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Gasparee Caves, Gaspar Grande, Trinidad.

Photos by Tevin Mills Photography, Micheala Arjoon, and Wendell SJ Reyes.

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In honour of parang season, here’s Paul Hernandez and Clarita Rivas singing Rio Manzanares.

Video by Maria Nunes

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Paramin, by Rahim Ali

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Paria Falls, Trinidad, by Marcus Gomez

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Tobago’s Mystery Tombstone

Photo by Captain Martini on Flickr.

From a Trinidad Guardian article by Elspeth Duncan:

“Walking up the incline from Plymouth jetty to return to my car, I notice the sign for the Mystery Tombstone. I have heard and read about this tourist attraction, but have never seen it. Now is my opportunity. The simple grave is painted black with white words etched onto its surface. The best known portion of the text, featured in most tourism literature, reads: "She was a mother without knowing it and a wife without letting her husband know it except by her kind indulgences to him."

I ponder: Did Betty Stiven die during childbirth and never have the opportunity to know motherhood? And her husband…how could he not have known? Interested in hearing other perspectives, I ask a few random people.

My first conversation is with a woman from Carnbee who suggests that Betty Stiven was pregnant, but died before giving birth…and that she was married, but had an "outside man" whom she treated like a "husband" but never told about her legal husband…Or maybe she got a man drunk and married him without his sober knowledge.

A shop owner in Crown Point says of the inscription: "I felt it was totally confusing and I wondered if it was for real!"An elderly fruit vendor tells me that he has heard about it but has never been to see the grave."But if I read out the inscription to you, will you tell me what it suggests to you?" I ask.

"No, because seeing is believing," he says. "I would have to actually see that grave to know what I feel about it."Later, while buying supplies in a small Bon Accord grocery, I ask the cashier if she has heard about the Mystery Tombstone. She looks at me with wide eyes, slowly shakes her head and states that she "'fraid dem thing."

"It's nothing to be scared of," I say.

"It's a tourist site–a grave with this inscription written on it."

As I start to read the words, recognition sparks on her face. She has heard this apparent riddle before, but never quite understood it. “Maybe the slave master did rape she and she mind she son without knowing it was she own," she offers. A man standing nearby pipes up: "You want to know the story? You want to know the real story?"

Convinced by his confidence, the cashier and I are all ears. I begin to scribble down the words as his version of the story unfolds…

"In those days on the slave plantation there was something called 'the Bull Pen' with big black men. When young slave girls did first see their blood, they would be sent up to the Bull Pen, but they would have to pass the Master's house first. They would blindfold her so she wouldn't be able to see who do what.

"The Master would do he business, then they would send she in the Bull Pen. They used to breed them like pig to produce more slaves for work."When the child born, it was red. They send away the child to Scotland, but when it grow and come back, it saw this same slave woman, fell in love with her and married her, not knowing she was the mother."

One can also go online and read a variety of theories about the grave, but the answers from people on the street, are very creative and could give even the most popular soap opera a run for its money.”

What do you guys think?

References:

Duncan, E. (2015). “A Multifaceted Mystery,” The Trinidad Guardian, 23rd August. Retrieved from: https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.368428.f36e89ec06 (on 7th November 2024).

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Traditions of the Trinbagonian Wake

Both text and illustrations taken from Folklore and Legends of Trinidad and Tobago, by Gerard A. Besson. Art by Alfred Codallo, Avril Turner, Peter Shim, Stuart Hahn, and Sue Ann Gomes:

“The wake for a deceased member of the village is a noisy affair and almost not at all sad! Several of the activities of a wake are depicted in the picture above: the "raconteur", who is regaling the children with his stories; the limbo dancers who need strong thigh and back muscles to succeed; and, inside the house, the neighbours, family members and friends who came to sing hymns and mourn the deceased. Below are the bongo dancers, challenging each other with their complicated choreographies.

Card playing is going on, and kind women have baked cookies, biscuits and other goodies and pass them around with coffee. A wake usually takes place at night, when flambeaux light the yard, making the shadows of the villagers dance upon the bark of the trees.”

Limbo

“Is an athletic ‘dance game’ played at wakes. Its origin is lost in time, but West African visitors seem to recognise a slight resemblance to one of their children's games. In any case, this dance is wholly Trinidadian. Like calypso, it is popular throughout the West Indies.

Limbo is the reverse of the high jump. A stick is held by two men at about three feet high and dancers pass under without touching the bar, to the singing of the chantwell, accompanied by the beating of the qua qua (dried bamboo slits). No part of the body except the sole of the feet should touch the ground. As the stick is lowered after each round, the dancers keep falling back to the ground, leaving only the most supple man or woman to claim championship honours.”

Bongo

“A folk-dance, this complicated, athletic pastime is usually performed at wakes. It relies on the principle that one dancer has to repeat the movement of the other, plus add one of his own. As the bongo goes on, the movements become more and more intricate, as one dance-step, twist or turn is added on top of the other. The winner is the dancer who can repeat the other's movements to perfection and with beauty, and the loser is the one who fails in remembering the string of movements.

The bongo is usually accompanied by handclapping and "qua-qua" - that is, two pieces of bamboo rhythmically beaten together.”

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From @nationalarchivestt:

“#DidYouKnow This month is African History Month in Trinidad and Tobago? Since 1976, November has been dedicated to the celebration of the people of African descent who have shaped our nation.

It is fitting that African History Month follows Calypso History Month because calypso is in itself, rooted in our African heritage.

While research on the roots of calypso is ongoing, many sources point to Kalinda/Calinda (stickfighting) bands during the era of slavery as the origin of the genre in T&T.

The well-known calypsonian & anthropologist Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool has written about the function of the chantwell/chantuelle in Kalinda, describing them as persons who sang songs to inspire stickfighters into action. They also provided melodies for carnival masqueraders during Canboulay.

These songs, called cariso songs, were usually about protest against the ruling upper class. The power of the chantwell & their songs is reflected in the names that were chosen by them.

Tobagonian anthropologist & folklorist J. D. Elder wrote that "chantuelles identified themselves with the heroes of war and named themselves The Iron Duke, Pharoah, the Duke of Marlborough, Black Prince, etc." This culture of naming among chantwells, and later, calypsonians, continued into the 20th century.

Known as a sobriquet, these names were calypsonians' stage names. From the early 1900s, we see the continuation of sobriquets inspired by war and conflict like "Atilla the Hun," "Black Stalin," "Sir Lancelot," "Dictator," "Lord Invader," and "The Mighty Bomber."

Some calypsonians adopted ironic and witty sobriquets like "The Mighty Sparrow," "Tiny Terror," and "Bitterbush." Others chose to retain part of their birth names in their sobriquets, like "Lady Baldwin," "Singing Sandra," "Singing Francine," "Lord Nelson," "Singing Sonia," and "Marvellous Marva."

This photo shows some of "The Great Calypsonians" from "120 Years of Calypsoes to Remember" by the Mighty Sparrow, c. 1963, which is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Calypso Booklet Collection. At the time, the calypso music industry was still male-dominated, as is reflected in this photo.”

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“Full flower moon captured at Queen’s Park Savannah,” by Rahim Ali.

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As a Trini who’s mixed with literally every ethnic group on the island (aside from Syrian and Lebanese) but who looks East Indian, this!!! When I was studying in the UK I had to explain to people soooo many times how I could look Indian but be from the Caribbean. I remember this one time I was talking to a Punjabi guy at a Diwali function, and he was adamant that I “didn’t look Trinidadian.” The conversation went as follows:

Him: Are you Indian?

Me: No, I’m Trinidadian! But I’m part Indian because we’re a very diverse country and we have a lot of South Asians there.

Him: But you do not look Trinidadian.

Me: Yeah, well, it’s a long story but- the British brought Indians to Trinidad when India was still ruled by Britain, to replace the former enslaved Africans. That’s why.

Him: You don’t look Trinidadian.

Me: Again, we’re a very diverse country because of our history!

Him: You don’t look Trinidadian.

I’m serious, he literally just repeated “You don’t look Trinidadian” with a confused look until we parted ways. Wild.

And then there’s the times when I had my own “Caribbeanness” contested by Brits who claim West Indian heritage because their grandfather was born there but left to move to the UK when he was three. Have they ever gone to the Caribbean? Once when they were a baby. Do they still have family + a family home there? No, most times not. Why am I not a real Caribbean person compared to them? Because I’m Indian and not Black hurrr durrrr!!!

Look, I love it when Caribbean descendants around the world are proud of their culture, but gosh man, actually research your own heritage before jumping to such dotish conclusions!

And then yeah, as bossymarmalade said, Indo-Caribbean just isn’t a recognized ethnic category outside of the Caribbean- this includes the UK. Not just in terms of census info, but culturally as well. I’ve been in contact with Indo-Caribbean Windrush descendants to highlight their stories and good lord, the amount of resistance and sheer anger (from other people) I get when the idea of highlighting Indo-Caribbean identity and culture is brought up.

People like shoving “the other” into neat little categories and get annoyed when human identity and heritage is much more complex than tick boxes.

Long story short, but this is why I made this blog- a love letter to the homeland that birthed me in all my cultural complexity. I want fellow Trinis to feel proud of how far we’ve come as a rainbow people, regardless of whether you’re African, Indian, Indigenous, Chinese, etc.

the european quest for indian riches changed the world so irrevocably, and it leaves these terrible echoes, for those that live in the caribbean now are deemed west and east indians and the native americans deemed indians too and when india is finally opened up inevitably the forms of immiseration evolve. but the plunder continues.

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No Man’s Land, Tobago, by @traveltrinbago.

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Rainbow over Caroni, by Ziad Joseph.

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The Legend of Gang Gang Sarah

From Folklore and Legends of Trinidad and Tobago, by Gérard A. Besson:

“The legend of Gang Gang Sarah, the African Witch of Golden Lane, has its origins in the latter half of the 18th-century.

On a stormy night she was blown from her home in Africa across the sea to Tobago and landed quite safely at the village of Les Coteaux. From there, she journeyed to Golden Lane in search of her family, who had long ago been transported there. She lived to a great age and is remembered for her wisdom and kindness.

She became the loving wife of Tom, whom legend says she had known as a child in her native Africa.

After her Tom died, wishing to return to her native land, she climbed a great silk cotton tree and tried to fly, not knowing that she had lost the art of flight as a result of having eaten salt.

To this day the names of Tom and Sara can be seen inscribed upon the headstones of their graves. where they have lain side by side for close upon two hundred years.”

Photo by Lisa Levi.

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The Haunting of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway

In (belated) honour of Halloween, here’s a spooky urban myth from Claxton Bay. Photo by Hayden Roach.

From Life in Trinidad and Tobago:

”This story dates back to the 1900s, where a young woman becomes the victim of circumstance in this tragic romance.

The lore says, in 1909 the daughter of a Spanish overseer on the Forres Park Sugar Estate, named Maria, fell in love with an Indian labourer who worked there. Maria’s parents, especially her father, did little to hide their disdain toward her relationship. One night, the overseer saw his daughter and her lover in what is described as a “compromising affair”, and became furious. So he waited, and when the young man left his daughter’s company, he made it clear to her that she wasn’t to see him again. But, Maria was in love, and had no intention of ending her relationship with the young man, and retorted that she’d rather die.

When his daughter refused to comply, he took an alternative approach calling upon his most loyal workers to execute the labourer. As the overseer of the estate, it was not difficult for him to persuade them to get the job done. However, word got back to Maria of her father’s plan, and was advised to warn her lover of his inevitable fate if he didn’t leave. Angry and terrified she left her home on a mission, determined to save her love. Unfortunately, Maria never makes it, on her way to him she is bitten by a snake but still she continued on, weakened by the venom, she falls to her death from the hill. Whether, the labourer is murdered by her father’s men, or they find Maria’s body before they could, is not known.

Grief stricken by the loss of his daughter, her father constructs a statue of the Virgin Mary in her memory, on the estate’s tallest hill where he pleaded for her forgiveness. Over the last century, since her death, people claimed to have seen Maria’s ghost trying to cross the Solomon Hochoy highway, where the statue still stands today, although decapitated.”

From Angelo Bissessarsingh’s Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago:

“Many motorists travelling this stretch of roadway in the dead of night have been brought to a screeching halt or worse by swerving to avoid the apparition of a young girl seen darting across the double carriageway. Some have actually stopped to explore the nearby bushes on the verge of the roadway for evidence of her flight but to no avail.

This manifestation is said to be the phantom of the dead child of Forres Park who is searching through time and space for her head, for long ago, the statue atop the hill was decapitated and the head was lost along with much of the torso.”

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Shubh Divali to all my fellow Trinidadians! May light always overcome darkness 🪔🎇

Photos by Arian Thompson, Chris Anderson, Shirley Bahadur, Bertrand de Peaza, Edison Boodoosingh, Stephen Broadbridge, Andrea de Silva, CafeMolka, and RapsoImaging.

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Trinidadian Barfi Recipe

Since tomorrow is Diwali, why not celebrate with one of the Caribbean’s most famous East Indian sweets? Recipe from the Naparima Girls’ High School Cookbook, while the above photo is from Foodie Nation:

BARFI

(Makes 32)

1 Ib. powdered full cream milk

1 cup or 8 oz. double cream

1½ cups granulated sugar

¾ cup water

1 tsp. rose water

2 pieces fresh ginger

chopped cherries

chopped almonds

sprinkles

METHOD

1. Mix powered milk and cream (using fingers) until very crumbly.

2. Sift mixture through a sieve.

3. Boil sugar, water, rose water and ginger for approx. 10 minutes; (just before sugar spins a thread) remove ginger.

4. Stir in milk mixture and combine well.

5. Press mixture firmly into greased dish using back of spoon.

6. Decorate with cherries, almonds or sprinkles. Cut when cool.

Enjoy and have a great Diwali 🪔

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From @cutlassmagazine:

“For the majority of the Indo-Caribbean community, today is Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali ("Little Diwali"). In our local custom, we light the "Jam Ke Deeya" for Lord Jamāj tonight in the southern region of the home near running water or a water source.

This deeya is traditionally made from wheat flour (see first photo), but clay is fine, and contains four "batti" or wick to represent the four cardinal directions of north, east, south, and west. Jamraj guides the soul and he is not a malevolent spirit, jumbie, or "bhoot" (ghost) to be feared by us. The "jam ke deeya" is lit in recognition of those loved ones who have passed on and to protect the living inside the home. As you light it recite the mantra: "Ohm Shree Yamaaya Namahaa". There are also few families who light a second deeya tonight, the Bharat Deep, in the northern region of their homes. If that is a part of your ancestral tradition, continue it. If not, do not light the second deeya. I saw some pandits in our communities encouraging Hindus to light their "jam kē deeya" last night on Dhanteras. This is in line with the mainstream North Indian custom and a deviation from our practices.

They are also using more Hindi names like "Yāma" and "Yaam Deep" rather than "Jamrãj" or "Jam Ke Deeya". Please still continue to maintain our specific rites and rituals passed down over the generations. Special thank you to individuals such as Guru-Maa Maya Vahini and Pandit Shiva Baran-Ji for keeping our practices intact.”

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From @nationalarchivestt:

“Today marks 140 years since the Hosay Riots of 1884, also known as the Muharram Massacre.

Hosay wasn't always as welcomed in Trinidad and Tobago as it is now. During the late 1800s, the British colonial authorities were increasingly suspicious of large public gatherings of Indian immigrants, following riots that had occurred on various sugar estates. As such, a ban was placed in 1884 and all parades were cancelled.

In opposition to this, thousands of East Indian immigrants who had spent the past year building and preparing their tadjahs for Hosay decided to appeal to the Protector of Immigrants/Agent General. The role of the Protector of Immigrants was to address the concerns of the East Indian indentured labourers but unfortunately in this case, their appeal was ignored.

Hosay defiantly took place on October 30th, 1884 in Mon Repos, San Fernando. In their efforts to stop the Hosay procession from marching, the police fired into the oncoming crowd, leaving behind 22 fatalities and over 120 people wounded. This event is referred to as the Muharram Massacre or the Hosay Riots of 1884. It effectively dismantled the celebration of Hosay in San Fernando permanently.

In St James however, it is noted that because of the influx of persons coming to watch and also participate, Hosay celebrations became entrenched into the culture of the island. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, persons living as far as Belmont and East Port of Spain would travel via tramcars and trolleybuses to view this spectacle.

Photos show: Hosay 1960 in Siparia, from the National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago Photo Collection.

References: Korom, Frank J.: Hosay Trinidad:

Muharram Performances in an Indo-Caribbean Diaspora. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003, Print. The National Archives Reference Library.”