Trinbago Folklore

It's Story Time!

Join me as I tell the tales passed down from our parents and their parents before them. The chilling tales of superstition and fantasy. Trinbagonian Folklore is without a doubt entertaining as it is a bit spooky. Here I'll detail some of the more popular stories featuring some of the most well known characters in our local folklore.

Douens (Dwens)

Physical Appearance: Described as children with no faces and their feet are turned backwards. They are often pictured naked with large straw hats that cover their faceless heads.

They are believed to be the souls of children who died before they were baptized. Dwens are said to be doomed to roam the earth forever.

They hide in forests and can be seen playing near rivers and streams. The tale goes that they lure children into the woods until they too, are lost forever.

Artwork by Kong

La Diablesse (Lajables)

Physical Appearance: Described as a woman with coal black eyes and the face of a corpse. She hides her face under a beautiful, wide-brimmed hat and veil. She is beautifully dressed in elegant blouses with a beautiful long skirt that she uses to hide her one cloven foot.

La Diablesse literally means "Devil Woman". She roams the streets at night and has a devilish aura that deters women but attracts men with her charm. She will ask a man to take her home and under her trance he agrees and follows her blindly into the woods until he is lost.

Another version of this story is that she is seen waiting at the side of the road, with her one hoofed foot hiding in the grass. She waits for an unsuspecting man to stop and help her and that is when he meets his doom. Entranced, he follows her into the woods and is never seen again.

Artwork by Kong

Papa Bois

Physical Appearance: An Old man with animal like fur and horns. He is often said to be wearing ragged trousers with a bamboo horn slung around his waist. He can shape-shift into a large Stag or any other wild animal he chooses, to spy on unsuspecting hunters.

Papa Bois is said to live deep in the forests of Trinidad. He is the protector of the animal that live there and is often said to save them from hunters' traps and heals them when they are sick or wounded. He is kind but when he is crossed by a hunter he becomes extremely dangerous and can turn them into wild hogs.

Artwork by Kong

Soucouyant

Physical Appearance: During the day an old woman but at night a ball of fire.

The Soucouyant is also called the "Old Hag". This supernatural creature is said to have made a pact with the devil to become a shapeshifter. At night, she sheds her skin and transforms into a ball of fire. Legend says that she must return to her skin before the break of dawn (or before the cock crows) or else she will be stuck in her transformed state and die. They are bloodsuckers and legend has it that they can be destroyed by finding their human skin and burning it.

Added bonus: If you are suspecting of an old woman in the village being a Soucouyant, you must throw rice at a cross roads and she will have to stop and pick it up, one grain at a time. This is how you will be able to tell.

Artwork by Kong

Loup Garou (Lugarhoo/ Lagahoo)

Physical Appearance: Half animal from the torso down.

The Lagahoo can change himself into half of an animal from the torso down. They are said to roam the streets at night dragging old, rusted chains. Legend says that if you wish to gaze upon La Loup Garou without it seeing you - you must take the 'yampee' from the corner of a dog's eye and put it in your eyes and then look through the keyhole at midnight.