The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a two-island nation located in the Caribbean Sea. The diversity of its people reflects the many nations that have formed it. The majority of the population is of African or Indian origin, while others have Chinese, British, Spanish or Portuguese heritage. The national language is English, but there is also Trinidadian Creole, which comes from some of the same elements present in St. Lucian Creole and Jamaican Patois. For example, Jamaicans and Trinidadians would both say “de, dat, dem and dis”, for “it, that, they and this”.
Life in Trinidad and Tobago notes “Trinidad Creole is harmonious and melodious to the ear; it’s even been voted one of the sexiest accents in the world. The speech of Trinidadians is a fusion of African, East Indian, French, French Creole, British, Asian and American linguistic elements. This explains its catchy noise.”
How did Trinidad get its name? According to Smithsonian magazine, Columbus “named it for the Holy Trinity” upon arrival in 1498. At the time, the island’s inhabitants were the Arawaks; also found in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, among other Caribbean islands. The arrival of Columbus paved the way for the Spanish conquest. San Jose de Oruma was the first Spanish settlement in Trinidad, until “the English captured and destroyed it in 1595”. However, Spain managed to maintain control of Trinidad for quite some time, until the British seized it in 1797.
The European superpowers also fought for power over Tobago, even though it was much smaller. The Smithsonian notes that “control of this small parcel of land shifted more than 30 times, with Spain, England, France and even Latvia vying for it. Once again, Britain defeated the competition and claimed Tobago for itself in 1814.
Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Britain on 31 August 1962. The British Union Jack was removed and replaced with the flag as we know it today. It has a red background with a diagonal white and black stripe.
With the worst of the pandemic in the past, independence celebrations are sure to be special this year. Visit Trinidad states that this special occasion “is celebrated with military-style processions through the streets of Port-of-Spain. Cheering spectators gather in national colors to watch the parade, creating a carnival-like atmosphere.”
Loop News reports “after the official ceremony at Queen’s Park Savannah, the parade will turn south on Frederick Street and West on Park Street. From there, the parade continues on Tragarete Street, goes to the Roxy Roundabout and then onto West Main Street. on the long circuitous route.”
In 1976, Trinidad and Tobago became a republic. There is a special holiday commemorating this on September 24, when the first parliament met with a new constitution.
Trinidad’s influence extends beyond its borders. After the Second World War, Britain experienced a labor shortage and people from the Caribbean liked to cross the Atlantic. The first of the Windrush Generation arrived in 1948 with more to follow until the 1970s. Most of these immigrants came from Trinidad and Jamaica, and without their work, Britain would have struggled to revive its post-war economy.
We recently featured two famous Trinidadians who have made their homes in Britain. Claudia Jones founded the Notting Hill Carnival in 1959, in response to racial tensions. The first carnival held in St. Pancras in London was a far cry from what it is today. But it wouldn’t have existed at all without Jones.
Frank Crichlow founded The Mangrove in London in 1968. It attracted the cream of the crop, including Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix. Besides being a great restaurant, it was also a place for activism. When the British police found out, they tried to shut down the restaurant; claiming it was a den for sex work and drug use. Neither of these was true, and Crichlow and his supporters found themselves at the Old Bailey, charged with inciting violence. All were acquitted in December 1971.
Crichlow and his colleagues, or “The Mangrove Nine”, helped advance the rights of Black Caribbean people living in Britain, and by extension, Black people in general. The Guardian writes, “of equal importance to his involvement with civil rights was his association with cultural enterprises and he was a central figure in the development of the Notting Hill Carnival”.
The USA is home to many entertainers of Trinidadian or Tobagonian descent. Winston Duke who played M’Baku in Black Panther, Nicki Minaj, Jackée Harry and Nia Long are just a few.
Happy Independence Day, Trinidad and Tobago!
