Image via YouTube Music Video © Mighty Sparrow/Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra.
Growing up in Trinidad in the 60s and 70s was the absolute best time of my life. We gained knowledge about Douens and La Diablesse, and grew up in a time when oil sand covered the roads, people relied on standpipes for water and street bathing, and not all homes had electricity. The radios were equipped with tubes and transistors, and the TV broadcasts were in black and white. Stories were told to frighten children, and rumors were true; just ask your mother or grandmother, and they will reveal that a woman would emerge from a streaking ball of fire and suck your blood from your leg. Then there was the Obeah man!
Today's story is all about the Obeah Man. The Obeah Man was the one who taught women that eating "sweat rice" (stooping over steaming rice and letting the condensation fall back in the rice) could bind their men and maintain their subservience. The Obeah Man also provided a recipe for "left-hand" dumplings and ganga chana, known 'as man control', but in truth is just a false sense of control over their men. Having said that, we must talk about the nastiest of the rituals, "Caca jab." How did we get here? Well, my sidekick at work is a younger Trini female. She said to me, "You need to get an air freshener for the office waiting room; it smells!" I responded that it smells like "Caca jab"! She was confused and asked, "What are you talking about? What the hell is 'Caca jab'?" OMG, another bootleg Trini was my response. I told her to Facetime her mother in Trinidad and get the answer! Another bootleg, Trini!
Sheesh!
I was determined to uncover the truth behind this. Gailos, aka Paramin Gail, is my 'go-to' person in terms of our old school culture. When I called Gailos, she responded, "Nanda, that's Patois," which is our Creole dialect, and she provided an insightful explanation. She explained, Jab is the devil, and caca is poop, aka shit! Yes, we can conclude that cacajab is just plain proverbial "devil-shit"! She explained that people who believe in Obeah used cacajab to solve their problems (I will explain). Some old-school thinkers held the belief that one could use spells and devious means to drive out evil and even gain favor in various endeavors. Gailos also mentioned that Sparrow, the world's greatest calypsonian, sung a calypso that made reference to 'Caca jab'. She could not recall the name of the calypso, and we ended the conversation. At this point, I called Kenny Phillips, renowned music producer of KMP Music fame and CEO of WACK. To tell you the truth, Sprangalang would have been disappointed with Kenny; he failed miserably. He had no clue!
Alas, Gail called back and told me that the name of the calypso is "Witch Doctor," sung by Sparrow. She sent me the link, but I was already familiar with the song and, like most people, could sing a few lines without paying attention to the story or the song's overall content. The Witch Doctor tells the story of the Obeah Man and the things he can do! Yes, this classic calypso does mention "cacajab." We have it recorded in song, providing a reprieve for all the doubters!
In this verse Sparrow reveals Papa Bois' formula to punish those who do you wrong. This is where we learn a little bit about Caca Jab. In the song Sparrow sings:
The fire blazing and the water hot
Oh Lord it is time to put something in the pot
Two yellow candle and a rusty key
Cacajab in a pint a pee"
You really need to listen to the song to get the calypso truth on this topic. The witch doctor will open the door to our rich cultural identity that only real, not bootleg, Trinis will appreciate.
You might wonder, "What's the purpose of this? Why is Caca jab used?" Well, I believe this is all nonsensical! This is literally just nasty stuff and just maybe the reason it may ward off offending persons. Not because of some unknow power but because it just stinks! You can deceive vulnerable people into thinking this stuff truly works. Even if the remedy fails, their foolish pride will make them praise it. The truth is that the Obeah Man exploited their gullibility and weak minds to maintain his reign. Similar to Charlatan pastors and priests who indulge in a lavish lifestyle, the Obeah Man serves not only for a small remittance but also for the fame and glory of the village demi-god. Just keep in mind that your confidence in yourself is all that matters. No sweat rice', 'left-hand dumplins', or cacajab will solve your problems. Find your self-worth, speak confidently and with purpose, and let your truth shine brightly! If you don't succeed, it's not meant to be. Just do the right thing.
So, there you have it, Sokah2Soca to the rescue and keeper of our culture. If we managed to put a smile on your face, then, our story fulfilled its purpose. Keep our culture alive; share this post with your social media peers. Thanks for reading.
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Witch Doctor
Artist/Performed by: Mighty Sparrow & Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra (2023 version)
Written by: Winsford Devine
All Instruments Recorded & Edited by Lunatix Productions
Vocals Recorded by: Danté Pantin
Mixed and mastered by Andrew Denny
Executive Producer Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Calypso/Steelband
The original song, Witch Doctor by "The Mighty Sparrow" was recorded and released in 1976.
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