A Taste of Nyammings Myths
Published:Wednesday | April 25, 2018 | 12:00 AM
We've all heard the popular Jamaican proverb, "Weh sweet nanny goat ah go run him belly". And while the saying has a deep metaphorical meaning, it does derive from one of our famous delectable dishes.
How many of us know our culture's nyammings related myths? We asked a few of our readers how many of them knew any of the sayings from the list provided.
'Breadfruit mek yuh coward'
I've heard the Jamaican before. Country people say that breadfruit mek you a coward because according to them, when you eat too much breadfruit, you're able to see ghosts.
- X.G., male, 32, personal trainer.
'Stew peas tie man'
It's not so much that the stew peas tie man, it's what you put into the stew peas - a woman's hair - that is mixed into the gumbo and used to tie the man. But you must be careful of how you tie man, because I had a neighbour who tie her man wid stew peas and ended up getting beaten.
- R.M., female, 40, wedding coordinator.
'Cow cod soup, busso soup and octopus soup and a oysters improve sex drive.'
I'm not sure how true that is. I don't drink those soup, but I think men do it to boost their ego, just like how they believe in oats and peanut blend up. Maybe it does have medical properties, but don't know of it helping a man's sex drive.
-Akai Lindsay, male, 23, chef
'Coconut water from young coconut wash off yuh heart.'
Yes, I've heard it before. It's good for high blood pressure. Always hear older folks say dat to other folks. Simply put coconut water has many health benefits. Helping to reduce high blood pressure is one of them.
-T.H., female, 28, foodie.
'Man nuh fi eat passion fruit, because it kill dem nature.'
I was always told this because passion fruit is sour, and anything sour is known for effecting or preventing an erection. Why take the chance? Better safe than sorry, so I don't eat passion fruit at all.
- N.M., male, 65, bar owner.
'Hell a top, hell a bottom, hallelujah in the middle'
I have made this pudding on a coal stove. Coal fire is below and you put coal on top of the covered pudding pan to cook the top of the pudding. Because the delicious pudding is in the middle, we call that the hallelujah. I make this everytime I come Jamaica because I can't make it here in Canada so every chance I get once I'm home I do it.
- N.C., male, 31, chef