Dodo Titit

Editorial Comment

Dodo titit is considered to be Haiti’s traditional lullaby. It is actually a contemporary piece composed during the early 1950s by Hati’s great classical composer and guitarist, Frantz Casseus.

Verses are improvised to report the different chores being done of mommy and daddy. The song is sung softly, almost as if being hummed, until the darling little one sleeps. It may start as a hum or fade into one. After baby is fast asleep, one ends with a quietly victorious “Sleep, little one, the crab’s in the gumbo.” In other words: “fooled youuuuu!”

In Kreyol, the prefix “ti” can mean little or can be an endearment like the Spanish suffixes “ito” or “ita.” Here “ti titit” is a superlative version of the “ti” endearment that would be more appropriately translated as “darling little one,” though I translate it here to “little one” to keep the song’s meter.

Kalalou too has two meanings: “okra” and also the sauce “gumbo,” which is prepared with okra, djondjon mushrooms, spices, plus whatever seafood is in season. It is traditionally comsumed with breadfruit in a Haitian dish called “Kalalou gombo.”

Dady Chery, Editor
Haiti Chery

Dodo, ti titit manman l
Dodo, ti titit papa l
Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje l
Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje l

Papa ou pa la, l ale la rivyè,
Manman ou pa la, l ale chache bwa
Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w
Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w

Dodo, ti titit manman l
Dodo, ti titit papa l
Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje l
Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje l

Manman ou pa la, l ale la rivyè
Papa ou pa la, l ale peche krab
Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w
Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w

Dodo titit,
Krab nan kalalou.

Dodo titit!
Krab nan kalalou!

Sleep, little one

(Translated from the Kreyol by Dady Chery for Haiti Chery)

Sweet sleep, mommy’s little one
Other buy super cialis medication might be suited for you. Hypertension affects the blood flow in india viagra online your penile blood vessels happens to be kamagra. One of the major reasons for male infertility include exposure to environmental toxins, injury to the testes and scrotum, wearing tight undergarments, taking bath in hot water, undescended testicles, excessive intake of alcohol, and cigarette smoking. cheapest viagra tabs The generic viagra overnight super chemical performs phenomenal by improving male abilities through improving the quality of blood flow to the sex organ expand to its full length and breadth. Sweet sleep, daddy’s little one
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you

Your daddy’s away, he’s at the river
Your mommy’s away, getting fire wood
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you

Sweet sleep, mommy’s little one
Sweet sleep, daddy’s little one
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you

Your mommy’s away, she’s at the river
Your daddy’s away, he’s trapping some crabs
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you

Sleep, little one,
Crab’s in the gumbo.

Sleep, little one!
Crab’s in the gumbo!