So I don’t watch horror movies on purpose. Of course, I am afraid like most people, but the difference is that the images stay with me and when I try to sleep at night, I see parts of the same images near the window, behind the doors, in the dark spaces of the closets. Two hours later after I can’t fall asleep because I’m still scared, I curse and promise myself that I won’t watch horror movies again. I also don’t watch slavery movies on purpose. I’m not saying that I don’t like them or that I reject the history of slavery of my ancestors. Simply put, no matter who you are, slavery movies are instant tearjerkers. If I’m not in the mood to cry all the way through a movie, I just wouldn’t watch it to avoid putting myself into a binge session. These movies usually pull every trigger, every string. Who really can’t get excited when they remember the cracker Roots miniseries from 1977 (I may not have been born yet, heh heh) with the Mandinka warrior.
“Your name is Toby. I want to hear you say it. What’s your name?”
“The municipality. Kinte Municipality”.
But looking to the past can help one reflect on the present and plan for the future. It’s amazing sometimes how your genetics and background can still influence and, on some level, dictate who you are. There is an unsubstantiated theory that suggests other Caribbean islands took slaves from more aggressive tribes. Apparently, Trinidad hosted relaxed, palm wine drinking, less aggressive and greedy slaves. However, when investigated, it appears that the reasoning may not be correct.
The mix of slaves appears to have been similar for the various Caribbean islands, but one major difference was that Trinidad was late to the game in having slave colonies. Slavery began in Jamaica in the 16th century, but actually began later for Trinidad in the 17th century and, even then, was sporadic. Islands like Jamaica had generations of slaves who had time to have children, escape to crevasses and mountains, and build rebellions. Thus, slaves on the larger islands had more time, numbers, base, roots, integration, union, and subsequent security compared to the denser, more isolated, and intermingled slaves on the island of Trinidad.
It seems that Trinidad was not typical of the Caribbean sugar colonies. For a time, the island of Trinidad was struggling to have a population and plantations. In 1743, to encourage the population of the island, Roman Catholics of every friendly nation were offered free grants of land. In particular, French planters, under the Cedula decree, were encouraged to settle. As a result, at least half of Afro-Trinidads are descendants of immigrants from other Caribbean islands, especially French-speaking ones like Martinique and Guadeloupe, but also from Saint Vincent and Grenada.
In 1834, after slavery was abolished, there were indentured laborers or servants from China. In the 1840s indentured laborers came from European countries, and in 1845 the British brought indentured laborers from India. Other immigrants also came from Madeira, Venezuela, Syria and Lebanon.
So slavery properly began in Trinidad long after the other islands. First we had fewer slaves, French Catholics came soon after to add to the mix and, when slavery was abolished, we got many and varied ethnic groups joining the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Far fewer of these groups went to other Caribbean islands, and their ethnic base has been less diverse.
With different groups there has been resultant mixing. Although documented statistics suggest demographic data of 35 percent equal Afro and Indo population with 20 percent mixed, most recent demographic data from unpublished research indicates that the actual racial mix has mixed and dougla represents the demographic higher population of about 32 percent. , where Indo- and Afro-Trinidads are an equal 29 percent and other races are the remaining ten percent.
However, the trade-off is that although we have massive diversity and some admixture, these groups may not be as assimilated as assumed, expected or advertised. It may be that the population of Trinidad and Tobago reflects more of a salad, with individual constituents and groups maintaining their cultural and ethnic integrity. Although we are mixing and mingling socially, there is less integration when it comes to marriage and the interweaving of the intimate core of family and community.
The end result is perhaps an assumed mirage, a patchwork of nationalities and groups, with an assumed mirage of cohesion, assimilation, integration and union. Reality is much smaller than we think or realize. The reality is easily seen in the rapid movement of the masses towards national issues. Cohesive motion is minimal.
“Your name is Toby. I want to hear you say it. What’s your name?”
“Joanna. Joanne F Paul.”
“What do you want?”
“I want a safer and stronger salad of peoples who appreciate the flexible and patchwork style of their socio-cultural past and choose to move towards the necessary and real integration and sustainable union, constantly pushing the issues and asked by our leaders to have a better Trinbago. “
Enough with the nine day miracles. Enough sharing. It doesn’t get us anywhere. Time for a new callaloo reality visual. Palm wine was made.
— Dr Joanne F Paul is a lecturer in pediatric emergency medicine with the UWI and a member of the TEL institute.
