f Paria - Ins and Outs of Trinidad & Tobago 2013

The Trinidad
experience
Trini Folklore,
Folktales and Myths...
Our rich storytelling tradition
Illustrations courtesy Paria Publishing
By Nasser Khan
In the book Folklore and Legends of Trinidad and Tobago,
author Gérard Besson, tells us what is so typical of many
of us who have grown up in these islands...that one of
the distinct memories of school vacations were the times
spent with extended families. Times when parents, aunts,
uncles, grandparents or older cousins would take much
delight in telling the younger ones the “jumbie” (invisible,
superstitious, mischievous evil spirits that roam both
day and night) and Anansi (the spider folklore storyteller)
stories. Predominantly of African origin, with French/
Patois, Spanish, English and Indian influences, these
were usually hair-raising, heart-thumping tales of scary
creatures and terrifying encounters with the supernatural
and other make-believe mythological characters.
Trinis are well known for their unique knack for
storytelling and there is an abundance of mythical folklore
and folktales that have been handed down over the years,
all rooted in the islands’ rich culture. Lies or excuses are
often referred to as “nanci stories” (after Anansi).
In Trinidad, the popular folklore characters (“jumbies”
as they are generally termed) are: the Soucouyant, La
Diablesse, Douen, Lagahoo, and Papa Bois. There is also
the myth of the Silk Cotton Tree. Tobago has its unique
legendary jumbies like Gang Gang Sara and Mermaids and
Fairymaids.
La Diablesse
La Diablesse
French for “devil woman,” an evil spirit who roams quiet
offbeat roads in the form of a voluptuous woman, looking
for men. Any man she meets, she leads to his death. She
is recognisable because she always wears a large hat and
carries a fan, but mainly, because one of her feet is normal
and the other is a cloven hoof.
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The Ins & Outs of Trinidad and Tobago