Siparia
Encyclopedia
Siparia is a town in southern Trinidad
, in Trinidad and Tobago
, south of Penal
and south-east of Fyzabad
. Also called "The Sand City," it was originally a non-Mission
Amerindian settlement. Siparia grew to be the administrative centre for County Saint Patrick
, and later the Siparia Regional Corporation. Today it is a commercial centre and market town serving the surrounding agricultural
areas and oil field
s. Siparia is also the seat of the Siparia Regional Corporation
.
Siparia is the site of the annual festival of "La Divina Pastora," named for the church's patron saint
. The festival occurs each year on the saint's day of La Divina Pastora, a few weeks after Easter. The same statue, a Black Virgin, is venerated by Hindus
during a separate festival, held on Good Friday and Maundy Thursday. The Hindu celebration is often referred to the "Siparia Fete." She is La Divina Pastora, the Divine Shepherdess, a manifestation of the Virgin Mary, to Catholics, and Sipari Mai (Mother of Siparia) to Hindus. Sometimes Sipari Mai is associated with a particular Hindu goddess, such as Kali
, and sometimes she is a goddess in her own right. These two religious groups are most commonly associated with her, but persons of many other religions, including Muslims, Buddhists, and indigenous Waraoa Indians have been known to worship the popular saint.
The origin of the statue is unknown, but seems to have resided in the Siparia area since the 18th century.
Ben Seebaran: Cricketer, Teacher, writer
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...
, in Trinidad and Tobago
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...
, south of Penal
Penal
Peneral is a town in south Trinidad. It lies south of San Fernando and Debe, and north of Siparia. Originally a rice and cocoa producing area, Penal has grown into an important town in the past few years and is now a desirable place for corporate expansion...
and south-east of Fyzabad
Fyzabad
Fyzabad is a town in southwestern Trinidad, south of San Fernando, west of Siparia and northeast of Point Fortin. It is named after the town of Faizabad in India. Colloquially it is known as "Fyzo" by many people, especially taxicab drivers.-History:...
. Also called "The Sand City," it was originally a non-Mission
Spanish missions in Trinidad
Spanish Missions in Trinidad were established as part of the Spanish colonisation of its new possessions. In 1687 the Catholic Catalan Capuchin friars were given responsibility for religious conversions of the indigenous Amerindian residents of Trinidad and the Guianas. In 1713 the missions were...
Amerindian settlement. Siparia grew to be the administrative centre for County Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick, Trinidad and Tobago
Saint Patrick is a county in Trinidad and Tobago which occupies an area of 673 km2 . It occupies the southwestern peninsula of the island of Trinidad and is bounded by the Columbus Channel to the south, the Gulf of Paria to the west, and Victoria to the north. It includes the towns of Point...
, and later the Siparia Regional Corporation. Today it is a commercial centre and market town serving the surrounding agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
areas and oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
s. Siparia is also the seat of the Siparia Regional Corporation
Siparia Regional Corporation
Siparia Regional Corporation is the Regional Corporation which handles local government functions in a 510.48 km² are of southwest Trinidad. It is one of 15 local government bodies in Trinidad and Tobago. The Siparia Regional Corporation is headquartered in Siparia...
.
Siparia is the site of the annual festival of "La Divina Pastora," named for the church's patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
. The festival occurs each year on the saint's day of La Divina Pastora, a few weeks after Easter. The same statue, a Black Virgin, is venerated by Hindus
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
during a separate festival, held on Good Friday and Maundy Thursday. The Hindu celebration is often referred to the "Siparia Fete." She is La Divina Pastora, the Divine Shepherdess, a manifestation of the Virgin Mary, to Catholics, and Sipari Mai (Mother of Siparia) to Hindus. Sometimes Sipari Mai is associated with a particular Hindu goddess, such as Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
, and sometimes she is a goddess in her own right. These two religious groups are most commonly associated with her, but persons of many other religions, including Muslims, Buddhists, and indigenous Waraoa Indians have been known to worship the popular saint.
The origin of the statue is unknown, but seems to have resided in the Siparia area since the 18th century.
Notable people from Siparia
- Kelly Ann Baptiste, athleteAthletics (track and field)Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
- Machel MontanoMachel MontanoMachel Montano is a soca singer, record producer and songwriter based in the Trinidad and Tobago....
, SocaSoca musicSoca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
/CalypsoCalypso musicCalypso 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...
artist - Ian MorrisIan Morris (athlete)Ian Morris is a retired male track and field athlete from Trinidad and Tobago who specialized in the 400 metres. A former soccer player for the Siparia Angel in South Trinidad, he did not take up athletics before the age of 23...
, athleteAthletics (track and field)Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking... - Daisy VoisinDaisy VoisinDaisy Voisin was a Parang singer and composer.Voisin was born in Erin, Trinidad and Tobago. She began her singing career in the Village Council and other local groups. A deeply religious person, she received the message to spread the gospel of Parang in a church in Siparia in 1973...
, Parang music - Kamla Persad-BissessarKamla Persad-BissessarKamla Persad-Bissessar is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the seventh person to hold this position...
, first female Prime Minister - Shawn Noel, (Da Ma$tamind): Musician, producer, composer, artist.
Ben Seebaran: Cricketer, Teacher, writer