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Jab Molassie

Pronounced /JAB moh-LASS-ee/nounCarnival

Meaning

The molasses devil, one of the oldest forms of devil mas. Players smear their bodies (originally with molasses, now also with mud, paint or chocolate syrup), wear horns and a tail, carry a pitchfork, and leap wildly to the beat of tins and pans while demanding that onlookers 'pay the devil'.

A Jab Molassie run up on we at J'ouvert so we pay the devil a few dollars.

In plain English: A molasses devil ran up to us at J'ouvert, so we gave him a few dollars.

Where it comes from

French patois: 'jab' from diable (devil) and 'molassie' from mélasse (molasses). The National Carnival Commission traces the character to the sugar estates, where freed people used molasses as a cheap disguise.

Used in

Sources

  1. National Carnival Commission: Traditional mas characters, Jab Molassie
  2. National Carnival Commission: Traditional mas characters, Devils and Jab Jab
  3. Traditional Mas Archive: Carnival terms

Last verified 3 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.