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Wild Meat is a Trinidad staple eaten by some Trinidadians but slowly falling out of favour with the newer generation.
Growing up in Mayaro with my grandfather Papa John. “Mystery” aka wild meat was always a staple at Christmas along with his stories about La Jabless and Papa Bois encounters while hunting in the forests near his home!
- Wild Meat (n): Game; meat from animals killed by hunting, most commonly DEER, QUENK (Wild Pig), MANICOU (Opossum), TATU (Armadillo),[GOUTI], and LAP.
- I stay home on Christmas for most of the day, and I do a lot of cooking and plenty of pork. (Express 23 Dec 1990:15)
According to the University of the West Indies Wild Meat is “classified as “Neo Tropical” animals, the demand has been steadily growing and there is the belief that commercial wild meat production has immense economic potential since Trinidad & Tobago leads the way in Neo-tropical Animal Conservation, Management, Production and Utilization in the Caribbean.”
The various words and phrases from Trinidad & Tobago can be traced back to English, French and Spanish origins. As a result, growing up in Trinidad and Tobago is interesting because the slangs can change over time. I have lived in the United States for 20 years now. Every time I travel back to Trinidad and Tobago, I have to reacquaint myself with the words and phrases that have evolved.
Click here now for other Trini expressions and leave us a comment below of phrases you have heard.
Source: Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad & Tobago by Lise Winer
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