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 

Song of the day - Chanté pou jòdi-a

Song of the day - Chanté pou jòdi-a

M'asire'm nan Kris - I assure myself in Christ

KREYÒL AYISYEN - HAITIAN CREOLE

 M’asire’m nan Kris... I assure myself in Christ
Mwen jwenn sekirite ....I find safety
M’asire’m nan Kris.... I assure my self in Christ
Sitiyasyon lavi m chanje.... My life's situation has changed

Jezi s’on bon zanmi.... Jesus is a good friend
Ki pa janm lage m nan wout.... Who will never abandon me
Menm si tout moun kite m.... Even if everybody else leaves me
Li toujou la pou li ede m.... He's always there to help me
Genyen yon fwa m te santi m sèl... One time, I felt all alone
Mwen te fin dekouraje.... I was discouraged
Tèlman gwo van yo t’ap soufle.... because of the violent storm
Jezi te toujou la pou li ede m.... Jesus was always there to help me

Pafwa se dyab rasyal.... Sometimes it's the devil from our roots
Pafwa se pòch mawon.... Sometimes it's a crook
Pafwa se bon zanmi.... Sometimes it's a good friend
Ki pa vle wè m pwogrese.... That doesn't want me to progress
Pafwa gen lòt ki di.... Sometimes other people say
Ou menm ou pa janm anyen.... You will never be anything
Yon sèl bagay mwen konnen.... One thing I know
Dosye m nan nan men Jezi Kri.... My file/dossier in Jesus Christ's hands

Zanmi m, si w gen pwoblèm... My friend, if you're troubled
Ou santi w dekouraje... You feel discouraged
Tout pòt fèmen pou ou... All doors are closed to you
Pa gen pèsòn ki pou ede w... There's no one who can help you
Si doktè kondane w... If the doctor's have condemned you
Si ou pa gen lavi... If there's no hope of life
Tout moun pèdi espwa.... Everyone has lost hope
Ou mèt vin asire w nan kris.... You may assure yourself in Christ

Asire w nan Kris... Assure yourself in Christ
Wa jwenn sekirite.. You will find safety
Asire w nan Kris.. Assure yourself in Christ
Wa wè sitiyasyon w chanje... You situation will change

M’asire m… I assure myself
Nan Jezi m’asire m... In Jesus I assure myself

Gen lavi… There's life
Nan Jezi lavi.... In Jesus there's life

Gen sante… There's health
Nan Jezi gen sante... In Jesus there's health

Gen lanmou.... There's love
Nan Jezi gen lanmou.... In Jesus there's love

Jezi..., Jezi..., Jezi... Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Yaweh…, Yaweh..., Yaweh... Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh
El Shaddai…, El Shaddai..., El Shaddai...

Sa jezi fè pou mwen.... What Jesus had done for me
M pa ka kite L……. I can't leave Him

Thank you Jesus

Thank you Jesus!

Thank you Jesus.

Mèsi Jézi.

(meh-see zhay-zee)

Give God glory.

Bay Bondyé laglwa.

(bai bonjay lag-lwah)

Praise the Lord!

Glowifyé Létènèl!

(glo-weef-yay lay-teh-nel)

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Non Bondyé benni!

(noh bonjay-beh-nee)

Let us praise him.

Annou glowifyé'y.

(an-nou glo-weef-yay ee)

His name is holy!

Non'y sen!

(noh ee seh)

He is the Alpha and Omega.

Li sé Alfa èk Oméga.

(lee say al-fah ehk o-may-gah)

He is the first and the last.

Li sé pwèmyé èk Denyè.

(lee say pwehm-yay ehk deh-yeh)

Let us bow down and worship him.

Annou koubé pou adowé'y.

(an-nou coo-bay poo ah-doh-way ee)

Give thanks to the Lord for his goodness.

Di Bondyé mèsi pou bonté'y.

(dee bon-jay meh-see poo boh-tay ee)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Di Bondyé mèsi, pas li bon.

(dee bon-jay meh-see pas lee boh)

Come before him with a joyful heart.

Vini douvan li épi yon tjè ki kontan.

(vee-nee doo-vah lee ai-pee yoh shay kee koh-tah)

Sing to the Lord!

Chanté ba Bondyé!

shan-tay bah bonjay)

Jesus saves.
Jézi ka sové.
(zhay-zee cah soh-vay)

God loves me (English and Creole / Patois)

God loves me (English and Creole / Patois)

God loves me.
Bondyé enmen mwen. (Creole)
Bonjay eh-meh mweh

God loves you. [singular you]
Bondyé enmen ou. (Creole)
Bonjay eh-meh oo

Jesus loves me.
Jézi enmen mwen. (Creole)
zhay-zee eh-meh mweh

Jesus loves you. [singular you]
Jézi enmen ou. (Creole)
zhay-zee eh-meh oo