Afro-Trinidadian people
Encyclopedia
Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian (or just Afro-Trinidadian) people are people of Trinidad and Tobago
nian descent who are largely of African descent. Black
, Negro
or Creole
are common terms used to describe Afro-Trinidadians. Social interpretations of race
in Trinidad and Tobago is often used to dictate who is of African descent, e.g. a person might appear "white
" in appearance but may still be considered "black" based upon significant African ancestry. Mulatto
, Zambo
, Quadroon
, or Octoroon were all racial terms used to measure the amount of African ancestry someone possessed in Trinidad and throughout Latin American and Caribbean history.
Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians account for 39.5% of the population of Trinidad and Tobago as of 2000. However the classification is primarily a superficial description based on phenotypical (physical) description opposed to genotypical (genetic) classification. It is not uncommon for a dark complected Trinidadian of Indian descent to be considered Afro-Trinidadian solely based on skin color. An additional 18.4% of Trinidadians described themselves as being Multiracial
(Dougla
), although most multiracial Trinidadians are of African descent.
Contrary to the implications of the term Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian, it is somewhat too general considering the ethnic and racial diversity of the group which includes ancestry from Africa (primarily West Africa
), Europe and South Asia
.
The islands of Trinidad
and Tobago
(united in 1888) have a different racial history. The island of Trinidad is mainly multiracial and the population of Tobago is primarily what is considered Afro-Tobagonian which is synonymous with Afro-Trinidadian, with the exception that the people of Tobago are almost exclusively of direct African ancestry. In an effort to unite the cultural and ethnic divide between the two islands many people choose to be called Trinbagonians as a sign of unity.
The ultimate origin of most African ancestry in the Americas
is in West
and Central Africa
. The most common ethnic groups of the enslaved Africans were Igbo
, Kongo
and Malinke people. All of these groups, among others, were heavily affected by the Atlantic slave trade
. The population census of 1813 shows that among African born slaves the Igbo were the most numerous.
Around half of Afro Trinidadians were the descendants of immigrants from other islands of the Caribbean, especially Martinique and Grenada. Other Afro-Trinidadians trace their ancestry to American slaves recruited to fight for the British in the War of 1812
or from indentured laborers
from West Africa.
landed on the island of Trinidad where he encountered the indigenous Carib and Arawak Amerindians. Shortly after Columbus's landing Trinidad became a territory of the Spanish Empire
. The Spanish enslaved the Amerindians and over time mixed with them creating the Mestizo
identity with their offspring. The Mulatto
s came about after Spain started transporting enslaved Africans to Trinidad in 1517 via the Atlantic slave trade
. By the time the African, Mulattos and Mestizos started intermixing, the Amerindians became almost nonexistent.
In 1783 the King of Spain passed the Cedula of Population
law which promised free land to Europeans willing to relocate to Trinidad to work. With this law French
settlers and their creole slaves migrated to Trinidad to work the sugar cane plantations. They too added to the ancestry of Trinidadians, creating the creole identity; Spanish, French, and Patois
were the languages spoken.
In 1802 Great Britain took over the island and slavery was eventually abolished in 1834. The abolition of slavery led to an influx of indentured servants from places such as China. The conditions were horrible some left many stayed and married into the Trinidadian populace. Later on in 1911 many more Chinese came after the Chinese Revolution.
In the 1840s European indentured servants began arriving including: the French
, Spanish
, West Africa
, Creoles
, Chinese
, Germans
, Swiss, Portuguese
, British
, Italian
, Mexican
, Dutch
, Norwegian, Polish
, Arab
, Lebanese
, African American
, Other Caribbean islands, Venezuela
, and Irish
(many of which also settled in Montserrat
, also known for their high number if redheads). A high number of these settlers married into the families of the freed slaves over time.
On May 30, 1845, the British transported indentured servants from East India to Trinidad. The conditions were not that much different from the African slave trade
this day is known as Indian Arrival Day
. The first group of East Indian people also began to mix into the Trinidadian populous. After the use of indentured servants was abolished 1917, a second group of East Indian
people steadily migrated to Trinidad
from India referred to as "coolies" (which is a racial slur directed toward the newly arriving East Indian people most of which kept their East Indian customs).
Because of this rich and unique cultural heritage Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians are known as one of the most ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse people in the world.
was formed by a group of Undergraduates at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies. Influenced by people such as Fidel Castro
, Stokely Carmichael
and Malcolm X
. The National Joint Action Committee
demonstrated to bring about Black Power and a return to African heritage and African culture.
On April 6, 1970 a protester, Basil Davis, was killed by the police. This was followed on April 13 by the resignation of A.N.R. Robinson
, Member of Parliament
for Tobago
East. On April 18 sugar workers went on strike, and there was talk of a general strike. In response to this, Williams proclaimed a State of Emergency
on April 21 and arrested 15 Black Power leaders. Responding in turn, a portion of the Trinidad Defense Force, led by Raffique Shah
and Rex Lassalle
, mutinied
and took hostages at the army barracks at Teteron. Through the action of the Coast Guard
and negotiations between the Government and the rebels, the mutiny was contained and the mutineers surrendered on April 25.
It was around this time the term Afro-Trinidadian was started to be used.
within and encapsulates all other cultures. Afro-Trinidadian culture is decisive in Steelpan Culture
, Carnival Culture, and Calypso Culture
and also helped in many ways to shape.
Similar to major cities like New York City or ancient civilizations like Ancient Egypt, Trinidad has been and still is a melting pot where people from all over the world meet. With the exception of Antarctica you can find a person that has ancestry from just about every continent on earth.
Most data regarding genetics is mainly focuses on European ancestry opposed to African, Indian, Indigenous American, or East Asian ancestry mainly because the majority of studies done are dealing with European ancestry.
From the time the French colonized Trinidad French Creoles (primarily white in appearance) were and to an extent still are considered the elite class. French Creoles, for the most part, are isolated from the general of the population. French Creoles (people strong of French European decent) and their Creole servants (Mulattos 1/ 2 black, Quadroons 1/4 black, and Octoroons 1/8 black, originally from France), did marry in high numbers and most "White" Trinidadians today have some degree of African ancestry 2% to 10%.
, and some do not find a need to make reference to their ancestry if they are part Indian and part African.
A series of Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians were studied with respect to hemoglobin types, serum protein systems (Tf and Gc subtypes) and red cell enzyme types (AcPh, 6-PGD, AK, EsD, GLO and PGM1). The average Caucasian admixture was estimated at 25% similar to Louisiana Creole people
in America, certain populations in Guyana, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Brazil. The similarities are most likely due to the Spanish, Portuguese, and French colonials.
In addition, prior to the African Trans-Atlantic slave trade, The British forcefully enslaved both Irish and the Scottish people. Prior to 1619 (beginning of the African slave trade) the Battle of Kinsale between the Irish and the English resulted in some 30,000 military prisoners, in which they created an official policy of banishment. The policy would mean slavery for the Irish and the Scottish in the Americas. During this time period the importation of African slaves began. Since the white slaves were of very fair complexion and did not do well in the sun it was in the slave masters interest to make sure the African slaves and the Irish/Scottish slaved procreated. European slavery ended in the late 17th century but between 1600 to 1699, more Irish and Scotts were sold as slaves than Africans. Only after the African Slave trade had become more profitable did the Irish and Scottish became Indentured servants and given an option to earn their freedom. As a result of this slave trade the Caribbean has a large amount of people of Celtic and African descent, including Antigua, Nevis, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and most noticeable on the Island of Montserrat where it has the highest population of redheads outside of Ireland, it is also known as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean . Because of this history it is common for some people to have Celtic last names (Marcus Garvey, Irish last name) throughout the Caribbean.
and/or Zambo
extraction or are transplants from Venezuela
.
, with the largest group being Roman Catholics, Anglicans
and (in Tobago
) Methodists
. Smaller numbers follow Afro-Caribbean syncretic
faiths like the Spiritual Baptist
Church and the Rastafari movement
. Non-Christians include adherents of Islam
, the Orisha
faith, the Bahá'í Faith
, Hinduism
or are followers of Sai Baba
.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
nian descent who are largely of African descent. Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, Negro
Negro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
or Creole
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
are common terms used to describe Afro-Trinidadians. Social interpretations of race
Social interpretations of race
Social interpretations of race regard the common categorizations of people into different races, often with biologist tagging of particular "racial" attributes beyond mere anatomy, as more socially and culturally determined than based upon biology...
in Trinidad and Tobago is often used to dictate who is of African descent, e.g. a person might appear "white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
" in appearance but may still be considered "black" based upon significant African ancestry. Mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
, Zambo
Zambo
Zambo or Cafuzo are racial terms used in the Spanish and Portuguese Empires and occasionally today to identify individuals in the Americas who are of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry...
, Quadroon
Quadroon
Quadroon, and the associated words octoroon and quintroon are terms that, historically, were applied to define the ancestry of people of mixed-race, generally of African and Caucasian ancestry, but also, within Australia, to those of Aboriginal and Caucasian ancestry...
, or Octoroon were all racial terms used to measure the amount of African ancestry someone possessed in Trinidad and throughout Latin American and Caribbean history.
Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians account for 39.5% of the population of Trinidad and Tobago as of 2000. However the classification is primarily a superficial description based on phenotypical (physical) description opposed to genotypical (genetic) classification. It is not uncommon for a dark complected Trinidadian of Indian descent to be considered Afro-Trinidadian solely based on skin color. An additional 18.4% of Trinidadians described themselves as being Multiracial
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
(Dougla
Dougla
Dougla, a word used by people of the West Indies, especially in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. It is used to describe people who are a product of Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian descent...
), although most multiracial Trinidadians are of African descent.
Contrary to the implications of the term Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian, it is somewhat too general considering the ethnic and racial diversity of the group which includes ancestry from Africa (primarily West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
), Europe and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
The islands of Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
(united in 1888) have a different racial history. The island of Trinidad is mainly multiracial and the population of Tobago is primarily what is considered Afro-Tobagonian which is synonymous with Afro-Trinidadian, with the exception that the people of Tobago are almost exclusively of direct African ancestry. In an effort to unite the cultural and ethnic divide between the two islands many people choose to be called Trinbagonians as a sign of unity.
Origins
| African ethnicities over 500 in Trinidad (1813) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Igbo Igbo people Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism... |
2,863 | |
| Kongo Kongo people The Bakongo or the Kongo people , also sometimes referred to as Kongolese or Congolese, is a Bantu ethnic group which lives along the Atlantic coast of Africa from Pointe-Noire to Luanda, Angola... |
2,450 | |
| Moko | 2,240 | |
| Malinké Mandinka people The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million .... |
1,421 | |
| Total Africans | 13,984 | |
| Origins of Creoles over 400 in Trinidad (1813) | ||
| Trinidad Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in... |
7,088 | |
| Martinique Martinique Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados... |
962 | |
| Grenada Grenada Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea... |
746 | |
| Saint Vincent Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean.... |
438 | |
| Guadeloupe Guadeloupe Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe... |
428 | |
| Total Creoles | 11,633 | |
The ultimate origin of most African ancestry in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
is in West
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
and Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
. The most common ethnic groups of the enslaved Africans were Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
, Kongo
Kongo people
The Bakongo or the Kongo people , also sometimes referred to as Kongolese or Congolese, is a Bantu ethnic group which lives along the Atlantic coast of Africa from Pointe-Noire to Luanda, Angola...
and Malinke people. All of these groups, among others, were heavily affected by the Atlantic slave trade
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
. The population census of 1813 shows that among African born slaves the Igbo were the most numerous.
Around half of Afro Trinidadians were the descendants of immigrants from other islands of the Caribbean, especially Martinique and Grenada. Other Afro-Trinidadians trace their ancestry to American slaves recruited to fight for the British in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
or from indentured laborers
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
from West Africa.
History
In 1498 Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
landed on the island of Trinidad where he encountered the indigenous Carib and Arawak Amerindians. Shortly after Columbus's landing Trinidad became a territory of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. The Spanish enslaved the Amerindians and over time mixed with them creating the Mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
identity with their offspring. The Mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
s came about after Spain started transporting enslaved Africans to Trinidad in 1517 via the Atlantic slave trade
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
. By the time the African, Mulattos and Mestizos started intermixing, the Amerindians became almost nonexistent.
In 1783 the King of Spain passed the Cedula of Population
Cedula of Population
The Cedula of Population was a 1783 edict by the King of Spain,José de Gálvez, opening Trinidad to immigration from, primarily, the French Caribbean islands...
law which promised free land to Europeans willing to relocate to Trinidad to work. With this law French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
settlers and their creole slaves migrated to Trinidad to work the sugar cane plantations. They too added to the ancestry of Trinidadians, creating the creole identity; Spanish, French, and Patois
Patois
Patois is any language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. It can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects, and other forms of native or local speech, but not commonly to jargon or slang, which are vocabulary-based forms of cant...
were the languages spoken.
In 1802 Great Britain took over the island and slavery was eventually abolished in 1834. The abolition of slavery led to an influx of indentured servants from places such as China. The conditions were horrible some left many stayed and married into the Trinidadian populace. Later on in 1911 many more Chinese came after the Chinese Revolution.
In the 1840s European indentured servants began arriving including: the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, Creoles
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
, Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, Swiss, Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
, Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, Norwegian, Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
, African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, Other Caribbean islands, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
(many of which also settled in Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
, also known for their high number if redheads). A high number of these settlers married into the families of the freed slaves over time.
On May 30, 1845, the British transported indentured servants from East India to Trinidad. The conditions were not that much different from the African slave trade
African slave trade
Systems of servitude and slavery were common in many parts of Africa, as they were in much of the ancient world. In some African societies, the enslaved people were also indentured servants and fully integrated; in others, they were treated much worse...
this day is known as Indian Arrival Day
Indian Arrival Day
Indian Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on various days around the world, usually commemorating the arrival of people from the Indian subcontinent to that nation.-Guyana:...
. The first group of East Indian people also began to mix into the Trinidadian populous. After the use of indentured servants was abolished 1917, a second group of East Indian
Indian people
Indian people or Indisians constitute the Asian nation and pan-ethnic group native to India, which forms the south of Asia, containing 17.31% of the world's population. The Indian nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the rich and complex history of India...
people steadily migrated to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
from India referred to as "coolies" (which is a racial slur directed toward the newly arriving East Indian people most of which kept their East Indian customs).
Because of this rich and unique cultural heritage Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians are known as one of the most ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse people in the world.
Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian
Between 1968 and 1970 the "Black Power Revolution" gained strength in Trinidad and Tobago. The National Joint Action CommitteeNational Joint Action Committee
The National Joint Action Committee is a black nationalist political party in Trinidad and Tobago.-History:The party was established in February 1969 by Makandal Daaga , who was dissatisfied with the fact that most businesses in Trinidad at the time were owned by the white minority...
was formed by a group of Undergraduates at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies. Influenced by people such as Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, Stokely Carmichael
Stokely Carmichael
Kwame Ture , also known as Stokely Carmichael, was a Trinidadian-American black activist active in the 1960s American Civil Rights Movement. He rose to prominence first as a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and later as the "Honorary Prime Minister" of the Black Panther Party...
and Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
. The National Joint Action Committee
National Joint Action Committee
The National Joint Action Committee is a black nationalist political party in Trinidad and Tobago.-History:The party was established in February 1969 by Makandal Daaga , who was dissatisfied with the fact that most businesses in Trinidad at the time were owned by the white minority...
demonstrated to bring about Black Power and a return to African heritage and African culture.
On April 6, 1970 a protester, Basil Davis, was killed by the police. This was followed on April 13 by the resignation of A.N.R. Robinson
A. N. R. Robinson
Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson, OCC, TC was the third President of Trinidad and Tobago, serving from 19 March 1997 to 17 March 2003. He was also Trinidad and Tobago's third Prime Minister, serving in that capacity from 18 December 1986 to 17 December 1991...
, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
East. On April 18 sugar workers went on strike, and there was talk of a general strike. In response to this, Williams proclaimed a State of Emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
on April 21 and arrested 15 Black Power leaders. Responding in turn, a portion of the Trinidad Defense Force, led by Raffique Shah
Raffique Shah
Raffique Shah is a Trinidad and Tobago trade union leader and political commentator. He is also a former Member of Parliament and mutineer, having led a mutiny of Trinidad and Tobago Regiment in 1970. He was born the son of a sugar cane worker and housewife in March 1946. His early education was...
and Rex Lassalle
Rex Lassalle
Reginald Andrew Lassalle, better known as Rex Lassalle was born in Belmont, Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1945. He attended Belmont Boys Intermediate School and St. Mary's College, Port of Spain...
, mutinied
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
and took hostages at the army barracks at Teteron. Through the action of the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
and negotiations between the Government and the rebels, the mutiny was contained and the mutineers surrendered on April 25.
It was around this time the term Afro-Trinidadian was started to be used.
Culture
The massive influx of African slaves to Trinidadian and Tobagonian shores that happened in the 16th and 18th century respectively was important in shaping the cultural space of Trinidad and Tobago. Afro Trinidadian culture is immanentImmanence
Immanence refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories of divine presence, in which the divine is seen to be manifested in or encompassing of the material world. It is often contrasted with theories of transcendence, in which the divine is seen to be outside the material world...
within and encapsulates all other cultures. Afro-Trinidadian culture is decisive in Steelpan Culture
Steelpan
Steelpans is a musical instrument originating from The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago...
, Carnival Culture, and Calypso Culture
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
and also helped in many ways to shape.
Genetics
It is said that Trinidadian and Tobagonians may be the most heterogeneous people on Earth.Similar to major cities like New York City or ancient civilizations like Ancient Egypt, Trinidad has been and still is a melting pot where people from all over the world meet. With the exception of Antarctica you can find a person that has ancestry from just about every continent on earth.
Most data regarding genetics is mainly focuses on European ancestry opposed to African, Indian, Indigenous American, or East Asian ancestry mainly because the majority of studies done are dealing with European ancestry.
African ancestry 45% to 65% Admixture
Afro-Trinidadians have approximately 45% to 65% African ancestry mainly from West Africa. Afro-Tobagonians have approximately 85% to 95% African ancestry also mainly from West Africa.From the time the French colonized Trinidad French Creoles (primarily white in appearance) were and to an extent still are considered the elite class. French Creoles, for the most part, are isolated from the general of the population. French Creoles (people strong of French European decent) and their Creole servants (Mulattos 1/ 2 black, Quadroons 1/4 black, and Octoroons 1/8 black, originally from France), did marry in high numbers and most "White" Trinidadians today have some degree of African ancestry 2% to 10%.
South Asian ancestry 25% to 35% Admixture
Afro-Trinidadians have 25% to 35% East Indian ancestry. Some people consider themselves DouglaDougla
Dougla, a word used by people of the West Indies, especially in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. It is used to describe people who are a product of Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian descent...
, and some do not find a need to make reference to their ancestry if they are part Indian and part African.
European ancestry 25% Admixture
A host of European countries have colonized and populated Trinidad over the centuries. Inevitably many different European people have added their genetic distinctiveness to the populous.A series of Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians were studied with respect to hemoglobin types, serum protein systems (Tf and Gc subtypes) and red cell enzyme types (AcPh, 6-PGD, AK, EsD, GLO and PGM1). The average Caucasian admixture was estimated at 25% similar to Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
in America, certain populations in Guyana, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Brazil. The similarities are most likely due to the Spanish, Portuguese, and French colonials.
In addition, prior to the African Trans-Atlantic slave trade, The British forcefully enslaved both Irish and the Scottish people. Prior to 1619 (beginning of the African slave trade) the Battle of Kinsale between the Irish and the English resulted in some 30,000 military prisoners, in which they created an official policy of banishment. The policy would mean slavery for the Irish and the Scottish in the Americas. During this time period the importation of African slaves began. Since the white slaves were of very fair complexion and did not do well in the sun it was in the slave masters interest to make sure the African slaves and the Irish/Scottish slaved procreated. European slavery ended in the late 17th century but between 1600 to 1699, more Irish and Scotts were sold as slaves than Africans. Only after the African Slave trade had become more profitable did the Irish and Scottish became Indentured servants and given an option to earn their freedom. As a result of this slave trade the Caribbean has a large amount of people of Celtic and African descent, including Antigua, Nevis, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and most noticeable on the Island of Montserrat where it has the highest population of redheads outside of Ireland, it is also known as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean . Because of this history it is common for some people to have Celtic last names (Marcus Garvey, Irish last name) throughout the Caribbean.
Indigenous American ancestry 2% to 5% Admixture
Afro-Trinidadians have approximately 2% to 5% Indigenous/Native American ancestry. The main groups of indigenous people were the Caribs and Arawaks (also known as Tainos) Amerindians. The Amerindians are a dead culture and most full-blooded Amerindians died during the colonization of the islands, and from malnutrition during slavery. The majority of the people have been absorbed into the population throughout the Caribbean. There are still populations in Trinidad that claim themselves as Amerindian, however most are of MestizoMestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
and/or Zambo
Zambo
Zambo or Cafuzo are racial terms used in the Spanish and Portuguese Empires and occasionally today to identify individuals in the Americas who are of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry...
extraction or are transplants from Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
East Asian Ancestry 1% to 2% Admixture
Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians have approximately 1% to 2% East Asian Ancestry, mainly from China.Other ancestry 1% Admixture
Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians have approximately 1% ancestry of other descent. Trinidad has had smaller populations of Lebanese, Syrian, and other Arab backgrounds.Religious Groups
Most Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians are ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, with the largest group being Roman Catholics, Anglicans
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
and (in Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
) Methodists
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. Smaller numbers follow Afro-Caribbean syncretic
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
faiths like the Spiritual Baptist
Spiritual Baptist
The Spiritual Baptists faith is an Afro-Caribbean syncretic religion which combines elements of traditional West African religions with Christianity. The Spiritual Baptist faith originated in St. Vincent....
Church and the Rastafari movement
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
. Non-Christians include adherents of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, the Orisha
Orisha
An Orisha is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system....
faith, the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
or are followers of Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Baba
Śri Sathya Sai Baba , born as Sathyanarayana Raju was an Indian guru, spiritual figure, mystic, philanthropist, and educator. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, a spiritual saint and miracle worker who died in 1918 and whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and...
.