Mapping T&T rich cultural heritage
What Trinidad and Tobago may lack in tourism infrastructure it more than makes up for in its unique ethnic and cultural flavor. A society historically divided by ethnicity, a result of enslavement, indentureship and colonial rule, the population has, nevertheless, forged a unique cultural heritage that makes Trinidad and Tobago the most diverse and absorbing society in the region. The varied ethnic groups brought to labor in the islands after the slaves were freed in 1834 have given rise to a populace with roots in Africa, India, China, Portugal, Syria, Lebanon, England, France and Spain – and a rich inheritance in the realms of dance, music, arts and cuisine. And while cultural practices may differ, since what is important to one ethnic group’s cultural identity may not be so to others, there exists deep recognition of that intangible heritage that makes for a unified connection between people and place. Poet and Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott once pointed to “the depth and contradictions that enrich a place like Trinidad.”
The diversity of Trinidad and Tobago is well-nigh unparalleled: the two day explosion of color, pageantry and abandon that marks Carnival; calypso and soca music, our indigenous musical instrument the steelpan; chutney music; East Indian classical and limbo dancing. All of these are products of a dynamic heritage and a vibrant people. Many of our festivals are religious in nature, including Hosay, Divali, Christmas, Eid-ul-Fitr, Phagwa, Easter and Corpus Christi, Arrival Day, Emancipation Day, Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day and several others highlight the traditions and customs of specific ethnic and religious groups.
Hosay, a mourning display marking the martyrdom of Hussein and Hassan, grandsons of the Prophet Muhammed was originally a holiday for the Muslim population. Today, all of the island take part in this observation. Hindu traditions are also seen at many festivals. Phagwa marks the celebration of harvest time with singing of folk songs and drenching of all participant with colored water (abir), using spray guns (pichakarees). Divali or the “Festival of Lights” is scheduled every October. Our African ancestry is remembered during Emancipation Day on August 1, the day that marked the end of slavery in 1839. The islands are also home to a small community of descendents of the original Amerindian settlers. The heritage of this group is celebrated at the Santa Rosa Festival also in August.
The Chinese brought their customs, culture, food, games, traditions an way of dress with them when they came to Trinidad. Even though they have been assimilated in to the society, some of the customs are still observed, and the wider society has in turn adopted some of the Chinese heritage. This can be seen in the popularity of Chinese cuisine and the original Whe Whe game, the legalized form of which is Play Whe. Additionally, the 5th day of the 5th month of China’s lunar year is called Duan Wu (or Dragon Boat) Festival and celebrated in all parts of China, and has now taken root in Trinidad. This includes the Dragon Boat races.
The music of a Trini Christmas is rooted in the country’s Hispanic heritage, and was traditionally sung in Spanish. Today, a new, distinct form has emerged, soca parang, which is mostly sung in English with to a beat of combined Latin and Caribbean music. This cross-fertilization has also given birth to chutney-soca, which fuses calypso and local chutney music, traditional East Indian instruments and Western instruments.
Trinidad and Tobago is really, the Caribbean’s odd couple. Although both share a colonial and cultural heritage, there are noticeable differences between the two islands. Tobago, despite being sixteen times smaller than Trinidad, boasts it’s very own separate and distinctive forms of culture quite different from Trinidad. The annual Tobago Heritage Festival was created to preserve the unique cultural traditions of Tobago, and it has grown from year to year, attracting thousands as they celebrate as communities.
Influences on the culture of Trinidad and Tobago have come through our historical experiences where various nations that colonized us have left their footprints on our culture, a varied culture that today expresses the soul of our people and fascinates all who are privileged to witness it. And, we should choose to offer it to the rest of the world…it’s an unmatchable tourism product.
