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Triniglish/Trinididioms spoken and explained #106 | Yuh is ah Trini | "Ching Chong Macka Hi-Lo."

This post is not meant to mock the Chinese population of Trinidad & Tobago but to show how ignorant the rest of the population was towards our Chinese brothers and sisters. Indeed, as children, we mocked the Chinese shopkeeper. Yes, we did, and that was wrong! However, this post simply points out the behavior we exhibited for that period of time. 

At this point, we would like to direct our readers to the NALIS portal that shows the immigration patterns of the Chinese population in Trinidad & Tobago. Link here: Chinese Arrival in Trinidad & Tobago. 

"Ching Chong Macka Hi-Lo" may sound funny now but as a child, growing up in Trinidad, we used this term to mock the Chinese shopkeeper or anyone of Chinese ancestry. We did not know this was a derogatory term used against our Asian friends. Yes, they were and are Trinidadians, but we never saw them as such. As a result, it was referred to as a joke. In some circles, we were told that it meant "Yuh Mudda Cunt" - yes, we used to cuss in Chinese (we were so gullible as children). Of course, we were completely wrong!

Ching Chong is used in many places around the world to mimic Chinese dialogue. Our ignorance has caused this abuse resulting in the phrase becoming an ethnic slur in the most degrading manner.

As a child, we used the term as a joke and yes, it was very childish and a very poor imitation of Chinese people having a conversation. After all these years (decades) not much has changed. This post is not meant to mock the Chinese population of Trinidad & Tobago but to show how ignorant the rest of the population was towards our Chinese brothers and sisters. Indeed, as children, we mocked the Chinese shopkeeper. Yes, we did, and that was wrong! However, this post simply points out the behavior we exhibited for that period of time. 

Whatever the reasons are we should desist from using the phrase because it is as insulting as using 'nigger' or 'coolie'. However, for this post, we simply looked at something that was and still is a fact of life in Trinidad... "Ching Chong Macka Hi-Lo" is utilized to tease and even insult our Chinese Trinidadian brothers and sisters.

Some may say that if it is so insulting, why highlight it here? My friends, this is more about the slang used in Trinidad; one can tell by the category that this post will reside in... "Yuh is ah Trini". The post is not meant to insult anyone but to note a certain time and place decades ago - my childhood!

The Chinese also participated in Calypso in Trinidad & Tobago. We had Rex West and Rex East. Both citizens participated in the Calypso tent. We posted a song by Rex West to support this post. We still don't see the Chinese as Trinidadians and they are still mocked in their homeland. Maybe it is because they are not as integrated into society as the rest of the homeland. 

The Chinese also participated in Calypso in Trinidad & Tobago. We had Rex West and Rex East. Both citizens participated in the Calypso tent. We posted a song by Rex West to support this post.

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