oozie

plural oozies

1. In Myanmar, an elephant trainer or mahout.

   This is the story of Ba Galay and Maunga Sein, his oozie, one of the bravest men whom I have ever met.

   1937, C. V. Warren, Burmese Interlude, page 37

   3 more examples

   When Little Elephant is shut in the pen, the oozie offers him another banana. But he kicks and bawls and will not take it.

   1955, Alice E. Goudey, Here Come the Elephants!, page 90

   It is her chewing gum as she works, but it earns her a sarcastic comment from the oozie: "My mother, but you are forever eating!" However, his patience is quite undisturbed. The elephant takes her time.

   1969, Animals You Will Never Forget, Reader's Digest, page 186

   Women sometimes help their oozie husbands with the feeding and care of the elephants, but in Myanmar only males are allowed to become oozies.

   1998, Roland Smith, In the Forest with Elephants