So you were born in Trinidad and Tobago, migrated years ago and now you’re a bit confused about your status as a ‘True Trini.’ Here’s a sure way to find out if you are! Check our list below and count how many of these sure Trini characteristics you can relate to.
Leave a comment below, telling us on how you matched up!
BREAK BICHE
A True Trini knows what it means to ‘break biche’ and would have committed the act at least once in their lifetime. This meant you skipped school or extra lessons, whether to lime in the mall with your friends or spend some alone time with your teen crush or whatever else! Did you ever break biche?! Tell us your most memorable moment doing that, in the comments below.
SNACKS
Every Trini had their favorite primary school ‘Tantie’ they’d buy snacks from. Remember buying delicacies like pholourie, “tambran” ball, chili bibi, red mango, suck-a-bag and penna cool from her? Now, that’s a true Trini memory.
CROSSING the STREET
Only a Trini would skip the zebra crossing or pedestrian intersection lights and cross the road through traffic anyway. On top of that, a true Trini’s gets vex when the driver honks his horn at you.
CHATTERBOX
This had to happen to everyone at least once. You had a teacher who asked if you ate ‘parrot bottom’ for breakfast because you couldn’t stop chatting with your friends during classes.
CHILDHOOD SKILLS
As a True Trini you must know how to strip and suck sugarcane, pelt mango, make a chickichong kite out of cocoyea broomsticks, flour paste and a copybook page, pitch marbles and play Scooch or Moral with a worn out tennis ball. Please tell us you do! No? Well, you’re really cutting it close.
FOLKLORE
If someone noticed a blue-black bruise on your skin, they would tell you a Soucouyant came into your room during the night and sucked your blood. Bet you’ve heard that at least once in your life.
AUGUST VACATIONS
Every July/August vacation had to have at least one epic beach trip, with lots of family heading down to Manzanilla or Mayaro for a whole day of food and bathing. On those epic days everyone spent hours digging for chip chip, on the beach. If you’ve never experienced that, you must know somebody who did.
THE SNOWCONE MAN
You would have dropped anything you were doing and bolted outside, money in hand everytime you heard the snowcone man playing that handheld rubber horn or little metal bell while driving through your neighbourhood. Yes, back then things cost a lot less and every morning you’d put aside the “small change” by the front door just to grab in a hurry.
LICKS SHARING
Talking back to your parents, misbehaving in public or making noise during Panorama news – you know you got ‘licks’ or a good ‘cut tail’ for any of those!
INDIAN CULTURE
No matter what race, sometime, someday (probably on a Sunday afternoon after lunch) you watched an Indian movie complete with all the drama, music, dancing AND sub titles at least once in your lifetime.
THOSE CALYPSOES
You would sing suggestive or double entendre soca or calypso, … but only under your breath whenever your mother or father was present.
CONDIMENTS
From Chicken and Chips to Pizza, you would put Ketchup, Mustard and Pepper Sauce on everything, and you have to put enough so that you can’t even make out what’s on your plate. Some understand, others really don’t- and never will!
Donkey Eye
You used to collect a seed called ‘donkey eye’, rub it on the ground or against a concrete wall and sting your friends with it.
STOMACH TREES
If you swallowed a seed, no matter how big or small, your parents would tell you that it would grow inside you.
PETS
No pedigree, no paperwork to show lineage, but a pothound was one of the first pets you ever had.
VITAL SUPPLY
If your parents heard a hurricane was coming, they would buy out the grocery’s stock of tinned sardines, Vienna sausages … and Crix- the vital supply. What do you just love Crix with?
CUTEX AND BREEZE
If you never used nail polish, they were all called Cutex, all dish washing liquid Squeezy, all laundry detergent Breeze, and all blenders were referred to as the Osterizer.
A GOOD CHOW
Tell us you have found that ANY half-ripe fruit, with salt, pepper, garlic and chadon beni could make a ‘chow’… There’s nothing like it! What’s your favorite? Tell us down there in the comments.
NEIGHBOURHOOD GAME
You and the neighbourhood kids made up a 5-a-side and set up your wicket or small goal in the road to play cricket or football, and had to stop the game to let the traffic pass.
SHORT TRAVELS – BIG ADVENTURES
When you and the family made the short 20 minute trip to Tobago, you felt like you were in a whole different country, and the same was felt by Tobagonians.
CULTURE LESSONS
You learned how to ‘wine’, played ‘mas’ at a school ‘jump up’, sang backup for a friend at the school’s calypso competition or decorated a costume even if your parents didn’t let you play Carnival.
ROAD TRIPS
Whenever you went on a family drive anywhere on the islands, your parents had to stop and say hello to every relative or friend they knew on the way there and back. And you had to eat something or drink a ‘sweet drink’ at every house.
STEUPS
You learned to steups or suck your teeth in disgust even before you were born.
That’s the last (but not all) of those unique things that made us special
Have we left out anything – be sure to let us know in the comments below
Loading ...
0 Comments