Triniglish|Trinididioms spoken and explained #106
Yuh is ah Trini | "Ching Chong Macka Hi Lo"
"Ching Chong Macka Hi Lo" may sound funny now but as a child growing up in Trinidad we used this term to mock the Chinese shopkeeper or anyone of Chinese ancestry. We did not know that this was a derogatory term used against our Asian friends. Yes they were and are Trinidadians but we never saw them as such. As a result it was said as a joke. In some circles, we were told that it meant "yuh mudder c*nt" - yes, used to cuss in Chinese (we were so gullible as children). Of course, we were 'one hundred percent wrong'!
The term Ching Chong has been used in many areas of the Globe to mimic Chinese dialogue. Our ignorance has caused this abuse resulting in the phrase becoming an ethnic slur in the most degrading manner.
As a child we used the term as a tease and yes, it was very childish and a very poor imitation of Chinese people having a conversation. After all these years (decades) not much has changed. We still don't see the Chinese as Trinidadians and they are still mocked in the homeland. Maybe it is because they are not as integrated into the society as are the rest of the people in the homeland.
Whatever the reasons are we should desist from saying the phrase because it is in fact as insulting as using 'nigger' or 'coolie'. However, for this post we simply took a look at something that was and still is a fact of life in Trinidad... "Ching Chong Macka Hi Lo" is used to tease and even insult our Chinese Trinidadian brothers and sisters.
Some may say if it is so insulting then why highlight it here? My friends, this is more about the slang as it was used in Trinidad; one can tell by the category that this post will reside... "Yuh is ah Trini". The post is not meant to insult anyone but is meant to take note of a certain time and place decades old now - my childhood!
Some may say if it is so insulting then why highlight it here? My friends, this is more about the slang as it was used in Trinidad; one can tell by the category that this post will reside... "Yuh is ah Trini". The post is not meant to insult anyone but is meant to take note of a certain time and place decades old now - my childhood!
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2 Responses to ""Ching Chong Macka Hi Lo" | Yuh is ah Trini"Actually, not really 'one hundred percent wrong'. The 'macka hi' portion, when pronounced properly, is the obscene phrase as stated.
Great blog you have going here. It really brought back memories of growing up in Trinidad.
Hey thank you for your comment... I tried to put into the post my understanding of the phrase as I experienced it as a child... I don't even have a clue if any of it has any bearing on the Chinese language except that we used it to tease... wrong, but we were children during that period.
Once again thank you!
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