Nursery Rhymes›Indo-Trinidadian Lullaby
Indo-Trinidadian LullabyIndo-Trinidadian Lullaby
A lullaby from Trinidad and Tobago

Indo-Trinidadian Lullaby

Key: A minor~53 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Indo-Trinidadian, Trinidad and Tobago
Relax In No Time video

▶ More lullabies on YouTube

Indo-Trinidadian Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by Indo-Trinidadians, descendants of Indian indentured laborers who created chutney music on Trinidad’s sugarcane estates. Here you will find the lyrics, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.

Verse

Am Dm Am
Sleep now, mai’s little one, the chutney drum is still,
Dm Am E7
the sugarcane field rests in the dark, upon the farming hill.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the Diwali lights are near,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep now, mai’s little one, the chutney drum is still, the sugarcane field rests in the dark, upon the farming hill. Sleep now, little one, the Diwali lights are near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E7
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
Good to know

What “Indo-Trinidadian Lullaby” Means

“Mai” is a Bhojpuri word for mother, still used among some Indo-Trinidadian families. Descendants of Indian indentured laborers brought to Trinidad’s sugarcane estates created chutney music, blending Indian melodies with Caribbean rhythm. This original lullaby draws on those chutney-music and sugarcane images of Indo-Trinidadian life, with “mai” used as a warm address rather than a literal translation.

More songs to sing & play

Back to all our nursery rhymes and lullabies — each one with a different friend.

← All nursery rhymes