What is Patois?

It was of the opinion that teaching patois to your child would prevent them from learning English properly. In addition, my grandmother and her friends would speak the dialect among themselves so that my mother would not know what they were saying. She did learn a few words however but not enough to conduct a proper conversation.

I like to hear natives of St. Lucia, speak English. The way they pronounce the English words is quite different from the normal. Anytime I meet anyone born from these islands, I encourage them to pass on the dialect to their children. I think it is an absolute gift to be able to speak another language other than your native language. Many people who speak this creole patois, can conduct a conversation with anyone from a French speaking country. Notes of appreciation: I will like to sincerly thank my St. Lucian co-worker for providing me with an abundance of information on this topic. Also special thanks to the author of Simply Trini Cooking who gave me the tip that lead to this research. Thanks guys!

J'ouvert or Jouvay is at the heart of Trinidad Carnival. The name J'ouvert originates from the French jour ouvert, meaning day break or morning.

Jouvert is highly traditional and full of symbols culture and heritage. It is steeped in tradition and playing mud mas involves participants known as Jab Jabs, covering themselves � from head to toe - and others in paint, mud, white powder or anything for that matter. It is Jouvert custom that no one is clean, and a common site to see a newcomer being hugged by a muddy revelers.

This traditional part of Carnival starts at around 2:00 in the morning and finishing after sunrise. Calypso and soca music are the dominating sounds of Jouvert in Trinidad the mass of revellers takes the street party winning and chipping their way to the savannah in Port of Spain in the early hours of Carnival Monday morning, before the daytime carnival parades.

The roots of Jouvert in Trinidad go back 200 years, with the arrival of French plantation owners. The French never colonised Trinidad, however elements of their culture remained. J'Ouvert evolved from the Canboulay festivals in the 1800's, which were night time celebrations where the landowners dressed up and imitated the garden slaves. Following emancipation the newly freed slaves took over canboulay, now imitating their former masters imitating them.

The spectacular costumes represent characters and events from the history and folklore. Moko Jumbie Bats, Bookmen, Baby dolls, jab molassie, devil mas are all traditional Carnival characters that capture the elements of the past, and continue to tell the story.

My eyes and ears have been 'opened' to the following words that are names of places in Trindad:
Champs Fleurs, La Florissante, Matelot (May-low), Grande Riviere, Mt D'Or, Mt Lambert (Lam-beer), Boissierre (in Maraval), Bois (as in Papa Bois, folklore character) means "wood/forest", La Fillette, Pointe-a-Pierre, La Reine Riviere, Bourg Malatresse, Blanchisseusse, Dimanche Grande.