Vocabulary List

Anatto

small tree whose seeds coated with red dye are used to color cooking oil used in the preparation of Caribbean cuisine.

Areytos


epic songs danced by the Taíno Indians.

Asopa'o


soupy rice dish containing beef, chicken, fish or other seafood.

Bacala'o


dried salted cod.

Bohío


Taíno Indian name for thatched houses now applied to the houses of country dwellers.

Bomba


musical dialog between a dancer and drummer.

Botanicas


stores on the Spanish-speaking islands which sold spiritualist literature and paraphernalia.

Calabash


calabasa (sp).

Cuyaloo


Caribbean soup made with cayaloo greens.

Carambolas


sea-star apple.

Caribs


original people who colonized the islands of the Caribbean, giving the region it's name.

Cassava


staple crops indigenous to the Americas. Bitter and sweet are two varieties. Bitter must be washed, grated and baked in order to remove the poisonous prussic acid. Spongy cake is made of the bitter variety, as "casereep". A preservative, which is the foundation of West Indian pepper pot stew.

Tays


Indian originated name, which refers to the islets in the Caribbean (cayos(sp), keys(eng)).

Century


plant also known as Karato or Karatoe (maple) it flowers only once in it's life and then dies

Conch


large edible mollusk usually pounded into salads.

Cuerda


unit of land. Measure comprising 9/10 acre.

Cutlass


Caribbean equivalent of the machete originally used by buccaneers and pirates.

Duppy


ghost or spirit of the dead feared throughout the Caribbbean. Derives from the American religious belief that a man has two souls, one ascends to heaven, while the other stays around for a while or permanently. Some plants and birds are also associated with duppies.

Concho


bus-like transportation service. These are cars that function as busses, picking up and leaving people at different predetermined stops. It's quite an experience!

Chin

A little bit/ a small amount.

 
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