Trinidad and Tobago is an island country located in the Caribbean Sea. To learn more about the culture of the people of this island, stay with Saed News.
Trinidad and Tobago, officially known as the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is an island country located in the Caribbean Sea to the north of South America. Its capital is Port of Spain. Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean and is famous for its oil and gas reserves. The country consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, along with many smaller islands. The largest island is Trinidad. The other main island, Tobago, is much smaller and less populated than Trinidad. Both islands are part of the Windward Islands in the Lesser Antilles.
The population of the country is approximately 1,405,646, with an average age of 32 years. Life expectancy is 68 years for women and 66 years for men. The primary religions are Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. 55% of the population is Christian, 18% is Hindu, and 5% is Muslim. The official language of the country is English. While English is the sole official language, local Creole dialects such as Trinidadian English and Tobagonian English are the most common spoken languages. The government also encourages the learning of Spanish due to the country’s proximity to Spanish-speaking Latin America.
The majority of the population resides on the island of Trinidad, where the capital and main cities are located. The largest settlement on Tobago is the city of Scarborough. The two predominant ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago are of African and Indian descent. African descendants, who make up 39.5% of the population, were brought to the country as slaves by the British from Africa. Indian descendants, making up 40.3% of the population, are descendants of contract workers who came to Trinidad and Tobago from British India. The remainder of the population has mixed ethnic backgrounds.
Most Muslims in the country, who are mainly of Indian descent, follow the Sunni Hanafi school of Islam. Indian Muslims generally live in the southern part of Trinidad, while African Muslims are mostly found on Tobago. There is also a small number of Chinese Muslims in the country. In 1777, among the slaves brought to Trinidad and Tobago from West Africa, there were Muslims, mainly from the Mandingo tribe of Senegal, who had converted to Islam around 1740. These Muslims spoke Arabic and lived mainly in Port of Spain.
Trinidad and Tobago, an island nation in the Caribbean, has been celebrating special Ashura rituals for nearly 200 years. The people of this country recognize Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) as "Hoziah," and all participate in Ashura mourning ceremonies. During these ceremonies, four drums are played to symbolize different aspects of the Ashura story, including the invitation of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) by the people of Kufa, their betrayal, the battle with Yazid’s forces, and the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his companions in Karbala.
Mourning ceremonies in the cities of “San James” and “Seyd Ross” begin on the 7th of Muharram, with people fasting and avoiding meat and water on Ashura, opting for fruits, vegetables, and milk instead. The ceremonies end at 3:30 PM, the time of Imam Hussein's martyrdom, after which non-Shiite participants leave, and Shiites remain for prayers.
Most people in Trinidad wear modern Western-style clothing. "Jac" (Caribbean shirt), a belt jacket worn without a shirt, is popular among men in Port of Spain. Some members of the Indian and Asian Indian communities wear traditional dress, including male turbans and female saris. Common public attire includes:
Shorts, cotton pants, and short-sleeved shirts for casual outings.
Travel jackets with many pockets.
Lightweight jackets or woolen sweaters.
Suits and pants for formal dinners.
Jeans and long-sleeved shirts for cold evenings.
Roti (using Paratha or Dalpuri) is another famous Indian-inspired dish. It contains vegetables such as strawberries, peas (chickpeas), potatoes, chicken, shrimp, duck, snails, and more. Indian sweets are especially popular during Hindu holidays. The most popular seafood dish in the country is “Bake and Shark,” which is a fried fish dish served with fresh fruit like pineapple, cucumbers, salads, and various sauces and seasonings. Another very popular and traditional dish with African roots is "Callaloo," made from young taro leaves, okra, pumpkin, onion, coconut milk, pimento, and green seasonings. Trinidadian foods are often grilled and include fish and seafood such as flying fish, kingfish, shrimp, and crab.
Carnival is the most famous performance art in Trinidad, attracting tourists, immigrants, and researchers from abroad. One of the most famous mas' (mask) designers is Peter Minshall, who also directed artistic performances at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as well as the 1994 World Cup opening ceremony in the USA. Calypso music and steelpan performances take place during Carnival season, and live performances of dance can be found around the area of Bril McBurnie and the Caribbean Small Theatre.
Trinidad and Tobago is known as the birthplace of Calypso music and the steelpan instrument. The country also developed another musical style called Soca, which blends Calypso with other musical genres.
Trinidad and Tobago has a population of about one million people, making it a sparsely populated country where most people know each other. Due to its location, the country has a broader cultural scope compared to other countries. Its cultural positioning is better than many other nations.
