Our Trini Culture. The Cocoyea Broom.

MYTHS AND SUPERSTITIONS.
As a Trini child growing up in 60s my mother did not go to the hardware to buy a broom
She made her own cocoyea broom made from shaft of the coconut leaves. The elderly still believe nothing could sweep the floor and yard like a cocoyea broom since it can remove debris and dust from hard to reach corners , even under beds. Remember growing up with this saying " a clean sweep".
But the cocoyea broom according to village elders was also a powerful weapon against evil spirits. It was used by village obeahman to beat off evil spirits from those possessed. It was also used to perform ritual of "jharaying" to heal persons with "malyeax" ( maljeau) . Today in our home you will still find two cocoyea brooms which we use to sweep the yard. Swifter jet sweepers are now the more popular sweeping tool in the home.
Oil Painting of East Indian Woman making a coconut broom from coconut leaves .( Model Carmelita Bissessarsingh) Painting done by Historical Artist Rudolph Bissessarsingh ( father of Angelo Bissessarsingh)
(Source: Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago, Dec 28, 2022)