|
|
|
              |
The
Carib Community
Edited by ELMA REYES
Published by
1978 Republished from the original for non-profit electronic distribution. This document may not be printed and sold. This document may also be downloaded in MS Word format Contents (pagination from the original):
Mini-History of Town of
Arima … … … ......5 5 MINI-HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ARIMA The town of Arima, according to historians, was already a principal settlement when Christopher Columbus arrived in Trinidad. Present day developers would recognise in its locale a pleasant and scenic valley, with fertile land, mild climate and many rivers, the reasons conducive to its choice. The name “Arima” in the Amerindian language means “water”, and until recent developments brought polluting agents in their wake, river bath picnics was the most popular family and community pastime.
6 Arima was one of the early agricultural towns developed by the settlers who followed Columbus, and the street names attest to this, since many of them reflect old families from the “Spanish Days” and the migrants who came as a result of the French Revolutions. These include “Sorzano” “Sanchez” “Farfan”, “De Gannes” and “Quesnel”. The multi-racial composition of Trinidad and Tobago society is nowhere more apparent as in Arima, and past Mayors have represented practically all the long-settled ethnic groups and racial mixtures. The first Mayor - Pamphille Lopez - was described as a “Spanish Creole”, “Creole” being identified as mixed African descent in Arima. Mr. Charles Wallen, another early Mayor and the one who gave the citizens of Arima their noted landmark - the Dial - is also described as having been “a Creole”. Other early Mayors included a member of the prominent (local French) de Gannes family; a British born resident Mr. John Blair; an Island Scholar and prominent lawyer of East Indian descent Mr. F.E.M. Hosein and Messrs. Aleong and Chinaleong, both Arima-born of Chinese ancestry. A beloved Mayor “Papa” Joseph Nelson was of pure African ancestry; while a popular Deputy Mayor was an “adopted Arimian” - Guyanese born Mr. Walter Doobay. He although long resigned from politics, still lives in the town. 8 ARIMA - THE “PARANG CITY”
Parang, the Christmas songs which were brought from old Spain to the new world is identified elsewhere on “Parranda”. In Trinidad, the African and French influences encourage dialect changes. Words used elsewhere soon acquire a “strictly Trini” dialect. This is why, according to historian Daphne Pawan-Taylor an expert on the subject, “Parranda” became “Paran” and finally “Parang”. Within recent years this custom which began as a “house to house” celebration began to show signs of dying with the old musicians and “Coro” (chorus) singers. Then, two very active gentlemen, Paul Castillo, a member of an old Spanish-creole family; and Errol Mohammed, of East Indian descent but married to a lady of the prominent Hispanic “De Leon” family, both came to its rescue. Both Mr. Castillo who is of North Trinidad, and Mr. Mohammed, who is of South Trinidad now have affiliates who are based in all parts of the nations, even Tobago – where the music was introduced by some ‘Trinis” now resident in this sister island. In Arima, almost every family has at least one member who is a “Parrandero” and some families have a complete Parang band “en residence”. Another, less common tradition which is maintained by some Arima families is “Vieux Croix” (Cross Wake or Live Wake). This is an annual religious celebration. It is kept as thanksgiving for a favour obtained after a novena was made to a particular Saint of the Roman Catholic Church. 9 The Santa Rosa Carib Community now hold the “Vieux Croix” to San Raphael. This was previously maintained by members of the Hernandez-Calderon families on Calvary Hill. The celebration takes place during the month of October. 11 ARIMA’S CARIBS ON THE PEACEPATH
As the few who have managed to occupy a relatively “comfortable” position are quick to point out, the majority occupy the lowest rung of the economic ladder in Trinidad’s third largest town. This situation is particularly worrisome to Ricardo Hernandez-Bharath, whose mother is a full-blooded Carib and who was raised by HER mother, Mrs. Olive Eccles, in what was the last Carib settlement of Trinidad and Tobago. This settlement, Calvary Hill, is still home to some members of the tribe. The rest of them has been displaced since recent “developments” began to take place on Calvary Hill. These “developments” may have been beneficial to some citizens, but definitely not to the Carib people. However, the Caribs of the 20th Century no longer follow the ways of their ancestors, and they say their solution is not to attack with poison-tipped arrows and spears, but by the establishment of a representative body, through which they hope to acquire alternate lands. This organisation, the Santa Rosa Carib Community was founded in 1974, and registered in 1976 as a “...limited liability company...”. This very likely makes them the only ethnic body in the world to be so registered. With this status, the members of the Santa Rosa Carib Community are hopeful of being granted lands on which an agricultural settlement can be established.
Their original application to the Roman
Catholic Church, (who were traditionally responsible for their welfare
according to the historical records of Trinidad and Tobago) having been
turned down, the Caribs have hopefully applied to government’s “Crown Lands”
department. 12 Should this application be approved, the Santa Rosa Carib Community will create a village of farm families, who will cultivate mixed food crops, fruit trees and cassava, the traditional basic food of their race. They will also rear poultry and some livestock. Tentative plans have also been made to create a second industry, a cassava processing plant. Already the members of the Santa Rosa Carib Community have applied for, and have been admitted as members of the Community Development organisation which is maintained by the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Handicraft courses, with emphasis on Terite, the traditional straw used by the Caribs of Trinidad and Tobago, has been started. Tutor of this course is an experienced craft worker and tutor Mrs. Hospidales, a resident of the neighbouring district of San Raphael. Since many Carib children are talented singers, dancers and string musicians, effort is being made to form a Parang side, a dance group, and choir with teenage and pre-teen membership. Messrs. Francis, Bertie and Alexander Calderon will assist with the Parang side; Miss Claudine Hernandez will teach the traditional songs; while Miss Octavia Hernandez will teach the dances to the young ones. Dances which this group will be taught to perform include the Galleron, the Castillan, the Joropo, and the Sayboucan (a form of Maypole) which are a blend of Hispanic and Amerindian culture, and very much a part of the tradition of the town of Arima.
These dances have always been performed
by Arima’s Carib people as part of their annual celebration of the feast
of the Patroness Santa Rosa de Lima, celebration believed to SCENES OF THE SANTA ROSA FESTIVAL:
14 CASSAVA - A BASIC FOOD OF THE TROPICAL AMERINDIAN
He points out that by developing “graters” to mill the starchy tubers; “squeezers” through which they extracted the sometimes poisonous juices; and clay ovens in which they baked the wafers made from the resulting meal, these pre-Columbian people “represented . . . an annex to the Amerindian civilisation of Eastern Venezuela and Guiana”. The juice which was squeezed from the “Bitter” Cassava (there is a “Sweet” specie as well) contains Prussic acid. The Amerindian people cook this together with certain herbs and spices and change it into a condiment that has preservative and antiseptic qualities. The older members of Arima’s Carib community are skilled in making various kinds of delicious fare from Cassava. They also use a great deal of corn in cooking, and some of them know the secret of preserving meat by smoking over green wood “Boucaneering”. This is custom which gave the world the word “Buccaneers” to describe the pirates who once roamed the Caribbean. One of the principal projects which the SANTA ROSA CARIB COMMUNITY hope to bring into reality is a Cassava plantation and processing plant. The traditional method of making Cassava products is “by hand” and is both tedious and commercially impractical. The use of modern machinery to wash, peel, grate and squeeze the Cassava; and to process it for use as Cassava bread (wafers); Farine (meal type cereal); Cassareep (condiment) and Household starch is however feasible. The setting up of this project will also allow employment to members of the tribe, not only as agriculturists but as 15 factory “hands”; in packaging, marketing and clerical departments which will have to be established in accordance with modern factory systems. Training facilities now available in government-funded programmes, will the officers of the organisation say, be used to assist in making such staff available from among members of the Carib community. 15 SANTA ROSA IN ARIMA—THE HISTORY France has Lourdes: Portugal the Shrine at Fatima, and Mexico the ornate Cathedral and fascinating story of a simple peasant and “Our Lady” of Guadeloupe. In Trinidad and Tobago there is the town of Arima, the oldest continuing settlement of this tiny Caribbean nation and the only one to boast of a “miraculous” religious’ tradition. This is the feast of Santa Rosa de Lima which is celebrated annually during the months of August to September. Drucilla “Ma” Galera, who died in 1977 shortly after celebrating her 107 birthday was fond of telling her descendants and other young members of the tribe the story that was told to her by HER grandmother, when she was a child. Mrs. Galera who was fluent in Spanish and the French-Creole (Patois) languages told a newspaper journalist and a team of historical researchers the story speaking through her niece, Callemera Hernandez. As interpreted by Miss Hernandez, this is the story of Arima’s “Santa Rosa” tradition: “Three of our men were hunting in the High woods. That is where ‘Pinto Road’ is now. “Their names were Raymundo, Poonya and Pooyoung. They followed the river and there, where the white river lilies grow, they saw this girl who seemed to be dumb. “They thought she must be lost so they took her back to their village. That time it was not only Calvary Hill. The village began all where the Church is, and so it was up to when I was born because my father’s house, where I was born was right opposite the Church. “The priest used to say Mass in an open tent with a “Karat” (Palm thatch) roof that time. “When the men bought this girl back to the village, they carried her to the Priest. “Three times she disappeared, and three times they brought her back. The third time the priest told them that when she disappeared next time it will be forever because she was not of this world. “He told them she was Rose of Lima* who had been born in Arima and taken to live ‘down the Main’ (South American mainland) by her parents when she was still a child. “When she grew up her father wanted her to marry but she had pledged her life to God and to helping the poor. “The Priest said that the person found in the ‘High Woods’ was really her Spirit, which the Saint had willed to come back to Arima where she was born. “He told them they must make an image of her while she was still among them and this they did. “This is why the statue is our own, and not the Church own”, Mrs. Galera insisted. She said when the statue was completed, the Saint disappeared forever. The men, on going to the forest where they first met her found a necklace and crown of roses. The necklace, which was worn by the Queen of the Tribe as a sign of sovereignty has been lost. The roses are the accepted symbol of the festival of Arima’s Caribs, and are handmade by women of the tribe in red, yellow, pink and white. The river where the mysterious “dumb girl” the necklace and crown of roses were found is known to this day as “Agua Santa”. Old members of the Carib tribe claim that at one time they were promised that a shrine would be built there. At present the area is very neglected, and they doubt that this would ever be done. *Rose of Lima was the first canonized Saint of the “New World” 21 MORE NOTES ON SANTA ROSA
Elders of the Carib tribe claim that once a priest refused to allow members to have the statue (it is kept at the Church during the rest of the year) and to make their annual procession with it. “Ma” Galera recalled this legend: “My grandmother said rain fell and the whole place was flooded. As soon as the priest changed his mind, the rain stopped, and the flood waters went down”. Another legend says that the silver cross which is attached to the banner (and which is also lost) was given to Princess Anacaona, daughter of the great Carib chief Hyarima, by a dying priest. It is supposed to symbolise the cessation of hostilities between the Amerindian people of Trinidad and Tobago and the Catholic Church, who shared administration of the island, with the Spanish government.
In 1931, the then Mayor of Arima, the late
F.E.M Hosein produced a Miracle play, “Hyarima and the Saints” which utilised
some of the legends surrounding the statue and historical information,
which dealt principally with the Cacique (Chief) Hyarima and the incidents
which led to the last battle between the Carib people and their conquerors.
This took place at a district on the outskirts of Arima, and is recorded
as the “Arena Massacre”. 22 Sir Ralph Woodford, who was Governor of Trinidad from 1813 (and was succeeded in 1829 by Sir Lewis Grant) was very interested in the traditions of the Amerindian people of Arima. He is reported to have attended their annual celebration, and to personally give a prize to the “best boy” and “best girl” in the tribe. Another governor who is recorded as having shown similar interest was Lord Harris. He served as Governor of Trinidad from 1846 until succeeded in 1854 by Sir Charles Elliot. He too attended the celebrations and it is significant that the “Square” opposite the Santa Rosa R.C. Church is known to old Arimians as “Lord Harris Square”. It is said that the “Cannon” which was originally located on “Calvary Hill” was given to the Carib people by Lord Harris. They used it in place of the Conch Shell they blew to summon all the descendants of the tribe together to prepare for the celebration. An argument with the Caribs and administrators of the town of Arima, led to this being forbidden to them. During when Sir Alfred Claud Hollis served as Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, the then Mayor of Arima, Mr. F.E.M. Hosein prevailed upon him to restore the use of the Cannon to the Carib people, and from then on it was fired on August 15, the day the Caribs began to assemble to prepare for the celebration. It was also fired on the actual feast of Santa Rosa (August 30), and on the Sunday when the official High Mass Procession through the streets of Arima was maintained. This was done by a prominent Arimian former Assistant Commissioner Cyril Barnes. Since the Cannon was moved from the original locale to the “Princess Royal Park” it has not been fired. The reason is obvious - it now faces the Arima Public Market! 25 SANTA ROSA CARIB COMMUNITY—HOW THE ORGANISATION STARTED When some years ago, some members of the Carib community in Arima were told they had to move to give way to a proposed development, the affected persons were assured they would be given alternate housing lots. Approximately twenty years later, the alternate lots have not as yet materialised, and the Carib people describe what they have got as “a runaround”. The pattern of life familiar to all the conquered people of the “new world” from the Eskimoes in the extreme north, to those tribes who occupy settlements in the various states of South America - is not at all unknown to the people who are members of Arima’s Santa Rosa Carib Community. The patterns of frustration are the same, along with the familiar accompaniments - poverty, poor education, limited skills, and among an increasing number of the young ones, a lack of a sense of identity. This alarming situation has caused some of the members of the tribe to come together and “do something” which would not only bring about an improvement in the lifestyle of Arima’s Caribs, but would lead to their adding and enriching the nation cultural and economical development. Culturally they have a lot to offer. Although the Amerindian culture in Trinidad is very much mixed with the Hispanic, it is a mixture that has become as indigenous as it is in Mexico, Venezuela and other Latin countries. The Caribs agricultural and food traditions are still maintained by the majority of the present day descendants and can be used for both personal and national benefit. Already, following the advice of relevant government departments, the Santa Rosa Carib Community applied for land which will be used to house a farming community, through the Crown Lands Division. of the Arima Warden 27 ARIMA SANTA ROSA CARIB COMMUNITY—THE ORGANISATION The National Cultural Council motivated by the sympathetic suggestion of the late, great Mr. Andrew Carr, Historian and Social Researcher assisted the group to be registered as a Limited Liability Company. The legal aspects of this was prepared by Mr. Joseph Pantor who kindly offered his service as the Legal Advisor to the Santa Rosa Carib Community. Various organisations and agencies have been approached and have promised and in some case already given assistance to the organisation, in the form of educational and social services. Among them are:
Community Development Division of the Prime
Minister’s Office Business firms in various parts of the nation have also been very sympathetic to the organisation, and the annual Santa Rosa Festival has been made possible by their assistance. In previous years, the members of the Carib tribe in Arima were completely self sufficient in this celebration, since they grew food crop and reared poultry and livestock on their settlement. This is no longer possible, but it is the hope of the organisation, that such times will not be long in coming again. 29 WHO’S WHO IN THE SANTA ROSA CARIB COMMUNITY RICHARDO HERNANDEZ BHARATH is the founder of the organisation and served as its first President. Born at Calvary Hill, Arima; the young President was educated in Arima, Trinidad and Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. Mr. Hernandez-Bharath, the son of Mrs. Elsie Rudolpho was raised by his maternal grandmother, a full-blooded Carib, and highly respected member of the tribe, who then lived on the last Amerindian settlement in Trinidad and Tobago. His alarm at the disappearance of so many of the traditions he knew as a child, and the lack of a sense of identity among many young Caribs, led to his motivating the elders of the tribe to found the Santa Rosa Carib Community organisation. It is his hope that through the organisation, the members, young and old will enjoy increased benefits in health, education and social services to bring them on par with other ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago. CLIFFORD CARRERA is of Spanish and Carib ancestry and is a resident of Calvary Hill in Arima. Well known in Arima and in the neighbouring district of Valencia, where he spent his boyhood, as a community organiser, Mr. Carrera served in the British Navy during World War II. A former County Councillor, Mr. Carrera is very active in the Holy Cross Credit Union, and at present serves as President of the Santa Rosa Carib Community. CRUCITA KONG is a founder member of the Santa Rosa Carib Community and once served as Treasurer and Public Relations Officer of the group. An excellent chef and professional caterer, Mrs. Kong once maintained the cafeteria at one of the big factories located on the IDC Estate in Arima. She is the co-coordinator of the 30 Catering Committee for the Santa Rosa Festival celebration, and is very knowledgeable about the traditional dishes of Trinidad and Tobago, Chinese and Continental cooking. Mrs. Kong is also an active agriculturist who rears poultry and livestock. ALEXANDER CALDERON the treasurer of the Santa Rosa Carib Community is a full-blooded Carib who was born on Calvary Hill, Arima and who lives there on lands which have been in his family as far back as can be remembered. Mr. Calderon who has worked in agriculture all his life is also a skilled craft worker, specialising in Terite straw and woodwork. One of the founder members of the Santa Rosa Carib Community organisations, Mr. Calderon is an experienced Parang and Vieux Croix singer, a tradition inherited from his parents, who were respected elders of the tribe. He is regarded as one of the hardest working members of the community. 31 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE The founders of the SANTA ROSA CARIB COMMUNITY organisation has been heartened by the inquiry from persons throughout the nation who have asked about the possibility of becoming affiliate members. With the publication of “CARIB COMMUNITY NEWS” it is now possible to arrange for this form of membership in the organisation, $24 a year (adults); $16 a year (under 16) payable monthly, quarterly or annually. Membership will allow: Invitation to take part in all annual celebrations such as Santa Rosa (August-September); Vieux Croix (October) and Le Rois (the end of the Christmas season).
Prospective members should fill and mail
the coupon,
Mrs. Cruicita Kong,
CUT ALONG HERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I would like to apply for (membership)
(family membership)
To cover cost of membership per adult person
|
Caption:
The Dial—Arima’s Landmark 
Arima
is rightfully regarded as the “Parang City” of Trinidad and Tobago. and
both the Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean) Parang Association and the National
Parang Association hold the Grand Finals of the annual national competitions
in the Eastern Borough.
Carib
culture is alive, but not as well as the descendants of the original inhabitants,
who live in the town of Arima would like it to be.
The
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Eric Williams describes CASSAVA
as the “national food” of our Amerindian ancestors.
