Make 'Sheggedy' Our National Curse
On his June 2, 2026 radio programme on ZBVI 780 AM, Pastor Skelton-Cline proposed adopting the word 'sheggedy' as the Virgin Islands' national curse word — a sanitised substitute for stronger expletives. He urged local figures and the Tourist Board to promote it as a light-hearted cultural expression, saying even Christians and non-Christians could use it without spiritual consequences.
Pastor Skelton-Cline used his June 2, 2026 airing of 'What we know is not true' on ZBVI 780 AM to make a playful pitch: he wants the word "sheggedy" to become the national curse word of the Virgin Islands. Describing "sheggedy" as a way to curse without resorting to heavy expletives, the clergyman said he is "trying to give you a sanitised word we all can use — Christians, non-Christians, Jews, Muslims." He encouraged listeners to practise substituting it into everyday expressions: "What the sheggedy is going on?" he suggested on air.
Pastor Skelton-Cline admitted he does not know the word's origin, saying he first heard it from one of his sisters. He also called on local personalities to adopt the term — singling out Kareem Hull and urging him to "icononise sheggedy" — and even suggested the BVI Tourist Board get involved, proposing that the national curse be promoted alongside the territory's national dish as part of cultural identity.
He framed the proposal as good-natured rather than blasphemous, joking that users of the word "won't go to hell." "I done passed it by St Peter," he said with a chuckle during the broadcast. For residents of the Virgin Islands, the remarks touch on familiar territory: the use of creole, local slang and humour as markers of community identity.
The pastor's suggestion highlights how language can be both playful and unifying, and it opens questions about how far light-hearted cultural branding should go — especially when religious sensibilities are involved. Some may welcome a harmless, homegrown substitute for stronger language; others may consider even a sanitized curse inappropriate coming from a religious leader.
The idea to involve the Tourist Board raises further questions about whether such a novelty could or should be used in tourism marketing. Pastor Skelton-Cline made the comments during his ZBVI programme on June 2, 2026. Whether "sheggedy" will catch on across the Virgin Islands remains to be seen, but the suggestion has already provided a moment of levity and sparked conversation about language, culture and community standards in the Territory.
Primary source: VINO