Courtlander-Drum & the Hoe, 1960
Courtlander says "lé lé" is a
nonsense form.
Glossary
CREOLE TERMS USED IN TEXT
Abobo or ai bobo. A ritual singing phrase
meaning "the end."
Agida. A bowed drumsstick used on the
middle-sized Arada drum.
Ago. An exclamation in Vodoun songs
signifying "I am here."
Alfor cousin. A woven straw knapsack,
from the Spanish alforja.
Arrête. Protective magic
Asson. The cult priest's ritual rattle with
external strikers.
Assot. A board used for striking as a percussion instrument.
Assotor. the largest drum of the Arada
rites.
Badji. Altar.
Badjican. Keeper of the altar.
Baguette guinée. A grotesquely twisted
drumstick.
Baka. (1) A kind of evil demon. (2)
Name of the larger Pétro drum.
Baksor. Another name for the asson.
Bamboche. A "good time" dance.
Bamboché. To dance or have a good time.
Banza. Formerly a stringed instrument
resembling a banjo or a trough zither.
The name is now used for a fiddle.
Basse. A finger drum resembling our
tambourine.
Bassin. A pool, usually referring to a
special pool sacred to a diety.
Batonni. Stick dancer.
Bébé. Baby, used to designate the smallest
of the Vodoun drums.
Bizango. A form of loup-garou seen in the
form of a dog.
Bocô, or bocor. A cult priest, one who
works with magic as well as with the
loa and the dead.
Bois bourrique. A bamboo trumpet, also
known as a vaccine.
Bondieu. God.
Bossale. Wild. A hounsi bossale is an
"untamed" hounsi; a loa bossale, an
"untamed" loa.
Brulé zin or bouilllé zin. "Boiling pot,"
the name of a ritual in which the hounsi
is elevated to the rank of kanzo.
Bula. (1) The smallest drum of the Arada
rites, also called bébé.
[email protected] A verb meaning
to play this drum.
Bulatier. Drummer of the bula.
Caco. A bandit, or a mercenary soldier
who hires himself out to political adventurers.
Sometimes known as a
machete. Numerous revolutions were accomplished
with armies of cacos.
Caille. (1) House. (2) The Haitian version
of the game known in West Africa
by such names as wari or mungalla.
Canarie. A clay water vessel.
Canzo. The rank of hounsi whose loa have
been "tamed" or controlled.
Capla. Another name for the houngan.