There has been a lot of negativity in Trinidad and Tobago in recent times. The latest development with Mr. Jack Warner has put us in the international arena but not in a desirable spotlight.
The Trinidad and Tobago that is my birth place and has been my home for the last forty nine years, is a mere microcosm of the human universe. As such the various types of turbulence that have impacted worldwide, have made ripples and sometimes waves in our tiny twin islands.
There has been an exponential increase in crime over the last forty nine years. The financial, technological, social, educational, health, cultural and spiritual climates have evolved: some rapidly forward, some creeping into the future and others either falling behind or remaining dangerously steady.
I say dangerously steady because, regardless of the fear of the perceived ills of change, progress of any sort is intimately bonded with change.
So simply, my island Republic has changed from my birth to the present time. Some of the changes have had positive effects; some have had negative fallout.
I still love my country but I grieve for the coming generations if systems are not put in place to deal with the insidious as well as obvious effects of declining morals and values, compassion and civic responsibility.
This post was originally intended to speak of the Trinidad and Tobago that is loved by its citizens, regardless of race, colour or creed.
I am always so moved by a calypso written and performed by one of our calypsonians, the Mighty Sniper in 1965: Portrait of Trinidad.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with our culture, calypso is indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago. It is derived from our rich history with African and European influences.
Anyway, the calypso, Portrait of Trinidad, is a patriotic tribute to our nation. My favourite words in the song were “Trinidad is my land and of which I am proud and glad.”
Are they still my favourite words? Well, there are many things that could be better but for a tiny country with a small population, there are many things of which we can be proud : great sportsmen, beauty queens, scholars, musicians…
Then there was the calypso by Brother Valentino with these poignant words, which, upon listening, are revealed to be steeped in irony: “Trinidad is nice, Trinidad is a paradise.”
Another truly patriotic calypso was performed by the then eight year old Natasha Wilson in 1984. Her calypso was called “Sweet T&T”
If you want a treat then you may visit here to listen to and to read the lyrics of this special song.
But why have I waxed so patriotic in this post? There is an online magazine which promotes things T&T. So if you would like to know more about my country then this would be a good read.
http://www.sweettntmagazine.com/?link=home
The current issue for June 2015 is now available. I have included a link below. The magazine deals with different aspects of Trini culture ( Trini is our familiar term for Trinidadian).
http://issuu.com/culturama-tt/docs/sweet_tnt_magazine_june_2015_opt?mode=embed
You will find lifestyle articles, articles and interviews on local writing, local food and local places and activities. There are some mouth-watering pictures of some of our favourite dishes, highlights of great vacation spots or places of interest.
I do not want to give away too much; you really should visit the site and see if you like anything about Trinidad and Tobago.
Now that you have looked at the site, tell me, did you see anything familiar?
Educater 