Aphrodisiac; Chocolate, Strong Back or Dancehall?

I suppose the by the title, you are aware that it’s me, Trina. As usual, I wait for a topic of discussion to come up so that I can throw my weight behind it and… well… aphrodisiacs it is.

Let’s provoke a few inner vixens tonight, shall we?

Tell me honestly, do they work? Aphrodisiacs, I mean. I’m not sure they do scientifically. But other than that, I guess it’s a matter of opinions.

We’re all used to hearing that chocolate, strawberries and red wine are aphrodisiacs (doesn’t float my boat like that but whatever), but what about things like Avocadoes, Pomegranate. I mean really, I just don’t see myself getting all hot under the collar after having a piece of pear (Avocado), ginger and garlic.

The ever-present narrative that chocolate is sexy would account for them being thrown around like nobody’s business on Valentine’s Day. The poor sap, whether male or female is hoping like all hell the intended (spouse or not) will put out, bust out some Keith Sweat and Bump and Grind with R Kelly. It’s big business, and company’s like Cadbury, Ferrero Rocher and Chocolate Dreams record peak sales around this time every year. 

I am interested though in a woman’s perspective. Do you feel more inclined towards a sexual encounter after eating some chocolate? What about your attitude during the encounter? Perhaps it’s my culture, but that does very little for me.

Let me Explain, for Jamaicans, what works as an aphrodisiac is termed  ‘tonic’ or ‘strong back’. See, for us, rather than placing the focus on turning on the woman (perhaps we believe a man ought to know how), we focus on the stamina portion of things.

Spurlina vs Strong Back

It may take the form of a blended roots drink, Maca and Spurlina and the like, because, well, the focus for us is on the experience, the endurance, tricks, gymnastics, and acrobatics. This is usually what the men employ, around some corner before they approach the woman. Usually, if the man is ‘less than well endowed’ but can ‘gwan wid a bag a tings‘, and has endurance, he’ll get a pass.

Commonly, you’ll also find the blending of raw oats, raw peanuts, Irish Moss/Supligen, Guinness, vanilla nutmeg and any additional selection of variants is blended smoothly primarily the woman feeding her man (and herself). This is known traditionally as ‘strong back”. These things cause the making of babies (*cough *cough, I ‘ve heard).

Whether or not it works may be due to a case of mind over matter because I do believe culture has a lot to do with it, as we’re conditioned to believe the Champion Jock  and Boom Wuk Tanya Stephens sings about can be brought out. ‘Raising the dead‘, and making sure it stays raised for as long as is needed.

“You might a love me but to me you’s just a wuk star.
Me just a cut and go through fling me kitty ‘pon you,
If the claw dem hold you good luck star.”

–Tanya Stephens

The Right ‘Chune’ (Tune/Song)

As a Jamaican, one of the things I enjoy most about Dancehall music is a well written sexually charged song, riddled with innuendoes that are just right to provoke the ‘Rude Girl’ status. For me, it’s quite potent as an aphrodisiac. A lot of these songs in my dash out arsenal is from the 90’s but there are a few from the early 2000’s and even fewer from today. Believe it or not, I am a fan or Kartel’s earlier work, you know, when he was black and even right up til the cake soap era. (Shaade, come for me Gaza clan, I dare you!). No doubt the teacher spitting lyrics about the Benz Punani and Bicycle could work as an aphrodisiac itself, inciting the kind of dash out that cannot be done in public (for ladies anyway). The kind that makes you say things you would never admit to in the light of day.  Perhaps ask for marriage or a baby? (Don’t believe dem!) I confess it wouldn’t be love-making, but who wants that all the time, eh?

I’ve been known to ‘dash out’ a certain kind of way, typical of a female enjoying good dancehall music, both in public and private. (No, you can’t see.) and while there are things that amount to the same, I just can’t see a piece of chocolate doing the trick.

What say you?

P.S. This post was written by my alter ego, Trina. I, Shandean will know not of what you speak if you mention it.