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| Total population |
|---|
| 1.2 million Including the Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian diaspora |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Trinidad and Tobago, United States, United Kingdom, Canada |
| Languages |
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Mainly Trinidadian Creole English, Hindi, standard English, and Urdu, and Tamil, and Telugu sometimes French and Spanish |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian people or Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians is a generalized term used to describe Trinidadian and Tobagonian people who appear to have and/or are the descendants of either Indian indentured servants, or migrants and immigrants from the Indian subcontinent who are citizens or nationals of Trinidad and Tobago.
Contrary to the assumption of the term Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians, it is somewhat inaccurate considering the racial/ethnic diversity of the group. There were two major migrations of people from India. Following the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833, indentured servants were transported to Trinidad from India on May 30, 1845 (Indian Arrival Day).[citation needed]
The first group of Indian indentured servants quickly integrated into the Trinidadian and Tobagonian populace[citation needed]. This is believed to have happened because the conditions of slaves and indentured servants were almost identical, this created a similar social/economical class. This first group mixed into the Trinidadian populace which was already a mixture of people: Amerindians, West Africans, Spaniards, French, Catalans, Creoles, Chinese, Germans, Swiss, Portuguese, Scottish, British, Irish, Italian, Mexican, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Arab, Lebanese, African American, Other Caribbean islands, and Venezuelans. This first group combined their Indian culture with the pre-existing Creole/Hispanic/African/European culture. Some of the most notable cultural influences are Roti, the use of curry, Paratha and numerous other Indian foods, as well as musical and linguistic influences.
The second group arrived after the abolition of indentured servitude in 1917[citation needed]. Most arrivals were skilled workers, Doctors, Businessmen, and other professions. Most of this "new" group of Indians maintained their original culture. Like many Indo-Caribbeans, many have roots from all over the Indian subcontinent, as the present-day states of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh were all part of the British Raj. Indo-Trinidadians are a plurality of the population of Trinidad and Tobago (40.3%). An additional 18.4% of the population describe themselves as being of mixed race; many of them are also of Indian descent. Many Indian customs have been lost such as arranged marriages, which are very rare in Trinidad. Indo-Trinidadians also dress in western fashions and participate in carnival and other non Indian festivals.
Indo-Trinidadian as a term seems to acknowledge the just demands of the descendants of indentured plantation laborers brought over from India under a colonial system [1] This local term was overlooked and substituted with ethnic categories by the best-known texts of Caribbean history, and especially by anthropologists and other foreign social scientists. People of Indian descent who emphasized their Trinidad roots and contributions began writing letters to newspapers in the 1880s already, suggesting alternate terms such as "Indo-Trinidadian."Most Indo-Trinidadians however have no knowledge of India having being separated from the continent for so many generations. Most Indo-Trinidadians also only speak the local creole English.
Indo-Trinidadians has now become interchangeable with Indians or East Indians. Settlers brought over by Britain from colonial India were called "Coolies", an insulting term.
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Culture/Religion
Some Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians can trace their ancestry to indentured labourers who immigrated to Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent, Grenada, or other islands in the Caribbean. A few are descendants of later immigrants from India,Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, predominantly doctors and Gujarati businessmen.
A majority of Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians are Hindu; the large minorities are Muslim or belong to one of several Christian denominations. The Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago is predominantly Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian. Three national holidays, Indian Arrival Day, Divali and Eid-ul-Fitr are primarily celebrated by Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians. The Opposition United National Congress draws most of its support from the Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian community, and the new party: The Congress of the People
A major Hindu organisation in Trinidad is the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha led by Satnarayan Maharaj. The major Muslim organisation is the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA) led by Yacoob Ali. Although these organisations were once seen to speak for the vast majority of Hindus and Muslims in Trinidad, their membership has gradually eroded but they still remain the largest organized voice for the respective Indian communities.
Trinidadian and Tobagonians that consider themselves Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians have retained their distinctive culture unlike the original East Indian people that arrived eariler as indentured servants, but also function in a multi-racial milieu. The Bhojpuri-Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam languages of their ancestors have largely been lost, although a number of these words have entered the Trinidadian vernacular. Bollywood movies, Indian music and Indian cooking have entered the mainstream culture of Trinidad and Tobago. Chutney music rivals calypso and soca music during the Carnival season. Divali and Eid ul-Fitr are national holidays, and Hosay (Ashura) Phagwah is widely celebrated.
It was mainly the second wave of Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians that maintained their original culture and did not assimilate into the pre-existing Trinidadian culture. In large part due to groups like "Divine Life Society of Chaguanas" whom encouraged people to celebrate "Indian Emigration Day" opposed to Indian Arrival Day (thus including newly arrived Indians). Also groups like the Indian Revival and Reform Association (IRRA). They were concerned about racism against Indians and were interested in developing ideas, writing pamphlets to bring about an Indian revival and renewed pride in Indian heritage and Indian culture.
Notable Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians
- Waheed Alli, Baron Alli, British multimillionaire media entrepreneur and politician.
- Mervyn M. Dymally, California State Assemblyman, former U.S. Congressman and former Lieutenant Governor of California.
- Noor Hassanali, former President.
- Basdeo Panday, Trade Union Leader, and former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
- V. S. Naipaul, Nobel Prize-winning author.
- George F. Fitzpatrick, Member of Parliament.
- Dr. Deodath Ragoonanan, physician/author/acupuncturist
- Dr. Lall Sawh, urologist/surgeon
- Lakshmi Persaud, novelist.
- Andre Mathura, prominent American graphic designer born in Trinidad
- Prof. Raj Persaud, Eminent British Psychiatrist.
- Sundar Popo, pioneer of Chutney music.
- Tatyana Ali - Actress The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, R&B singer, half Indo-Trinidadian and half Panamanian on her mother's side.
- Sonny Ramadhin, cricketer.
- Vahni Capildeo, British writer.
- Jean Ramjohn-Richards, current First Lady.
- H.E. Ashford Sinanan
- Mitra Sinanan
- Samuel Selvon, author.
- Kamaluddin Mohammed, politician.
- Krishna Maharaj, British businessman.
- Shiva Naipaul, British novelist and journalist.
- Chris Bisson, British actor- half Indo-Trinidadian.
- Winston Dookeran,economist and political leader of the Congress of the People.
- Devant Maharaj, writer, cultural, activist.
- Dr. Taj Anwar, hip- hop activist, model, philanthropist.
- Andrew Khan, model.
- Lord Ali, labour peer and media owner.
- Bo Tewarie, Principal of the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago.
- Ian Hanomansing, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news anchor.
- Dr. Rudranath Capildeo - politician and mathematician
- Adrian Cola Rienzi - trade unionist, politician and lawyer
- Ria Ramnarine - first Trinidadian female world boxing champion
- 'Pat' Patrick Mathura - radio & t.v. personality
- 'Bobby' Lennox Mohammed - musician and pannist
- Jit Samaroo - composer and steelpan musician
- Darren Ganga - cricketer, batsman
- Dave Mohammed - cricketer
- Denesh Ramdin - cricketer
- Ravi Rampaul - cricketer
- Samuel Badree - cricketer
- Sherwin Ganga - cricketer
- Kenneth Lalla - Attorney at Law,Former Chairman of the Public Service Commission,Police Service Commission,Defence Force Service Commission,Member of the Regional Judicial and Legal Service Commission,Former Member of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission,and Salaries review Commission,Author,Founder of CALDRAC
Trinidadians who are descended from the indigenous people of the region are known as Caribs or Amerindians.
- Professor * George Maxwell Richards - fourth president of Trinidad & Tobago
See also
- Afro-Trinidadian people
- Chinese Trinidadian
- Dougla
- Indo-Caribbean music
- Indian Arrival Day
- History of Trinidad and Tobago
References
- ^ Specifically, Trinidad Sentinel 6 August 1857. Also, Original Correspondence of the British Colonial Office in London (C.O. 884/4, Hamilton Report into the Carnival Riots, p.18)
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