A young Jab Jab cracks his whip at the National #Stickfighting Finals at Skinner Park in San Fernando, #Trinidad. Jab Jab or Whipmen practice a form of martial art where participants duel using whips made from hemp or other similar fibers. In addition to the physical training, there is also a ritualistic spiritual dimension which includes fasting and use of certain "bush medicines" to help protect the practitioners. Like the Jab Molassie Blue Devils, the #carnival tradition of Jab Jab dates back to post emancipation colonial times. These traditions live on in village communities like Couva, Talparo and Point Fortin passing from one generation to the next.
