Showing posts with label tradition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tradition. Show all posts

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

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