“MAAGA” and “pickney” must qualify as vintage authentic Creole terms whatever their hybrids, derivatives or origins.
A “maaga pickney” in Creole language would mean “a very thin, skinny child”, as maaga comes from “meager” which, in English, can mean, sparse, lean or scanty. Pickney could be used to mean singular or plural.
It is believed that pickney’s origin is “PICCANINNY” and is African. But Richard Alsopp tells us that the word is from the Portuguese and the Spanish. The Portuguese called the little slave-children “PEQUENINO” – the little ones. He says further that the Dutch called thin slaves, maaga – a word meaning skinny.
Old Guyanese say “Maaga nah Hungry” – to be slim or skinny doesn’t necessarily mean weakness, lack of strength. And surly you know of the ingratitude referred to when people say – or sing – “SORRY FUH MAGGA DOG, MAGGA DOG TON ROUN, BITE YUH”?

By Allan A. Fenty