fbpx
Wikipedia

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians or Indian-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are people of Indian origin who are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago, whose ancestors came from India and the wider subcontinent beginning in 1845 during the period of colonization.

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians
Painting of Indians in Trinidad during the late 19th century
Total population
670,376
Regions with significant populations
 Trinidad and Tobago  468,524 (2011 census)
(plurality of the population)[1]
 United States125,000[2]
 Canada100,000[2]
 United Kingdom25,000[2]
Languages
Trinidadian and Tobagonian English · Trinidadian Hindustani · Hinglish
Religion
Majority: Hinduism
Minority: Christianity  · Islam  · Others
Related ethnic groups
Indo-Caribbeans · Indo-Caribbean Americans · British Indo-Caribbean people · Indo-Guyanese · Indo-Surinamese · Indo-Jamaicans · Indo-Mauritians · Indo-Fijians · Indians in South Africa · Indian Singaporeans · Malaysian Indians · Indian people · Indian diaspora

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are a subgroup of Indo-Caribbeans, which is a subgroup of the wider Indian diaspora. Generally, most Indians in Trinidad and Tobago can trace their ancestry back to northern India, especially the Bhojpur and Awadh regions of the Hindi Belt, which lies in the Gangetic plains, a plain that is located between the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and faces the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, the Kaimur, and the Vindhyas. However, some Indians may trace their ancestry to other parts of South Asia, notably southern India. Indians first arrived in Trinidad and Tobago as indentured laborers from India through the Indian indenture system from 1845 till 1917, and some Indians and other South Asians, along with their families, later came as entrepreneurs, businesspeople, religious leaders, doctors, engineers, and other professional occupations beginning in the mid-20th century and continuing till present day. Some Indians from many other Caribbean nations, such as Guyana, Grenada, Martinique, and Saint Croix, also immigrated to Trinidad and Tobago.

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are the largest ethnic group in Trinidad and Tobago, identified by the official census, about 35.43% of the population in 2011.[1]

History edit

 
Early East Indian indentured laborers.

In his book Perspectives on the Caribbean: A Reader In Culture, History, and Representation, Philip W. Scher cites figures by Steven Vertovec, Professor of Anthropology; Of 94,135 Indian immigrants to Trinidad, between 1874 and 1917, 50.7 percent were from the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, 24.4 percent hailed from Oudh State, 13.5 percent were from Bihar Province and lesser numbers from various other parts of the British Raj, such as the Madras Presidency, Bengal Presidency, Central Provinces, Chota Nagpur Division, Bombay Presidency, and Punjab Province.[3] Out of 134,118 indentured labourers from India, 5,000 who left from the Port of Madras distinguished themselves as "Madrasi" and the immigrants who left from the Port of Calcutta distinguished themselves as "Kalakatiyas". However, this did not equate to their ethnolinguistic group. While, most Indians who left from the Port of Madras were Tamils (Madrasis), not all were ethnic-Madrasis, some were Telugu, Kannadiga, Malayali, Gondi, Kodava, Tulu, or Deccani, and most Indians who left from the Port of Calcutta were not ethnic-Bengalis (Kalakatiyas), but they were Purabias (Bhojpuri and Awadhi), however there were small numbers of Bengalis, as well as small numbers of Maithils, Magahis, Baghelis, Brajis, Bundelis, Kannaujis, Kauravis, Pashtuns, Nagpuris, Kurukhs, Haryanvis, Gujaratis, Marwari, Sadans, Chhattisgarhis, Kashmiris, Dogras, Punjabis, Marathis, Odias, Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Madheshis, Parsees, Assamese, Newars, Tharus and Khas who came via the Port of Calcutta.[4][5]

Many were people who were escaping poverty in India and seeking employment offered by the British for jobs either as indentured labourers, workers or educated servicemen, primarily, between 1845 and 1917.[6][7]

The demand for Indian indentured labourers increased dramatically after the abolition of slavery in 1834. They were sent, sometimes in large numbers, to plantation colonies producing high-value crops such as sugar in Africa and the Caribbean.

Religion edit

Religion of Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians
Religion Census 1921[a] Census 1931[8] Census 1970[9] Census 2000[10] Census 2011[11]
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Hinduism 99,564 82 94,125 67.88 228,758 61.24 245,459 55.00 232,104 49.54
Islam 19,427 16 20,747 14.96 57,105 15.29 57,042 12.78 54,543 11.64
Presbyterianism 6,071 5 10,335 7.45 34,844 9.33 31,277 7.00 26,631 5.68
Roman Catholicism 4,857 4 8,469 6.11 33,312 8.92 31,823 7.13 30,350 6.48
Anglicanism 2,428 2 3,946 2.85 6,192 1.66 3,035 0.68 2,637 0.56
Other Christian denominations - - 433 0.31 191 0.05 34,491 7.73 58,782 12.55
Zoroastrianism 607 0.5 278 0.2 - - - - - -
Buddhism 364 0.3 119 0.09 - - - - - -
Sikhism - - - - - - - - 300 0.06
Trinidad Orisha - - - - - - - - 1,466 0.31
Rastafari - - - - - - - - 97 0.02
Other - - 215 0.16 13,136 3.52 35,540 7.96 27,210 5.81
Not Stated - - - - - - 3,498 0.78 29,518 6.30
None - - - - - - 4,108 0.92 4,887 1.04
Total 121,420 138,667 373,538 446,273 468,524

Religious Makeup of Indo-Trinidadians (2011)

  Hinduism (49.54%)
  Christianity (25.27%)
  Islam (11.64%)
  Not Stated (6.3%)
  Other (5.87%)
  None (1.05%)
  Sikhism (0.06%)

According to the most recent census (2011) conducted in Trinidad and Tobago, Hinduism is the religion followed by a plurality of Indo-Trinidadians. The breakdown of religious affiliation for Indo-Trinidadians is as follows[11] -

  1. Hinduism – 49.54%
  2. Islam – 11.64%
  3. Pentecostalism/Evangelicalism/Full Gospel – 9.67%
  4. Roman Catholicism – 6.48%
  5. Not Stated – 6.30%
  6. Other – 5.81%
  7. Presbyterianism/Congregationalism – 5.68%
  8. None – 1.04%
  9. Spiritual Baptist – 0.96%
  10. Seventh-day Adventist Church – 0.91%
  11. Jehovah's Witnesses – 0.73%
  12. Anglicanism – 0.56%
  13. Trinidad Orisha – 0.31%
  14. Other Baptists – 0.21%
  15. Sikhism – 0.06%[12]
  16. Methodism – 0.05%
  17. Rastafari – 0.02%
  18. Moravian Church – 0.007%

Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago are represented by several sects, organizations and entities the largest of which is the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, a Sanātanī Hindu organization. Other Hindu organizations and sects include SWAHA International, Arya Samaj, Chinmaya Mission, Kabir panth, ISKCON, the Sathya Sai Baba movement, Shirdi Sai Baba movement, Ramanandi Sampradaya, Seunariani (Sieunarini/Siewnaraini/Shiv Narayani), Aughar (Aghor/Owghur), Kali Mai (Madrasi), Murugan (Kaumaram), Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (Radha Madhav), Ganapathi Sachchidananda movement, Divine Life Society, Brahma Kumaris, and Blue Star.[13][14]

A majority of Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian Muslims are Sunni, however there are notable Shia and Ahmadiyya minorities. The major Muslim organisation representing Muslims in Trinidad and Tobago is the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA). Other Islamic organizations include the Trinidad Muslim League, Darul Uloom, Ummah T&T, the Muslim Federation, and the Tackveeyatul Islamic Association.[15]

The Sikh community in Trinidad and Tobago, numbering at about 300, consists of the descendants of the few Punjabis who came during the indentureship period, Punjabi Sikhs who came in the twentieth and twenty-first century, and Sindhi Hindus and Punjabi Hindus who also came in the twentieth and twenty-first century and who are, in addition to being Hindu, Nanakpanthis, followers of the Sikh Guru Nanak. The Sikhs have a gurdwara (temple) in Tunapuna dating back to 1929.[16][17]

Politics edit

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian Political Leaders

Most Indo-Trinidadians have traditionally given their political support to parties opposed to the People's National Movement (PNM) which has historically been perceived as a Christian African-Creole party.[18] Voting patterns amongst Indo-Trinidadians have also been influenced by religion where, for periods of time Muslim Indo-Trinidadians and non-Presbyterian Christian Indo-Trinidadians supported the PNM because the prevailing parties for Indo-Trinidadians – the PDP, DLP, and ULF were felt to be Hindu and Presbyterian Indian dominated parties.[18] With the advent of the NAR and then the UNC this polarization by religion has been on the decline however its existence is still felt with the UNC fielding a Muslim candidate in every election for the San Juan/Barataria seat since 1995 owing to the presence of a large Indo-Trinidadian Muslim population within this constituency.

Notable Indo-Trinidadian politicians include:

Culture edit

Indo–Trinidadian and Tobagonians have retained their distinctive heritage and culture, while also functioning in a multicultural society. The South Asian languages of their ancestors have largely been lost, although a number of these words have entered the Trinidadian vernacular. Indian movies, music, and cuisine have entered the mainstream culture of Trinidad and Tobago. Chutney and chutney soca music rivals calypso and soca music during the Carnival season.

Holidays and festivals edit

Diwali, Eid ul-Fitr, and Indian Arrival Day are national holidays, and Phagwah/Holi, Maha Shivratri, Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Naumi, Sita Naumi, Navratri, Vijayadashami, Krishna Janmashtami, Radhastami, Saraswati Jayanti, Raksha Bandhan, Vivaha Panchami, Guru Purnima, Ganesh Chaturthi, Kartik Snan, Ratha Saptami, Karagam Puja, Kalbhairo Jayanti, Mesha Sankranti, Makar Sankranti, Tulsi Vivah, Gita Jayanti, Datta Jayanti, Ratha Yatra, Gurpurab, Buddha Purnima, Ramadan, Hosay (Ashura), Eid al-Adha, Mawlid, Shab-e-barat, Chaand Raat, Islamic New Year, and other Hindu and Muslim holidays are widely celebrated.

Cuisine edit

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian cuisine is mostly derived from the Bhojpuri and Awadhi cuisines of North India, with considerable South Indian, especially Tamil, influence on preparation and ingredients in the tropical environment of Trinidad and Tobago that was similar to the tropical environment of South India, where a significant minority of Indians came from. There is also influence from other ethnic cuisines on the island such as Creole, Chinese, West African, Indigenous, French, British, North American, Portuguese, Arab, and Latin American cuisines. It is unlike the mainstream Indian-South Asia cuisines, which is mostly based on Punjabi, Rajasthani, Mughlai, Gujarati, Bengali, Udupi, and Tamil cuisines. This "mainstream" Indian cuisine was brought to the country by more recent immigrants and is termed as East Indian cuisine in Trinidad and Tobago and is contrasted from the local Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian or local-Indian cuisine.

Breakfast edit

A traditional Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian breakfast consists of sada roti, a type of unleavened bread made with flour, baking powder and water. The dough is rolled out and cooked on flat, cast-iron skillet, called a tawa. The cooked dough is cut into quarters and served with a variety of fried vegetables, tarkaris or chokhas.[19] Sometimes fried bake is eaten instead and is made using with flour, baking powder and yeast and is then fried in oil. Usually breakfast is vegetarian, however salt fish is sometimes added. Some breakfast dishes include baigan chokha (roasted and mashed eggplant), damadol chokha[20] (roasted and mashed tomatoes), pepper chokha (roasted and mashed peppers), aloo chokha (boiled, roasted, and mashed potatoes), karaili chokha (roasted and mashed bittermelon), murtani or upar ghar (combination of roasted and mashed eggplant, tomato, pepper, and okra), fried or curried bodi (long beans), fried or curried aloo (potatoes), fried or curried ochro/bhindhi (okra), fried or curried seim (hyacinth beans), fried or curried karaili (bittermelon), pumpkin or kohra tarkari (pumpkin simmered with spices and seasoning), fried or curried saijan (drumstick), fried or curried lauki (bottle gourd), bhaji (made with young dasheen bush (taro) leaves, spinach leaves, saijan (drumstick) leaves, or chaurai (spiny amaranth) leaves), and/or fried plantains.

Street foods edit

 
Food stalls in Debe

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian foods like doubles,[21] aloo pie,[22] pholourie, saheena, baiganee, bara, and kachori are popular street foods throughout the country and are served with various chutneys, achars, and pepper sauce. Doubles is made with two baras (flat fried dough) and curried channa (chickpeas) and is served with toppings, like pepper sauce, kuchela, and tamarind, mango, pommecythere, cucumber, coconut and bandhaniya chutneys. It is one of the most popular breakfast foods eaten on the islands, however, it is eaten at any time throughout the day. Another Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian street food that is popular is roti, which consists of roti (usually paratha or dhalpuri) that wraps curried vegetables, curried channa (chickpeas) and aloo (potatoes), curried chicken, curried shrimp, curried goat, curried duck, curried conchs, or any other spicy fillings. The town of Debe in southern Trinidad is a popular destination for these street foods.[23]

Festival foods edit

 
Diwali meal consisting of curry channa and aloo, curried mango, bhaji, karhi, rice and paratha.

Traditional Diwali and other Hindu festivals and prayers foods include appetizers such as pholourie, saheena, baiganee, bara, and kachori. Main dishes include roti (most commonly dalpuri and paratha) and karhi and rice served with condiments such as achar or anchar, kuchela, mother-in-law (pickled vegetables), pepper sauce, and dishes such as curried mango, bhaji (dasheen bush or any spinach), pumpkin or kohra tarkari (pumpkin), curry channa and aloo (chickpeas and potatoes), fried or curried baigan (eggplant), fried or curried bodi (long beans), fried or curried seim (hyacinth beans), curry eddoes (arui), curry chataigne or katahar (breadnut), and other tarkaries (vegetarian curries). Desserts include mohan bhog (parsad), lapsi and suhari, burfi, khurma, gulab jamun, pera, rasgulla, batasa, gujiya, gulgula, roat, kheer (sweet rice), laddu, and jalebi. It is traditionally served on a sohari (Calathea lutea) leaf.[24]

Special Eid, Hosay, and other Muslim festival foods include curry goat, curry channa and aloo, sawine, burfi, rasgulla, sirnee, maleeda, and halwa.

Condiments edit

 
Kuchela jars in a supermarket.

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians accompany their meals with various condiments; these can include pepper sauces, chutneys and pickles and are often homemade.

Pepper sauces are made by using scotch bonnet or other hot peppers, either minced or chopped and added to vinegar or lime or lemon juice and sometimes pickled together with carrots, sour cherries, bitter melon, or daikon (murai). Mother-in-law is another popular condiment which is a coarsely chopped spicy medley of peppers, pimentos, carrots, bitter melon, and other spices.

Chutneys are popular as well and often include mango, tamarind, cucumber, pommecythère, bandhaniya, dhaniya, chalta, and coconut. They are most commonly eaten with doubles, aloo pie, saheena, baiganee, kachori, and pholourie. There are a variety of popular pickles known locally as achar or anchar which are commonly used. Kuchela a grated spicy version, usually made from mango but sometimes made from pommecythère, the mango version being most popular. Other version of achars are made from mango, pommecythère, tamarind, amla, lemon, lime, chayote, chalta, and green apple.

Sweets and Desserts edit

Indian sweets and dessers are commonplace in Trinidad and Tobago and are distributed especially at Indian weddings and religious events. They include kheer (sweet rice or meetha bhat), sawine, khurma, gulab jamoon, burfi, roat, laddu, jalebi, halwa, mohan bhog (parsad), sirnee, lapsi and suhari, rasgula, tilly cake, gulgula, paynuse, pera, modak, gujiya, and batasa.

Dance edit

Indian dance forms are prevalent among Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians.[25] Kathak, Odissi, and Bharatanatyam are the most popular Indian classical dance forms in Trinidad and Tobago.[26] Indian folk dances, such as launda ke naach, Bollywood dancing, and chutney dancing are also popular Indian dance forms.[26]

Music edit

Theatre edit

Indian theatre is also popular throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Nautankis and dramas such as Raja Harishchandra, Raja Nal, Raja Rasalu, Sarwaneer (Sharwan Kumar), Indra Sabha, Bhakt Prahalad, Lorikayan, Gopichand, and Alha-Khand were brought by Indians to Trinidad and Tobago, however they had largely began to die out, till preservation began by Indian cultural groups.[27] Ramleela, the drama about the life of the Hindu deity Rama, is largely popular throughout the country during the time between Sharad Navaratri and Vijayadashami leading up to Diwali, with almost each locale having their own celebration. The Ramlila celebrations end with the burning of an effigy of Ravana, the main antagonist of the ancient Ramayana and its 16th century vernacular variation, popular among Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago, the Ramcharitmanas. Rasleela (Krishnaleela), the drama about the life of the Hindu deity Krishna, is popular around the time of Krishna Janmashtami.[28][29][30]

Influence on Trinidad and Tobago edit

The Indian–South Asian influence is very much noticeable in Trinidad and Tobago as they are the largest ethnic groups in the country. Mandirs, masijids, jhandis (Hindu prayer flags), Hindu schools, Muslim schools, roti shops and stalls, puja stores, Indian groceries/markets, and Indian clothing stores and expos dot the landscape of the country. Many businesses also bear names of Indian-South Asian origin. Many towns, settlements, villages, avenues, traces, and streets in Trinidad and Tobago are named after Indian cities and people, such as Calcutta Settlement, Madras Settlement, Delhi Settlement, Jai Ramkissoon Housing Settlement, Raghoo Village, Jaraysingh, Hasnalli, Hindustan Village, Patna Village, Gandhi Village, Kandahar Village, Cawnpore (Kanpur) Village, Nepal Village, Abdul Village, Samaroo Village, Basta Hall, Gopaul Lands, Sumadh Gardens, Mohammed Ville, Nancoo Village, Malabar, Matura (Mathura), Bangladesh, Morang Village, Chandanagore (Chandinagar), Sadhoowa, Divali Nagar, Golconda, Barrackpore, and Fyzabad.[31] The holidays of Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, and Indian Arrival Day are national holidays in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidadian Hindustani and other South Asian languages has had a great influence on the Trinidadian English lingua franca. Most people of South Asian descent in Trinidad and Tobago also speak a unique Hinglish macaronic dialect of Trinidadian English and Trinidadian Hindustani and they incorporate more Hindustani vocabulary into their Trinidadian English dialect than other ethnic groups in the country.

Notable persons edit

See also edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Percentages add up to more than 100% because many converts to Christianity answered twice as they still identified with their former religions of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, or Zoroastrianism

References edit

  1. ^ a b (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2008-01-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b c "Indo-Caribbean Times December 2007 - Kidnapping - Venezuela". Scribd. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  3. ^ Vertovec, 1992
  4. ^ "Doc.pdf".
  5. ^ Jha, J. C. (1973). "Indian Heritage in Trinidad, West Indies". Caribbean Quarterly. 19 (2): 28–50. doi:10.1080/00086495.1973.11829152. JSTOR 23050197.
  6. ^ Under colonial rule, India's population provided the British Empire with a ready source of cheap and mobile labourers. Many Indians agreed to become indentured labourers to escape the widespread poverty and famine in the 19th century. Some travelled alone; others brought their families to settle in the colonies they worked in.
  7. ^ "Indian indentured labourers - The National Archives". Nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Religious diversity in the Indian-Trinidadian Community". www.trinbagopan.com.
  9. ^ "c-c50.pdf" (PDF).
  10. ^ "2000 Census Data - Central Statistical Office".
  11. ^ a b (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2015-07-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "The Sikhs of Trinidad".
  13. ^ "doc.pdf" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Hindu sects in Trinidad and Tobago – Indo-Caribbean Publications".
  15. ^ . Archived from the original on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  16. ^ "Sikhism in Trinidad - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia".
  17. ^ "Sikh Channel in Trinidad - Episode 01". YouTube.
  18. ^ a b "Democratic Labor" (PDF).
  19. ^ "Festival of the GIRMITIYAS Arrival Day | Indo American News". Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  20. ^ "Traditional Tomato Choka Recipe". Zen Health. 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  21. ^ Mohan, Neki (June 28, 2015). "Street food of Trinidad, Tobago gains popularity in South Florida". WPLG. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  22. ^ . Barbados Today. September 2, 2017. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  23. ^ "Saheena, Baiganee and Kachori on the Debe Doubles Strip in T&T | Foodie Finds". 10 May 2021.
  24. ^ "Divali: Destination Trinidad and Tobago | Tours, Holidays, Vacations and Travel Guide".
  25. ^ Allen-Agostini, Lisa (1 September 2008). "Rhythms of our people". Caribbean Beat (93). from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  26. ^ a b Gooptar, Primnath. "THE FILMI INFLUENCE ON EAST INDIAN DRESS AND DANCE IN TRINIDAD". www.academia.edu. from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  27. ^ "TASSA THUNDER : Folk Music from India to the Caribbean". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via www.youtube.com.
  28. ^ "Ramleela | National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago". 8 September 2017. from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  29. ^ "BRIEF HISTORY OF RAMLEELA IN T&T – NRCTT Inc". from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  30. ^ Guardian, Trinidad. "Ramleela on the rise". www.guardian.co.tt.
  31. ^ "Legacy of our East Indian Ancestors, Names of Places in Trinidad of East Indian Origin - The Indian Caribbean Museum of Trinidad and Tobago". Icmtt.org. Retrieved 29 August 2017.

External links edit

indo, trinidadian, tobagonian, indo, trinidadians, tobagonians, indian, trinidadians, tobagonians, people, indian, origin, nationals, trinidad, tobago, whose, ancestors, came, from, india, wider, subcontinent, beginning, 1845, during, period, colonization, ind. Indo Trinidadians and Tobagonians or Indian Trinidadians and Tobagonians are people of Indian origin who are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago whose ancestors came from India and the wider subcontinent beginning in 1845 during the period of colonization Indo Trinidadians and TobagoniansPainting of Indians in Trinidad during the late 19th centuryTotal population670 376Regions with significant populations Trinidad and Tobago 468 524 2011 census plurality of the population 1 United States125 000 2 Canada100 000 2 United Kingdom25 000 2 LanguagesTrinidadian and Tobagonian English Trinidadian Hindustani HinglishReligionMajority HinduismMinority Christianity Islam OthersRelated ethnic groupsIndo Caribbeans Indo Caribbean Americans British Indo Caribbean people Indo Guyanese Indo Surinamese Indo Jamaicans Indo Mauritians Indo Fijians Indians in South Africa Indian Singaporeans Malaysian Indians Indian people Indian diaspora Indo Trinidadians and Tobagonians are a subgroup of Indo Caribbeans which is a subgroup of the wider Indian diaspora Generally most Indians in Trinidad and Tobago can trace their ancestry back to northern India especially the Bhojpur and Awadh regions of the Hindi Belt which lies in the Gangetic plains a plain that is located between the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and faces the mountain ranges of the Himalayas the Kaimur and the Vindhyas However some Indians may trace their ancestry to other parts of South Asia notably southern India Indians first arrived in Trinidad and Tobago as indentured laborers from India through the Indian indenture system from 1845 till 1917 and some Indians and other South Asians along with their families later came as entrepreneurs businesspeople religious leaders doctors engineers and other professional occupations beginning in the mid 20th century and continuing till present day Some Indians from many other Caribbean nations such as Guyana Grenada Martinique and Saint Croix also immigrated to Trinidad and Tobago Indo Trinidadians and Tobagonians are the largest ethnic group in Trinidad and Tobago identified by the official census about 35 43 of the population in 2011 1 Contents 1 History 2 Religion 3 Politics 4 Culture 4 1 Holidays and festivals 4 2 Cuisine 4 2 1 Breakfast 4 2 2 Street foods 4 2 3 Festival foods 4 2 4 Condiments 4 2 5 Sweets and Desserts 4 3 Dance 4 4 Music 4 5 Theatre 4 6 Influence on Trinidad and Tobago 5 Notable persons 6 See also 7 Footnotes 8 References 9 External linksHistory edit nbsp Early East Indian indentured laborers In his book Perspectives on the Caribbean A Reader In Culture History and Representation Philip W Scher cites figures by Steven Vertovec Professor of Anthropology Of 94 135 Indian immigrants to Trinidad between 1874 and 1917 50 7 percent were from the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh 24 4 percent hailed from Oudh State 13 5 percent were from Bihar Province and lesser numbers from various other parts of the British Raj such as the Madras Presidency Bengal Presidency Central Provinces Chota Nagpur Division Bombay Presidency and Punjab Province 3 Out of 134 118 indentured labourers from India 5 000 who left from the Port of Madras distinguished themselves as Madrasi and the immigrants who left from the Port of Calcutta distinguished themselves as Kalakatiyas However this did not equate to their ethnolinguistic group While most Indians who left from the Port of Madras were Tamils Madrasis not all were ethnic Madrasis some were Telugu Kannadiga Malayali Gondi Kodava Tulu or Deccani and most Indians who left from the Port of Calcutta were not ethnic Bengalis Kalakatiyas but they were Purabias Bhojpuri and Awadhi however there were small numbers of Bengalis as well as small numbers of Maithils Magahis Baghelis Brajis Bundelis Kannaujis Kauravis Pashtuns Nagpuris Kurukhs Haryanvis Gujaratis Marwari Sadans Chhattisgarhis Kashmiris Dogras Punjabis Marathis Odias Garhwalis Kumaonis Madheshis Parsees Assamese Newars Tharus and Khas who came via the Port of Calcutta 4 5 Many were people who were escaping poverty in India and seeking employment offered by the British for jobs either as indentured labourers workers or educated servicemen primarily between 1845 and 1917 6 7 The demand for Indian indentured labourers increased dramatically after the abolition of slavery in 1834 They were sent sometimes in large numbers to plantation colonies producing high value crops such as sugar in Africa and the Caribbean Religion editFurther information Hinduism in Trinidad and Tobago Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Ramanandi Sampradaya Arya Samaj in Trinidad and Tobago Caribbean Shaktism Kabir panth Islam in Trinidad and Tobago Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association and Presbyterian Church in Trinidad and Tobago Religion of Indo Trinidadians and Tobagonians Religion Census 1921 a Census 1931 8 Census 1970 9 Census 2000 10 Census 2011 11 Number Number Number Number Number Hinduism 99 564 82 94 125 67 88 228 758 61 24 245 459 55 00 232 104 49 54 Islam 19 427 16 20 747 14 96 57 105 15 29 57 042 12 78 54 543 11 64 Presbyterianism 6 071 5 10 335 7 45 34 844 9 33 31 277 7 00 26 631 5 68 Roman Catholicism 4 857 4 8 469 6 11 33 312 8 92 31 823 7 13 30 350 6 48 Anglicanism 2 428 2 3 946 2 85 6 192 1 66 3 035 0 68 2 637 0 56 Other Christian denominations 433 0 31 191 0 05 34 491 7 73 58 782 12 55 Zoroastrianism 607 0 5 278 0 2 Buddhism 364 0 3 119 0 09 Sikhism 300 0 06 Trinidad Orisha 1 466 0 31 Rastafari 97 0 02 Other 215 0 16 13 136 3 52 35 540 7 96 27 210 5 81 Not Stated 3 498 0 78 29 518 6 30 None 4 108 0 92 4 887 1 04 Total 121 420 138 667 373 538 446 273 468 524 Religious Makeup of Indo Trinidadians 2011 Hinduism 49 54 Christianity 25 27 Islam 11 64 Not Stated 6 3 Other 5 87 None 1 05 Sikhism 0 06 According to the most recent census 2011 conducted in Trinidad and Tobago Hinduism is the religion followed by a plurality of Indo Trinidadians The breakdown of religious affiliation for Indo Trinidadians is as follows 11 Hinduism 49 54 Islam 11 64 Pentecostalism Evangelicalism Full Gospel 9 67 Roman Catholicism 6 48 Not Stated 6 30 Other 5 81 Presbyterianism Congregationalism 5 68 None 1 04 Spiritual Baptist 0 96 Seventh day Adventist Church 0 91 Jehovah s Witnesses 0 73 Anglicanism 0 56 Trinidad Orisha 0 31 Other Baptists 0 21 Sikhism 0 06 12 Methodism 0 05 Rastafari 0 02 Moravian Church 0 007 Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago are represented by several sects organizations and entities the largest of which is the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha a Sanatani Hindu organization Other Hindu organizations and sects include SWAHA International Arya Samaj Chinmaya Mission Kabir panth ISKCON the Sathya Sai Baba movement Shirdi Sai Baba movement Ramanandi Sampradaya Seunariani Sieunarini Siewnaraini Shiv Narayani Aughar Aghor Owghur Kali Mai Madrasi Murugan Kaumaram Bharat Sevashram Sangha Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Radha Madhav Ganapathi Sachchidananda movement Divine Life Society Brahma Kumaris and Blue Star 13 14 A majority of Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian Muslims are Sunni however there are notable Shia and Ahmadiyya minorities The major Muslim organisation representing Muslims in Trinidad and Tobago is the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association ASJA Other Islamic organizations include the Trinidad Muslim League Darul Uloom Ummah T amp T the Muslim Federation and the Tackveeyatul Islamic Association 15 The Sikh community in Trinidad and Tobago numbering at about 300 consists of the descendants of the few Punjabis who came during the indentureship period Punjabi Sikhs who came in the twentieth and twenty first century and Sindhi Hindus and Punjabi Hindus who also came in the twentieth and twenty first century and who are in addition to being Hindu Nanakpanthis followers of the Sikh Guru Nanak The Sikhs have a gurdwara temple in Tunapuna dating back to 1929 16 17 Politics editIndo Trinidadian and Tobagonian Political Leaders nbsp Basdeo Panday nbsp Kamla Persad Bissessar nbsp Rudranath Capildeo nbsp Bhadase Sagan Maraj Most Indo Trinidadians have traditionally given their political support to parties opposed to the People s National Movement PNM which has historically been perceived as a Christian African Creole party 18 Voting patterns amongst Indo Trinidadians have also been influenced by religion where for periods of time Muslim Indo Trinidadians and non Presbyterian Christian Indo Trinidadians supported the PNM because the prevailing parties for Indo Trinidadians the PDP DLP and ULF were felt to be Hindu and Presbyterian Indian dominated parties 18 With the advent of the NAR and then the UNC this polarization by religion has been on the decline however its existence is still felt with the UNC fielding a Muslim candidate in every election for the San Juan Barataria seat since 1995 owing to the presence of a large Indo Trinidadian Muslim population within this constituency Notable Indo Trinidadian politicians include Basdeo Panday first prime minister of Indo Trinidadian descent and the first Hindu to hold the office Kamla Persad Bissesar first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Noor Mohamed Hassanali first Muslim head of state in the Western Hemisphere and the first Muslim and Indo Trinidadian to hold the office of President of Trinidad and Tobago 1987 1997 Christine Kangaloo first female president of Trinidad and Tobago of Indian descent Rudranath Capildeo Leader of the opposition at the time of independence Bhadase Sagan Maraj Leader of the Parliamentary wing 1958 1960 Ashford Sinanan Opposition leader 1951 1956 West Indies Federation Opposition Leader 1958 1961 Rudranath Capildeo party leader 1960 1969 Stephen Carpoondeo Maharaj acting opposition leader 1963 1965 Simbhoonath Capildeo opposition leader 1965 Vernon Jamadar opposition leader 1965 1972 party leader 1969 1972 Adrian Cola Rienzi mayor of San Fernando and Member of the Legislative Council for Victoria 1937 1944 Raffique Shah opposition leader 1977 1978 Winston Dookeran UNC party leader 2005 2006 COP party leader 2006 2011 George F Fitzpatrick first Indian member of the Legislative Council nominated in 1912 Sarran Teelucksingh Member of the Legislative Council for Caroni 1925 1946 first Indian elected to the Legislative Council a predecessor of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobgao Isaac Hyatali first chief justice of Trinidad and Tobago of Indo Trinidadian descent Satnarine Sharma first Hindu chief justice of Trinidad and TobagoCulture editIndo Trinidadian and Tobagonians have retained their distinctive heritage and culture while also functioning in a multicultural society The South Asian languages of their ancestors have largely been lost although a number of these words have entered the Trinidadian vernacular Indian movies music and cuisine have entered the mainstream culture of Trinidad and Tobago Chutney and chutney soca music rivals calypso and soca music during the Carnival season Holidays and festivals edit Diwali Eid ul Fitr and Indian Arrival Day are national holidays and Phagwah Holi Maha Shivratri Hanuman Jayanti Ram Naumi Sita Naumi Navratri Vijayadashami Krishna Janmashtami Radhastami Saraswati Jayanti Raksha Bandhan Vivaha Panchami Guru Purnima Ganesh Chaturthi Kartik Snan Ratha Saptami Karagam Puja Kalbhairo Jayanti Mesha Sankranti Makar Sankranti Tulsi Vivah Gita Jayanti Datta Jayanti Ratha Yatra Gurpurab Buddha Purnima Ramadan Hosay Ashura Eid al Adha Mawlid Shab e barat Chaand Raat Islamic New Year and other Hindu and Muslim holidays are widely celebrated Cuisine edit Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian cuisine is mostly derived from the Bhojpuri and Awadhi cuisines of North India with considerable South Indian especially Tamil influence on preparation and ingredients in the tropical environment of Trinidad and Tobago that was similar to the tropical environment of South India where a significant minority of Indians came from There is also influence from other ethnic cuisines on the island such as Creole Chinese West African Indigenous French British North American Portuguese Arab and Latin American cuisines It is unlike the mainstream Indian South Asia cuisines which is mostly based on Punjabi Rajasthani Mughlai Gujarati Bengali Udupi and Tamil cuisines This mainstream Indian cuisine was brought to the country by more recent immigrants and is termed as East Indian cuisine in Trinidad and Tobago and is contrasted from the local Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian or local Indian cuisine Breakfast edit A traditional Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian breakfast consists of sada roti a type of unleavened bread made with flour baking powder and water The dough is rolled out and cooked on flat cast iron skillet called a tawa The cooked dough is cut into quarters and served with a variety of fried vegetables tarkaris or chokhas 19 Sometimes fried bake is eaten instead and is made using with flour baking powder and yeast and is then fried in oil Usually breakfast is vegetarian however salt fish is sometimes added Some breakfast dishes include baigan chokha roasted and mashed eggplant damadol chokha 20 roasted and mashed tomatoes pepper chokha roasted and mashed peppers aloo chokha boiled roasted and mashed potatoes karaili chokha roasted and mashed bittermelon murtani or upar ghar combination of roasted and mashed eggplant tomato pepper and okra fried or curried bodi long beans fried or curried aloo potatoes fried or curried ochro bhindhi okra fried or curried seim hyacinth beans fried or curried karaili bittermelon pumpkin or kohra tarkari pumpkin simmered with spices and seasoning fried or curried saijan drumstick fried or curried lauki bottle gourd bhaji made with young dasheen bush taro leaves spinach leaves saijan drumstick leaves or chaurai spiny amaranth leaves and or fried plantains Street foods edit nbsp Food stalls in Debe Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian foods like doubles 21 aloo pie 22 pholourie saheena baiganee bara and kachori are popular street foods throughout the country and are served with various chutneys achars and pepper sauce Doubles is made with two baras flat fried dough and curried channa chickpeas and is served with toppings like pepper sauce kuchela and tamarind mango pommecythere cucumber coconut and bandhaniya chutneys It is one of the most popular breakfast foods eaten on the islands however it is eaten at any time throughout the day Another Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian street food that is popular is roti which consists of roti usually paratha or dhalpuri that wraps curried vegetables curried channa chickpeas and aloo potatoes curried chicken curried shrimp curried goat curried duck curried conchs or any other spicy fillings The town of Debe in southern Trinidad is a popular destination for these street foods 23 Festival foods edit nbsp Diwali meal consisting of curry channa and aloo curried mango bhaji karhi rice and paratha Traditional Diwali and other Hindu festivals and prayers foods include appetizers such as pholourie saheena baiganee bara and kachori Main dishes include roti most commonly dalpuri and paratha and karhi and rice served with condiments such as achar or anchar kuchela mother in law pickled vegetables pepper sauce and dishes such as curried mango bhaji dasheen bush or any spinach pumpkin or kohra tarkari pumpkin curry channa and aloo chickpeas and potatoes fried or curried baigan eggplant fried or curried bodi long beans fried or curried seim hyacinth beans curry eddoes arui curry chataigne or katahar breadnut and other tarkaries vegetarian curries Desserts include mohan bhog parsad lapsi and suhari burfi khurma gulab jamun pera rasgulla batasa gujiya gulgula roat kheer sweet rice laddu and jalebi It is traditionally served on a sohari Calathea lutea leaf 24 Special Eid Hosay and other Muslim festival foods include curry goat curry channa and aloo sawine burfi rasgulla sirnee maleeda and halwa Condiments edit nbsp Kuchela jars in a supermarket Indo Trinidadians and Tobagonians accompany their meals with various condiments these can include pepper sauces chutneys and pickles and are often homemade Pepper sauces are made by using scotch bonnet or other hot peppers either minced or chopped and added to vinegar or lime or lemon juice and sometimes pickled together with carrots sour cherries bitter melon or daikon murai Mother in law is another popular condiment which is a coarsely chopped spicy medley of peppers pimentos carrots bitter melon and other spices Chutneys are popular as well and often include mango tamarind cucumber pommecythere bandhaniya dhaniya chalta and coconut They are most commonly eaten with doubles aloo pie saheena baiganee kachori and pholourie There are a variety of popular pickles known locally as achar or anchar which are commonly used Kuchela a grated spicy version usually made from mango but sometimes made from pommecythere the mango version being most popular Other version of achars are made from mango pommecythere tamarind amla lemon lime chayote chalta and green apple Sweets and Desserts edit Indian sweets and dessers are commonplace in Trinidad and Tobago and are distributed especially at Indian weddings and religious events They include kheer sweet rice or meetha bhat sawine khurma gulab jamoon burfi roat laddu jalebi halwa mohan bhog parsad sirnee lapsi and suhari rasgula tilly cake gulgula paynuse pera modak gujiya and batasa Dance edit Indian dance forms are prevalent among Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonians 25 Kathak Odissi and Bharatanatyam are the most popular Indian classical dance forms in Trinidad and Tobago 26 Indian folk dances such as launda ke naach Bollywood dancing and chutney dancing are also popular Indian dance forms 26 Music edit Main article Indo Caribbean music Theatre edit Indian theatre is also popular throughout Trinidad and Tobago Nautankis and dramas such as Raja Harishchandra Raja Nal Raja Rasalu Sarwaneer Sharwan Kumar Indra Sabha Bhakt Prahalad Lorikayan Gopichand and Alha Khand were brought by Indians to Trinidad and Tobago however they had largely began to die out till preservation began by Indian cultural groups 27 Ramleela the drama about the life of the Hindu deity Rama is largely popular throughout the country during the time between Sharad Navaratri and Vijayadashami leading up to Diwali with almost each locale having their own celebration The Ramlila celebrations end with the burning of an effigy of Ravana the main antagonist of the ancient Ramayana and its 16th century vernacular variation popular among Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago the Ramcharitmanas Rasleela Krishnaleela the drama about the life of the Hindu deity Krishna is popular around the time of Krishna Janmashtami 28 29 30 Influence on Trinidad and Tobago edit The Indian South Asian influence is very much noticeable in Trinidad and Tobago as they are the largest ethnic groups in the country Mandirs masijids jhandis Hindu prayer flags Hindu schools Muslim schools roti shops and stalls puja stores Indian groceries markets and Indian clothing stores and expos dot the landscape of the country Many businesses also bear names of Indian South Asian origin Many towns settlements villages avenues traces and streets in Trinidad and Tobago are named after Indian cities and people such as Calcutta Settlement Madras Settlement Delhi Settlement Jai Ramkissoon Housing Settlement Raghoo Village Jaraysingh Hasnalli Hindustan Village Patna Village Gandhi Village Kandahar Village Cawnpore Kanpur Village Nepal Village Abdul Village Samaroo Village Basta Hall Gopaul Lands Sumadh Gardens Mohammed Ville Nancoo Village Malabar Matura Mathura Bangladesh Morang Village Chandanagore Chandinagar Sadhoowa Divali Nagar Golconda Barrackpore and Fyzabad 31 The holidays of Diwali Eid al Fitr and Indian Arrival Day are national holidays in Trinidad and Tobago Trinidadian Hindustani and other South Asian languages has had a great influence on the Trinidadian English lingua franca Most people of South Asian descent in Trinidad and Tobago also speak a unique Hinglish macaronic dialect of Trinidadian English and Trinidadian Hindustani and they incorporate more Hindustani vocabulary into their Trinidadian English dialect than other ethnic groups in the country Notable persons editMain article List of Indo Trinidadians and TobagoniansSee also edit nbsp India portal nbsp Trinidad and Tobago portal Chutney music Chutney soca History of Trinidad and Tobago Indian Arrival Day Indian indenture system Indo Caribbean Indo Caribbean music Indo Guyanese Indo Surinamese Pichakaree India Trinidad and Tobago relationsFootnotes edit Percentages add up to more than 100 because many converts to Christianity answered twice as they still identified with their former religions of Hinduism Islam Buddhism or ZoroastrianismReferences edit a b Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2008 02 27 Retrieved 2008 01 29 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link a b c Indo Caribbean Times December 2007 Kidnapping Venezuela Scribd Retrieved 17 August 2018 Vertovec 1992 Doc pdf Jha J C 1973 Indian Heritage in Trinidad West Indies Caribbean Quarterly 19 2 28 50 doi 10 1080 00086495 1973 11829152 JSTOR 23050197 Under colonial rule India s population provided the British Empire with a ready source of cheap and mobile labourers Many Indians agreed to become indentured labourers to escape the widespread poverty and famine in the 19th century Some travelled alone others brought their families to settle in the colonies they worked in Indian indentured labourers The National Archives Nationalarchives gov uk Retrieved 17 August 2018 Religious diversity in the Indian Trinidadian Community www trinbagopan com c c50 pdf PDF 2000 Census Data Central Statistical Office a b Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2014 05 08 Retrieved 2015 07 13 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link The Sikhs of Trinidad doc pdf PDF Hindu sects in Trinidad and Tobago Indo Caribbean Publications Mosques Masjid and Muslim Organizations in Trinidad and Tobago discover tt net Archived from the original on 2015 07 21 Retrieved 2015 07 13 Sikhism in Trinidad SikhiWiki free Sikh encyclopedia Sikh Channel in Trinidad Episode 01 YouTube a b Democratic Labor PDF Festival of the GIRMITIYAS Arrival Day Indo American News Retrieved 2021 02 26 Traditional Tomato Choka Recipe Zen Health 2019 07 08 Retrieved 2019 10 15 Mohan Neki June 28 2015 Street food of Trinidad Tobago gains popularity in South Florida WPLG Retrieved February 9 2018 Food in true Trini style Barbados Today September 2 2017 Archived from the original on July 22 2019 Retrieved February 9 2018 Saheena Baiganee and Kachori on the Debe Doubles Strip in T amp T Foodie Finds 10 May 2021 Divali Destination Trinidad and Tobago Tours Holidays Vacations and Travel Guide Allen Agostini Lisa 1 September 2008 Rhythms of our people Caribbean Beat 93 Archived from the original on 9 August 2020 Retrieved 3 December 2019 a b Gooptar Primnath THE FILMI INFLUENCE ON EAST INDIAN DRESS AND DANCE IN TRINIDAD www academia edu Archived from the original on 14 August 2021 Retrieved 3 December 2019 TASSA THUNDER Folk Music from India to the Caribbean Archived from the original on 2021 12 21 via www youtube com Ramleela National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago 8 September 2017 Archived from the original on 28 September 2020 Retrieved 3 December 2019 BRIEF HISTORY OF RAMLEELA IN T amp T NRCTT Inc Archived from the original on 20 November 2021 Retrieved 20 November 2021 Guardian Trinidad Ramleela on the rise www guardian co tt Legacy of our East Indian Ancestors Names of Places in Trinidad of East Indian Origin The Indian Caribbean Museum of Trinidad and Tobago Icmtt org Retrieved 29 August 2017 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Indo Trinidadian and Tobagonian amp oldid 1220874587, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.