| We are an island in the Carib-ian not Carib-een Sea. We are one country not two. And our sister island is To-bay-go not Tob-baggo. |
| We drive on the left hand of the road not the right. We have maxi-taxis not subways, and taxis not cabs. We use hand signals and horns, not indicators and the finger. And we fly BeeWee into Piarco not Canadian Airlines into Pearson. Rich people live in West Moorings not the Bridlepath. Poor people live in shanty town, not government housing. And most of us who can’t afford a house live in flats not apartments. Our politicians are just as honest as yours. Our policemen not cops are just as likely to take bribes or look the other way as yours. Our doctors are just as likely as yours to be on the golf course on a Friday or any afternoon. And if you think your hospitals and court houses are bad, just check out ours. |
| We shop for clothes on Frederick Street and Grand Bazaar, not Yonge Street or the Eaton’s Centre. For jewellery, it’s Y. deLimas or Maraj Brothers, not Birks and Peoples. For music, it’s Ryner’s and Crosby’s not Sam-the-Record Man or HMV. For groceries, it’s Hi-Lo not Dominion or Loblaws. For fresh meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, it’s the the Croisse (Quay-zay) not Kensington Market. And we pick up a bottle of rum at the Rum Shop or the Parlour not the LCBO. In your washie kongs not sneakers, it’s off to ABC not Kindergarten. Common-entrance exams after you finish Standard 1-5, not graduation after Grade 8 or 9. It’s Form 1-5 in government school, convent or college, not Grade 10-13 in Public or Separate school. And after GCE not OAC, most of us go right out to work not back to school. Our national spectator sports are cricket and football, not baseball and hockey. On Saturday night we go to fetes not parties, at the tennis courts not halls. We play all fours not poker and dominoes not backgammon And a flag is for waving at a fete not flying on a pole |
| We celebrate Carnival, Eid and Diwvali not Caribana, Yom Kippur and Hannukah. On carnival day we pass through the Savannah not cross the Exhibition Stadium. To the sounds of soca not hip-hop. We go to the beach at Maracas or Las Cuevas, not to the cottage on Georgian Bay or Lake Simcoe And our local TV entertainment comes from TTT not CTV or CBC. |
| We have a prime minister and a president and a governor general, but unlike yours our prime minister actually speaks English. We have a Queen of England, but she’s in our history books And we had a Miss World and Miss Universe, and had the fastest man on the earth. We have the Pitch Lake not the Rocky Mountains. And our neighbouring country is Venezuela not Quebec. |
| We have agoutis and manicou not beaver and moose. Sharks and barracuda not salmon and tuna. Cockroaches and lizards, not black flies and spiders. And the common pot hound, not a poodle or cocker spaniel. |
| We eat Mopsy not tea biscuits, and Crix and Dixie not saltines and Ritz crackers. Pig’s souse and blood pudding, go down much better than squid and octopus. And a roti and doubles, beats a Taco Bell burrito and enchilada. We drink rum not rye, Carib not Labatt’s Blue, and Babash not moonshine. We have Ponche a Crème and Sorrel at Christmas, not Apple Cider and Egg Nog. And Pan and Pot are not cooking utensils |
| Harry Belafonte does not nor did he ever sing calypso. Our Sparrow can actually sing . And Kitchener is a kaiso-master not a city. There’s nothing wrong with being a Gay Desperado. You don’t need cars to have a Traffic Jam. Our Preacher doesn’t need a pulpit. Chinese Laundry is not a Laundromat owned by a chinese man. And we’re glad we don’t own a Red Plastic Bag. |
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Our bad guys are also black, white, red, brown or yellow.
But our bad girls are skettels not sluts.
Wearing pum-pum shorts not cut-offs and wine-ing on a man,
not dirty dancing.
We on time when we get there, and we leaving
when we ready to go.
And man’s best friend is his drinking buddy,
his car or his stereo
not his banker, his dog or his wife.
Yes, We Are Trini-dad-ian not Trini-day-de-ian! courtesy of Janene J |