History

The First Peoples’ – A Historical Outlook

Cairiani,  Ka-iri,  I-ere and Alubera, is what the islands of Trinidad and Tobago were referred to by the various indigenous settlers to the region. The very first "Trinidadians" included First Peoples of the Kalina, Warao, Kalipuna, Nepuyo, Taino, Aruaca and Carib tribes. Some lived here as long as 7,000 years ago, and numbered at least 40,000 at the time of Spanish settlement in 1592. For many centuries, they evolved their own civilisation. Trinidad's First Peoples were part of a large inter-island and island-to-mainland trade network. The Warao of Venezuela, who still exist today, used to visit Trinidad regularly for centuries, right up until 1930, to trade parrots, hunting dogs and hammocks.

 

According to historian Angelo Bissessarsingh, the genocide of the First Peoples in Trinidad really stepped up after 1592, when the Spanish set up their first town in Trinidad at St Joseph the first capital city, right on lands belonging to the cacique Goagonare.

The Spanish encomienda system systematically brutalised the First Peoples by stealing their freedom, forcing them to labour on Spanish plantations located in Aricagua (San Juan), Tacarigua and Arauca (Arouca), and forcibly converting them to Christianity, stripping them of much of their culture. The Spanish government at the time, when honouring an individual would usually gift them with land and this gift usually came with First Peoples as slaves.

First Peoples in Trinidad were captured to work the cocoa fields in the Northern Range and the tobacco gardens in the encomiendas in the Siparia-Erin area. Most of the clearing of land in the present East-West corridor and the uplands of Naparima and Oropouche was done by forced labour. The East-West corridor itself was once an ancient pathway connecting the original Nepuyo villages of Aricagua, Tacarigua, Arauca, and Caura. The First Peoples gave Trinidad and Tobago its first major rebellion in the name of freedom, the Arena uprising of 1699, led by Chief Hyarima.

In 1783 they were further displaced from their lands to make way for the influx of French planters and their African slaves. In 1785 the Mission of Arima was formed, San Jose De Lima as it was known, the First Peoples were brought to the Arima Mission which was neglected for 30 years, They numbered more than 600 at that time; and they were granted, collectively, 1,000 acres of land. The land was held in trust by the Church, and there were no individual deeds. Then later another governor added 320 acres of land to that original 1,000. So in all, the First Peoples of Arima owned 1,320 acres. 

In 1786, the remaining Amerindians at Aricagua and Tacarigua were moved to Arima, with a smaller number being moved to present day Princes Town. A number of tribes were pressed into Arima, mostly Nepuyo, and generically referred to as either "Caribe" or "Indio".  Arima was the last Mission Town.

Under the British rule, all the lands were taken and sold, because when they asked the Amerindians for a deed to prove ownership, they could not produce it as it was held in trust by the Catholic Church, and all 1,320 acres were taken away from them.

 

The histories of major towns such as Arima and Siparia, two large former Mission Towns, have given us Trinidad's two oldest festivals: The Santa Rosa Festival of Arima, and La Divina Pastora in Siparia. The Santa Rosa Carib Community is the last remaining organized group of people identifying with a First Peoples identity and way of life.

It is interesting to note that parang music, utilizing both Spanish and Amerindian musical instruments, emerged from the evangelization of the First Peoples. It was originally used as a way to teach the gospels. The Caribs in Arima , converted to Catholicism, and were led by a Titular Queen.

Centuries later our nation still retains the original names given by the First Peoples to many locations around the country such as the Caroni and Oropouche rivers; the Tamana and Aripo mountains; Arima, Paria, Arouca, Caura, Tunapuna, Tacarigua, Couva, Mucurapo, Chaguanas, Carapichaima, Guaico, Mayaro and Guayaguayare.

Flora such as cassava, maize, cacao, tobacco, and fauna such as manicou and agouti.

The Amerindians developed the canoe, the bow and arrow, and the ajoupa. Amerindian cuisine is enjoyed by many Trinidadians. Cassava bread and Farine; Warap; barbecued wild game; corn pastelles; coffee; cocoa and chadon beni.

Instruments such as the marac, tok tok and string bass still resonate yearly within the compositions of parang music.

At least 12,000 people in Northeast Trinidad are presently of Amerindian descent.

First Peoples were the foundation of this country. It is important to know that civilisation did not start with Columbus.