Meaning
The crab — especially the black land crab, caught in numbers during the rainy season and curried or peppered into prized dishes. 'Crab in a barrel' is also a common Jamaican metaphor for people who pull down anyone trying to rise, like crabs dragging each other back into the barrel.
Examples
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Rainy season a crab time, dem catch dem pon di road.
Rainy season is crab season, they catch them on the road.
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Curry crab sweet but it fiddly fi eat.
Curried crab is delicious but fiddly to eat.
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Dem community stay like crab inna barrel.
That community behaves like crabs in a barrel (pulling each other down).
Origin
The land crab of Jamaica, a seasonal delicacy; the 'crab in a barrel' metaphor is widely used for self-sabotaging envy.
How it’s used
Both the food animal and the 'crab in a barrel' figure for people who hold each other back. Compare [[badmind]].