Sky juice

Meaning

A cheap street treat of shaved or crushed ice packed into a clear plastic bag and drenched in brightly coloured, sweet flavoured syrup, sucked through a hole bitten in a corner. It differs from a snow cone mainly in being served in a bag rather than a cup.

Examples

• “Di pickney dem line up fi buy sky juice inna di hot sun.”

  The children lined up to buy sky juice in the hot sun.

  'Pickney dem' is the plural of 'pickney', child.

• “Bite di corna an suck out di sky juice.”

  Bite the corner and suck out the sky juice.

  Describes the standard way of drinking it from the bag.

• “Wan sky juice cyaan cost more dan fifty dollar.”

  One sky juice can't cost more than fifty dollars.

  'Cyaan' is 'can't'; a note on its low price as street food.

Origin

Likely a coinage combining 'sky' (perhaps for its bright, high colours or open-air sale) with 'juice'; the exact origin is uncertain.

How it's used

Everyday, informal, especially childhood nostalgia and street-vendor culture. Sold by handcart vendors near schools and events; the term is understood island-wide.

Related words

• Pickney