Sandimanitay, sans humanité, sandemanetay, santimanitay (n): A traditional Kalinda and Calypso challenge refrain. (French sans humanité ‘without mercy’). None of the bands sang any properly composed songs, most of t the songs having a jingle of words uttered with lightning-like rapidity and ending with the monotonous sans humanité.
Quelbe, quelba, quilbay 1 (n): A kind of African dance possibly of Congo origin, comprising songs, drumming and dances performed by women. As late as 1940 on the hills in Charlotteville at nights one could hear the music of Congo women playing what villagers called Congo-drum (marli doun-doun) and tambour-bamboo…and dancing quelbe reputed to be …
Orisha (n): An African religion, mostly of Yoruba origin, known also as SHANGO, based on the worship of numerous ORISHA (deities), who also have Catholic counterparts. Worship includes spirit possession, drumming, dancing, chanting, and animal sacrifice. Severely represses at times during the past, it has survived, and is now more openly accepted (Yoruba orisha ‘diety’) …
Maljo, maljoe, maljeu (n): Evil eye; the belief that a conscious or unconscious look of envy or ill will can harm someone. French Creole malzie, Spanish mal de ojo ‘evil eye’; Yoruba fi oju buruku si ‘put ugly eye on, Igbo /ole anja ‘look ugly eye’, Kikongo /ntadidi je disu/ ‘look with bad eye’ I heard them say how my donkey grows, …
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