Meaning
A dreaded figure of Jamaican (and wider Caribbean) folklore: an old witch-woman who sheds her skin at night, flies as a ball of fire, and sucks the blood of sleeping victims — especially babies. Folk protection is to scatter rice grains, which she is compelled to stop and count until daybreak, or to find and salt her discarded skin so she cannot put it back on.
Examples
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Granny warn wi bout Ol' Hige inna di night.
Grandma warned us about the Ol' Hige at night.
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Dem scatter rice fi ketch di Ol' Hige.
They scattered rice to trap the Ol' Hige.
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Salt her skin so Ol' Hige cyaan put it back on.
Salt her skin so the Ol' Hige can't put it back on.
Origin
From 'old hag'; a skin-shedding, blood-sucking witch of Caribbean folklore. Compare the wider 'soucouyant'. See [[duppy]], [[rolling-calf]].
How it’s used
Folklore witch who sheds her skin and sucks blood; foiled by scattered rice or salted skin. See [[rolling-calf]], [[three-foot-horse]].