CULTURE

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Culture is a way of life.
People do no have instincts so whatever we learn and
what we do is determined by our culture.
Our culture is made up of our beliefs, attitudes, norms
and values.


CULTURE
Our culture was influenced mainly by the following
groups:
TAINOS & KALINAGOES NATIVE INDIANS
EUROPEANS
AFRICANS
SYRIANS & LEBANESE
EAST INDIANS
CHINESE
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CULTURE
Indigenous (Tainos & Kalingaoes)
These were the very first peoples to discover the
Caribbean since 5000BC. They came from Africa, Asia,
Europe and the Americas to the Caribbean via foot and
boat. They set up cities, towns and civilizations in the
region.
Examples of Indigenous or Amerindian Civilizations
Europeans Came to the Caribbean in search of God,
Glory and Gold!
In 1492, Christopher Columbus re-discovered the
Caribbean in the name of the King and Queen of Spain.
Other Europeans came to explore and look for gold
including the French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese and
the British.
They did not find any gold, but found Sugar instead.
They worked the Tainos and Kalinagoes so hard and
cruelly until they almost wiped out their races.
Africans were brought to the Caribbean by the
Europeans to work after a Spanish priest
(Bartholomew de Las Casas) begged for the
Europeans to stop killing the Amerindians.
The Africans were brought as slaves on the sugar
plantations. Finally they fought for their rights and
dignity and slavery was abolished in 1834 and
the Africans were Emancipated in 1838.

Asians were the next group of people to come to
T&T. From 1845, the East Indians and Chinese came
to work on the sugar plantations after Slavery and
Emancipation. These Asians were called Indentured
Labourers.


Ethnic Groups in
Trinidad and Tobago Today
Indo- Trinbago,
35%
Afro-Trinbago,
34%
Mixed, 23%
European
Trinbago, 1%
Chinese
Trinbago, 0.5%
Other,
7%
Source: Trinidad and Tobago 2011 Census
What is cultural diversity?
Diversity means difference or variety of groups.
In Trinidad & Tobago, diversity exists in many forms
including:
Racial
Religious
Socio-economic
Language
Sexual
Diversity also means being acceptable and tolerant of
other groups that are different to your own.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
UNITY IN DIVERSITY
Here every creed and race find an equal place.
Cultural Assimilation is when one groups culture is
lost and they are forced to adopt another culture
mixed with their original culture.
For example, when Christopher Columbus came to
the Caribbean, he forced the Native Indians and
African slaves to adopt his European culture.
CULTURAL ASSIMILATION
Cultural Erasure refers to when certain practices from
a culture is completely eliminated or erased.
So people no longer have those beliefs, norms or
values.
For example, storytelling is a cultural art form which is
experiencing cultural erasure.
CULTURAL ERASURE
Cultural renewal may be defined as an attempt to
reintroduce practices that were lost or taken away.
For example, some people choose to go back to India
or Africa or China to find out more about their heritage
and ancestors and to bring back some cultural
practices that may have been lost over the years
through erasure or assimilation.
CULTURAL RENEWAL
Language Official Language is English, but Creole is
most common (blend between Africa and European
Languages). Some dialects include Patois (Trinidad)
and Papiamento (Suriname) We also speak Spanish,
French and Dutch.
Literature and Writing
Theatre and Drama
Music
Dance
Cuisine
Sports
Festivals & Celebrations:

DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF
CARIBBEAN CULTURE
Divali Hindu festival celebrating light over darkness
Eid-ul-Fitr Muslim festival to mark the end of
Ramadan (month of fasting)
Phagwah Festival Hindu Spring Festival
La Divina Pastora Sipari Mai (Hindus) & Virgin
Mary (Catholics)
Hosay Festival celebrating the Prophet
Muhammeds grandsons (Hussain & Hassan)
Tobago Heritage Festival Cultural ancestry
Cropover Festival end of sugar cane harvest in
Barbados

MAJOR CULTURAL FESTIVALS IN THE
CARIBBEAN