò: Talisman to protect against witchcraft 
42. Gadzafè: Soothsayer
43. Gajè: Witch
44. Gajé: Witchcraft; to practise witchcraft
45. Govi: A magical calabash that has power to trap a soul
46. Glo benni: Holy water
47. Gwan Mèt: (Judeo-Christian) God 
48. Iyélé: A love potion given to a man
49. Jan: John the apostle 
50. Jédi Sen: Holy Thursday
51. Jété Glo: Libation ritual for ancestors or gods
52. Jès: A supernatural action
53. Jézi: Jesus
54. Jézi Kwi: Jesus the Christ
55. Jozèf: Joseph, Jesus' earthly father
56. Kadavi: Zombie, the animated dead
57. Kalvè: Calvary
58. Katéchis: Catechism
59. Katolik: Roman Catholic
60. Konfésè: Confessor [Catholic] (see Padwé)
61. Kònn lanbi: Conch horn, the sounding of horn announced a death in the area
62. Kwa: Cross (Variant: Lakwa)
63. Kwétyen: Christian
64. Kwibo: The snake that guards Maman Glo's pool; there is a large coloured gem on its head
65. Labib: Bible (Variant: Bib)
66. Labé: Priest
67. Labèt: The Beast [Book of Revelation]
68. Labé zendyen: Hindu priest
69. Ladjablès: A female seducing spirit with a cloven right foot (variant: Djablès)
70. Lafimé: A smoke ceremony to remove evil from the home
71. Lafwa: Faith
72. Lasiwenn: Mermaid 
73. Lanfè: Hell
74. Lanmen nwè: Said of someone who practices witchcraft [black hand]
75. Lanmen sal: Said of someone who practices witchcraft [dirty hand]
76. Lanmès: A Catholic mass
77. Lanmò: Death
78. Lapwiyè: Prayer
79. Lasimen-sent: Holy Week
80. Latousen: The Feast of All Saints
81. Lavéyé: Wake for the dead
82. Lavèj: The Virgin Mary
83. Légliz: Church
84. Lé Sen: The saints [collective name for Yoruba gods]
85. Lévanjil: The Holy Scriptures (literally, gospels)
86. Lèspwi: Any spirit
87. Lèspwi Bondyé: The Holy Spirit
88. Lifis: God the Son [Jesus]
89. Lipap: The Pope
90. Lipè: God the Father [YHVH] (See Papa Bondyé)
91. Lisentèspwi: The Holy Spirit
92. Louk: Luke The evangelist [Bible]
93. Lougawou: Werewolf
94. Nòtsenyè: Lord (Variant: Senyè)
95. Mabouyazé: To curse supernaturally
96. Mal: Evil
97. Malédiksyon: Jinx
98. Malfètè: Sorcerer
99. Malfètèz: Sorceress
100. Malfètaj: Sorcery
102. Maji: Witchcraft, magic 
101. Maman Glo: A female water spirit with a serpentine lower body
102. Maman Malad: The spirits of women who have died in childbirth; they cry continually at night
103. Manman Latè: A local Orisha, earth goddess [Trinidad]
104. Mawé: To bewitch someone [literally means ''to tie'']
105. Mawé wanga: Any spell cast to insure fidelity
106. Mèkwédi Sann: Ash Wednesday
107. Mawi: Mary, mother of Jesus
108. Miwak: Miracle
109. Modi: To curse supernaturally
110. Modisyon: Curse
111. Monsenyè: Church Bishop
112. Mongba: An Orisha priestess 
113. Omo-glo: Water spirits who appear in the form of children
114. Owéson: Ritualistic prayer to Catholic saints
115. Papa Bwa: A male spirit, guardian of the forest 
116. Pè: Priest
117. Péché: Sin, to sin
118. Péchè: Sinner
119. Piyè: Peter the apostle 
120. Pòl: Paul the apostle
121. Pwèt: Priest
122. Pwèzbitè: Rectory
123. Pyay: To hex
124. Pwiyé / pwédyé: To pray
125. Pyayè: worker of black magic
126. Tjenbwa: Obeah
127. Tjenbazè: worker of black magic
128. Twavay di sen: Orisha spiritual work
129. Satan: Satan, The Devil
130. Sèvis Lé Sen: Orisha worship service
131. Soukouyan: A female vampire, who sheds her skin at night and flies in a ball of fire. 
132. Sosyè: Witch
133. Syèl: Heaven
134. Vyé Lèspwi: Any evil spirit
135. Yawé: Yahweh: The name of God [Judaism], The name of God the father [Christianity]
136. Zafi: Fairy 
137. Zanj: Angel
138. Zapòt: Apostle