In comparison to some other Caribbean islands,
Trinidad and Tobago's involvement in the Transatlantic Slave
Trade was relatively short - in Trinidad between the years 1790
- 1806, and in Tobago, between 1764 - 1806. The first people
to be enslaved in Trinidad were Creoles, people born
in the French governed West Indies, and Grenada, who were brought
to Trinidad with their owners in the late 1770's - 1790's. Africans
from the continent were enslaved and brought to the island after
1780. Trinidad was a less typical Caribbean slave society. Whereas
in Barbados or Jamaica enslaved Africans lived on large sugar
plantations, in Trinidad they lived on smaller coffee or cocoa
estates, some of which were owned by 'free coloureds' or 'free
blacks'. Also, in other Caribbean slave societies at least 90%
of the population was enslaved, it was about 30% less in Trinidad.
Tobago was a different case, with a huge enslaved majority and
a very small white and 'free coloured' population. But despite
these differences, enslavement was very influential in shaping
the history and culture of Trinidad and Tobago.
Jean-Baptiste Philippe
Jean-Baptiste was born in Trinidad
in 1796 or 1797. His family were among the wealthy 'coloured' sugar
planters of the Naparimas (near San Fernando). He spent years studying
in England and then returned to Trinidad to become the leader of
the 'free coloureds'' movement for civil rights. He was determined
to fight the injustices they faced, and after bringing prestige
to a 'coloured' doctor in 1823, he led a twoperson delegation to
London to present the opinions of Trinidad's 'free coloureds' to
the British Government. In 1824 he wrote his book, A Free Mulatto,
which made public some of the arguments and ideas of the 'free coloured'
movement. He died in 1829, aged about 33, just two weeks before
the law was passed granting full legal equality to 'free coloureds'.
His whole adult life was dedicated to their struggle.
This sugar factory can
be found on the road to Les Couteaux. Unlike the past, today people
working in the factory, are members of the same family. Both the
old and the young pool their resources together, to produce the
sugar to sell. This helps to support their large families. The canes
are picked up in bundles of six or seven usually by two men. One
end of the cane is pushed through rolling pin-like crushers. Within
seconds, the rich and thick juice of the cane flows free and is
channelled out into a large copper cauldron. The contents of the
cauldron are placed on a large fire and boiled until the juice has
gone and wet thick granules of sugar have appeared. This is then
bottled and sold as wet sugar. The left over juice is processed
into thick black molasses, which is claimed to be able to cure several
types of disease.
Nobody is sure how long
Carnival has been celebrated as it has evolved over hundreds of
years. Some claim that the indigenous Amerindians, Arawaks and Caribs,
had their own carnival celebrations, certainly it has been a tradition
in many parts of the world to celebrate the end of one season and
the beginning of the next. The first evidence of carnival being
celebrated in Trinidad is in 1783, when French Catholic planters
arrived on the island. The Carnival they enjoyed was a pre-lent
party, enjoying music, dancing and excess before the strictures
of Lent set in. The balls and dances were frequented by the white
Europeans and no doubt the music, fashion, food and drink were all
European. This certainly is not the case today, which is due to
a Carnival revolution that took place following the emancipation
of African slaves, where Africans celebrated their new found freedom,
taking part in Carnival with their own blend of music, dance and
entertainment. But the party wasn't just about enjoyment, it was
also a chance for former slaves to freely speak out about social
and political issues, and ridicule the Europeans who had oppressed
them for so long. Today Carnival remains a platform for individuals
and groups to express their beliefs and concerns. Mas (a celebration
of expression and creativity through costume and dance), Calypso
(the musical celebration of free speech) and steel pan are known
as the 'Carnival trilogy' and they form the creative core from which
Carnival explodes. But the explosion brings a wealth of creative
expression which ensures that every individual who visits carnival,
becomes carnival. Everyone is welcome and everyone becomes a part
of the whole. And what also makes it so special is that it has the
ability to celebrate both the individual and the group, the local
and the national, the national and the international. It is a celebration
of life.
