Help needed for Carib Research Centre
 
Trinidad Guardian, Saturday, June 27, 1998, page 8
 
Beryl Almarales, Researcher, Santa Rosa Carib Community
 
THE EDITOR: The trend in our country is to celebrate the arrival of some of our ancestors and the emancipation of others. I say others because although Emancipation Day originally marked the freedom of our African ancestors, today it includes other racial groups who were freed from the shackles of their masters.

Unfortunately, we do not hear much of the indigenous people who were here before the arrival of Columbus and other ethnic groups. The members of the Santa Rosa Carib Community have therefore decided to establish a research centre at our headquarters on Paul Mitchell Street, Arima, and to mark the 500 anniversary of the arrival of Columbus on our shores with the opening of this centre.

We firmly believe that our research centre will be beneficial to all who seek information on our indigenous ancestors.

We have had visitors from such places as Sweden, Australia, Canada, Venezuela, Guyana and Dominica, as well as students from primary and secondary schools, from the university at St Augustine and the University of Adelaide, Australia, seeking information on our indigenous heritage. At the moment, the University of Adelaide is engaged in an anthropological field project with the Santa Rosa Carib Community.

Unfortunately, our displays are insufficient and we are using this media to request assistance from those interested in anthropology and history to help establish this research centre which will not only be educational but will also be an asset to the tourist industry as it can be included in the list of interesting historical places.

We also welcome suggestions from the public and donations of such items as display boards and any other material which will make our venture successful. Those wishing to support the establishment of a research centre of our Amerindian heritage can contact any of the following members of the committee.

R Hernandez Bharath - 667-0210; E Reyes - 626-7385; J Khan - 667-27065; B Almarales -667-2139.
Thanking you in advance on behalf of the Santa Rosa Carib Community.

B. ALMARALES, Arima.