Celebrating the First Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago Introduction:
The week leading up to 14 October has been used to shine a spotlight on the history and culture of the indigenous people of Trinidad and Tobago. Originally referred to as Amerindians, from 1990 the earliest people to settle in Trinidad and Tobago are celebrated as the First Peoples. They mark their “Heritage Week” celebrations with a series of events in Arima, Port of Spain and other community areas. Persons from other indigenous tribes throughout the world, various religious bodies and the public are invited to partake in sacred traditions such as the Smoke Ceremony and the Water Ritual. Indigenous street parades and other events promote greater understanding and appreciation of the First Peoples’ Communities in Trinidad and Tobago.
History:
There has been a continuous Amerindian presence in Trinidad for approximately 8000 years. However, Tobago’s Amerindian history is very different from that of Trinidad. The earliest settlements in Tobago dates from 3500BC to 1000BC.
There have been dozens of Amerindian settlements excavated on the islands. In Trinidad, these include Palo Seco, Ortoire, Banwari Trace, the Red House, Princes Town and Moruga Road. Bon Accord, Milford, Mount Irvine and Courland are just a few of those unearthed in Tobago.
After the 1498 arrival of Christopher Columbus to Trinidad, the Amerindian population was estimated to be as high as 200,000. It was revised to 40,000 in 1595. The Amerindian population included eight (8) ethnic peoples belonging to three language families. The Waraowitu and the Chaguanes who spoke Warao, the Aruaca and Shebaio who spoke Arawak, the Nepuyo, Carinepagoto, Yao and Kalina all of whom spoke the Carib language. Archaeologists believe the Kalina most likely occupied Tobago.
European colonialism, declined population numbers significantly over the past centuries. Nevertheless, Trinidadians of full or partial Amerindian heritage live in the Toco/Cumana area, Arima and Siparia. Surviving traditional Carib families bear surnames such as Calderon, Hernandez, Campo, and Lopez.
Today, Ricardo Bharath Hernandez serves as the Santa Rosa First People Community Chief and Nona Lopez Calderon Galera Moreno Aquan serves as their Carib Queen. Many of our towns, villages and roads are built on ancient Amerindian settlement sites, and this includes part of our road system. Tumpuna Road in Arima and part of the Siparia-Quinam Road are built on old Amerindian trails.
Recently it was discovered that the Red House was built on an ancient Amerindian burial site. It is at this site that the “Smoke Ceremony” is conducted annually, it is a means of honouring the ancestors at that location.
Community Leaders:
Electing a Carib King or Queen developed out of the Santa Rosa Festival in the late 18th Century. They were elected for a week and presided over the festivities and solemn occasions. In the mid-19th century the position was split into two to reflect the gradual changes of the festival. Today, a ‘Carib Queen’, instituted for life, is in charge of coordinating the overall efforts for the Festival. As late as the 1880s the ‘King’, elected for life, oversaw the men’s work for the celebrations, such as the cleaning of the cemetery and the cutting of tirite palms. The palms were used in decorating the church and the bamboo poles secured the colourful flags, placed around Harris Square.
Cultural Heritage:
Today, we continue to enjoy a variety of foods of Amerindian heritage, such as barbecue, wild meat, cocoa, cassava, corn, maize and warap (a beer made from fermented cassava). The practice of how we prepare many of our cultural dishes speaks to our Amerindian heritage. From our seasonings: chadon beni (cilantro) and roucou, to some of their craft ideas used in the kitchen. We also continue to practice their style of relaxation in using the Amerindian hammock.
Trinidad and Tobago: The Home of Carnival
Introduction
Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is one of grandeur, colour, revelry, rhythm, and gaiety. Evolving over the past two centuries from an elegant, exclusive affair to a truly allinclusive national festival, it is by far the most spectacular event on the nation’s calendar. Although a major part of the Trinidad Carnival mystique lies in its unique ability to bring people of diverse backgrounds together in harmonious circumstances, the festival was not born to such noble pursuits.
From the inception of street parades in 1839 and for more than 100 years thereafter, the celebration flowed in two distinctly different social streams – upper and lower classes. For the most part, the upper classes held their masked balls in the great houses of sugar estates during the 19th century Carnivals, then mobilized the mas (but maintained their distance), by using the trays of lorries as their stage until well into the 1950s.
In order to fully understand the development of this festival, it is necessary to examine the complex historical, social, cultural and political contexts which gave birth to this national celebration.
Historical Background
In 1498, Christopher Columbus landed in Trinidad and, as was the practice in the so called age of Discovery and Exploration, took possession of the island in the name of the King and Queen of Spain. The island did not have the promise of immense wealth like the other countries in Spain’s Western empire. Trinidad was, therefore, largely ignored for over two hundred and fifty years.
In 1776, out of concern for this state of affairs, the Spanish King issued a Cedula of Population, which opened the island to colonization by the French. A second Cedula followed in 1783. This saw an even larger influx of planters from the French West Indian islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint Dominigue. Arriving also were Free Coloureds and Africans. The French brought with them their cultural traditions, language, dress, food and customs.
In 1797, Trinidad was captured by the British and was made a crown colony of Great Britain. The British immediately began the process of colonization as they had in Barbados and Jamaica two centuries before.
In this era, the period between Christmas and Lent was marked by great merrymaking and feasting by both the French and English. Historians of the nineteenth century wrote about the balls, fetes champetres (country style parties) and house to house visiting engaged in by the white upper class. It was also the custom of the British to impose martial law during the Christmas season. Military exercises were performed at the start of this martial law.
The Carnival celebrations between 1783 and 1838 were dominated by the white elite. Africans and coloureds (persons of mixed race) were forbidden by law to participate in street festivities. This is not to say that they did not celebrate in their own way in their compounds. During this period also, there were numerous balls, parties and other entertainment. This gave the Africans some measure of freedom to enjoy themselves and engage in merry making. These festivities, along with the pomp and ceremony involved in imposing martial law, provided the Africans with ideas for some of the earliest masquerades for Carnival.
The pre-emancipation Carnival saw whites costume themselves as Negues Jadin (Negres Jardin – French for Garden Negroes) and mulatresses. They also reenacted the Cannes Brulées (French for Burning Canes): the practice of rounding up slaves to put out fires in the cane field. With the emancipation of the slaves in 1838, however, the door was opened for the full participation of the Africans in the Carnival.
Divali in Trinidad and Tobago
Deepaavali or Divali, as the festival is more popularly called, is widely known as “The Festival of Lights.” The festival is celebrated on the fifteenth night which represents the darkest fortnight in the Hindu month of “Kaartik”, which coincides with the period October-November on the Gregorian calendar.
While there are many stories associated with the origin of the festival in Hindu scriptures, Trinidad and Tobago and the Hindu community worldwide commemorate the festival with Lakshmi Puja (prayers of the Goddess Lakshmi). The reason behind this is that; Goddess Lakshmi (also called: Mother Lakshmi, Lakshmi Mata or Lady Lakshmi) is the Hindu Goddess of Light, Wealth and Prosperity. Thus, since the word “Deepaavale” is derived from the Sankrit word “Deep” which meets light, it is only appropriate that the Goddess of light herself is venerated. One story from Hindu scripture tells of the appearance of the Goddess Lakshmi from the celestial ocean “Samundramanthana” on Divali day.
Most of the celebrations that commemorate the festival take place in Trinidad where the Indo-Trinidadian ethnicity accounts for 40% of the population (Discover Trinidad And Tobago, 2018). One can experience many Divali Celebrations from various cultural clubs and the business sector prior to the actual Divali Days. These celebrations usually take place in the open environment such as: in the street or Recreational Grounds which are transformed into festival centres, with their display of traditional Indian decorations consisting of colourful garlands and spectacular light displays. During the night of the celebrations, traditional small clay lamps called “Deeyas” are lit; sometimes these Deeyas are mounted on bamboo branches that are split into halves and bent into intricate designs or the Deeyas are placed at even distance along pathways and walls creating bright aisles of flickering lights.
History of Ramleela In T&T
Ramleela is the epic dramatization of the story of Shree Ram taken from the Hindu scripture, the Ramayan. In T & T, the Ramcharitmanas by Tulsi Das Ji is the chief source.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Ramleela is celebrated annually in large open airfields in rural Indian villages for a period of ten days. The ten-day celebration usually ends with the burning of a giant-sized statue of the villain in the story, Rawana.
This play conducted over the 10 days is one aspect of community tourism that is alive and well today in rural Trinidad and always brings people together from all walks of life for a captivating performance.
Steelband
The steel pan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century. The steel pan owes its genesis to the carnival festivals of that era. It emerged as the product of the energy of the people directed towards cultural self-expression. The steelpan therefore became a cultural vehicle forged from the historical and social conditions prevailing at that time. Its development was moulded by the ethnic influences of our heritage.