• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

Bonda ma Jacques, a.k.a. Bonda Man Jacques, a.k.a. Bonda Man Jak

windchicken

windchicken

Whenever I Google the accepted THP/Hippy Seed Co. spelling of "Bonda ma Jacques" the only hits I get with that spelling always seem to lead back to THP or Hippy Seed Co. (or Hippy's YouTube page). That always seemed strange to me, assuming that spelling is the same one they use in the Caribbean islands from whence the chile in question originated. However, there are several other spellings used by French (Creole) language sites, like this one called "Bondamanjak" which appears to be based in Martinique:

http://www.bondamanjak.com

Then there is this carnaval-type song, "Bonda Man Jak" on iTunes, by a artist who also appears to be from Martinique:

https://itunes.apple...722?i=505608793

Not that the spelling is so important, it's the chile itself that speaks volumes. But I would like to know. Also any and all culture surrounding this chile. Anybody from Martinique, got a friend from there, go there on vacation?

Edit:

I also found this French language Wikipedia page, which says that "Bondamanjak" is synonymous with Habanero. Wow, really?

It does say, however, that Bondamanjak is often used in courtbouillon, that most awesome of Creole fish stews.

http://fr.wikipedia....Piment_habanero
 
I've been to St Lucia, at the market the peppers are called Piment Ma Jacques. My plants have shorter fatter yellow pods compared to what some folks have displayed here. Some pictures I've seen actually look like Fatalii's...
 
Then there are these Google Image hits, which look like Congo chiles to me:

0001674175_350.jpg



bondamanjak.jpg


And this one, the conspicuous subject(s) of which, I believe, features the literal translation from the Creole:

110806085357368868.jpg


Finally (maybe) there is this music video. Cool! I want to party with these guys:

 
PIC 1 said:
I've been to St Lucia, at the market the peppers are called Piment Ma Jacques. My plants have shorter fatter yellow pods compared to what some folks have displayed here. Some pictures I've seen actually look like Fatalii's...
Click to expand...

Funny you say that greg because my bonda ma Jacques from thsc last season grew fatter and shorter rounder pods and turned almost orange (still yellow but with an orangy hue) , however with seed I saved from multiple pods last season I have grown two different plants (after culling 3-4 other seedlings in the same pots) and both are putting out seemingly more fatalii typical pods (albeit shorter in length and smaller overall). However as my season progresses I have seen a slight change to the more rounded shorter pod shape. Maybe a climatic thing??
 
Woah. That bonda has once nice green sweater!! Bonda's are good. Thanks to Gary got to taste them. Love peppers that have more flavor than heat. Although Gary's TS got me good.
Also got no enjoy eating fresh bonnets. Nom nom
 
Interesting thread and shots Gary :D

PIC 1 said:
My plants have shorter fatter yellow pods compared to what some folks have displayed here. Some pictures I've seen actually look like Fatalii's...
Click to expand...

Agreed, got some variation through the season but my bondas are close to your description:

DSC04702.jpg


Very nice variety btw.

Cya

Datil
 
Irelandbackyard034.jpg


Most of mine have this shape, crevassed "Caribbean" shoulders smooth belly down to the blunt tip. As I type this I can imagine the scent and taste to this pepper...it's a good one !
 
Greg, those are some really lush and healthy plants! Congrats!

Denniz, if you need some Bonda Ma Jacques, hollah! They are quite a bit spicier now compared to the batch I sent you earlier.

I'm guessing we all have Bonda Ma Jacques plants that are from Hippy seed, either directly or indirectly, because they all look real close to Hippy's Bondas, which ostensibly came from St. Lucia. (Greg, were those in the St. Lucia market the yellow, tapered form that we THP members all know and love?)

As for the difference in spelling: Bonda Ma Jacques vs. Bonda Man Jak: After watching the music video several times, it sounds to me like in the Creole pronunciation the "n" in "Man" is silent. That would explain the Hippy/St. Lucia spelling without the "n". I'm guessing "Man" is the Creole version of the French word "Madame." And "Jak" must be the Creole spelling of the French name "Jacques." It seems a little odd that a woman would be called "Jacques," however. I would think "Jacqui" maybe? The other Caribbean chile named after a lady's butt is the Madame Jeanette, or La Derriere de Madame Jeanette (This according to Dave DeWitt. I get exactly zero Google Images hits using the latter search criteria), but that's not the same name, is it? Am I over anal-izing this? Ya think?

I did a similar investigation with Bahamian Goat Pepper and Piment Bouc in Haiti. The Haitian version looks like a Congo pepper too! I don't know how to say "Goat Pepper" in Creole...Maybe they only speak French in Haiti...

So I just thought I was finished! Googling "Madame Jeanette" I found this pik on Wikipedia:

1280px-Madame_Jeanette_chili.jpg


And this:

826.jpg


Kind of helps to close the circle a little, eh? I feel better now...
 
windchicken said:
Greg, those are some really lush and healthy plants! Congrats!

Denniz, if you need some Bonda Ma Jacques, hollah! They are quite a bit spicier now compared to the batch I sent you earlier.

I'm guessing we all have Bonda Ma Jacques plants that are from Hippy seed, either directly or indirectly, because they all look real close to Hippy's Bondas, which ostensibly came from St. Lucia. (Greg, were those in the St. Lucia market the yellow, tapered form that we THP members all know and love?)

As for the difference in spelling: Bonda Ma Jacques vs. Bonda Man Jak: After watching the music video several times, it sounds to me like in the Creole pronunciation the "n" in "Man" is silent. That would explain the Hippy/St. Lucia spelling without the "n". I'm guessing "Man" is the Creole version of the French word "Madame." I believe "Jak" is the Creole spelling of the French name "Jacques." It seems a little odd that a woman would be called "Jacques," however. I would think "Jacqui" maybe? The other Caribbean chile named after a lady's butt is the Madame Jeanette, or La Derriere de Madame Jeanette (This according to Dave DeWitt. I get exactly zero Google Images hits using the latter search criteria), but that's not the same name, is it? Am I over anal-izing this? Ya think?

I did a similar investigation with Bahamian Goat Pepper and Piment Bouc in Haiti. The Haitian version looks like a Congo pepper too! I don't know how to say "Goat Pepper" in Creole...Maybe they only speak French in Haiti...
Click to expand...

The pods that I have in the picture were from St Lucia, I can rack my brains to figure when we were there but it would be easy to ask my wife. The last picture of the indivual pod is like the norm that I get off the plant. They're only about 1.5" long.
I also brought back some seeds from the islands this past Sept. I should fire those up soon. I've got one variety that looks identical (tear drop shaped) to the Caribbean Red, but this one is yellow......good tasting .
For some reason the market pods on St Kitts, Bart's and the one's brought over from Guadelope to St Martin (where the hot sauce production takes place) are all considered or called Scotch Bonnets.........hmm.
 
Nice info Gary. Bonda and Madame Jeanette are surely closely related, maybe a local variant of the same pepper.
Madame Jeanette is also a more commercial pepper in Netherlands so maybe there was some hybridization on the way and results may very depending on the seeds source... from what i've read/seen Madame Jeanette seems more smooth in the shape and a little less hot than Bonda.

Cya

Datil
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top