By the time of Columbus’ arrival to the region at the end of the 15th century, the Kalinagos were the main residents of Tobago.
The Kalinago, who were named “Island Caribs” by the Europeans, are believed to have migrated from the Orinoco River area in South America around 1200 AD. Some say that the Kalinago called the island of Tobago “Urupaina,” (meaning “snail” in the Kali’na language) because they thought Tobago’s landscape resembled a large snail.
The Europeans also gave Tobago several names, including Christopher Columbus, who called Tobago “Belaforme” in his writing because “from a distance it seemed beautiful.” From as early as 1511, Spanish records show Tobago recorded under the name “Tabaco,” referencing the tobacco leaves that were grown and smoked by the indigenous inhabitants of the island.
The name also appears as “Tabago” in Dutch and French records.
This photo showing a 1665 Dutch Map of “Tabago”, is courtesy of the National Archives of the Netherlands.
References: Boomert, Arie. The Indigenous Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago: from the First Settlers until Today. Sidestone Press, 2016
Reid, Basil. “The Journal of Caribbean History: Volume 38, Issue 2.” University of the West Indies Press, 2 Mar. 2020.
(Source: The National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, September 13, 2023)

Caribbean Airlines has been voted the region's Leading Airline Brand at the World Travel Awards.
CAL, which suffered financial and reputational damage due to a pilot sickout last weekend that caused delays on its domestic and international routes, won the award at Saturday night's gala ceremony for the 30th World Travel Awards.
Held at Sandals Grand Saint Lucian, the ceremony saw awards being given out to destinations and properties across the Caribbean and Latin America.
The red carpet evening marked the opening leg of the WTA’s landmark 30th anniversary Grand Tour 2023 – a global search for the finest travel and tourism organisations.
InterCaribbean, which has come under fire from various governments for its poor service, won the award for Best Cabin Crew.
Bahamasair won the award for Leading Caribbean Airline. In the airport category, Jamaica's Sangster Airport was voted the Caribbean's Leading Airport while Club Mobay, located in Sangster was voted the Best Airport Lounge.
(Source: The Loop, August 27, 2023)

JARULA WEGNER
On August 24, the celebrated Trinidadian writer Michael Anthony died at the age of 91.
Growing up in Mayaro, Anthony began writing poems and publishing these in local newspapers. To follow his dream of becoming a writer, he moved to England in 1954, where he worked at various jobs while joining a growing community of West Indian intellectuals who broadcast their works on the BBC’s radio programme Caribbean Voices.
Anthony submitted poetry and short stories to the programme until VS Naipaul recommended that he approach the publisher André Deutsch with a novel. Through Naipaul, Anthony achieved his first literary successes, including The Games Were Coming (1963), The Year in San Fernando (1965) and Green Days by the River (1967). These works quickly established him as a Caribbean writer who offered, in the words of CLR James, “something new, and native in the best sense of the word.”
On his return to the Caribbean, Anthony gave a lecture at the Caribbean Writers and Artists Convention in 1970 in Guyana. In his talk, Growing Up with Writing he commented on the difficulties of making a living as a writer in the Caribbean.
Anthony said, “I really think that the place of the West Indian artist is in the West Indies when the West Indies has developed sufficiently to really offer him a fair living. But this will not be in the near future, it won’t be in our time.”
Luckily, he was wrong. Almost 50 years later, when he gave one of his last long interviews to my partner Amanda McIntyre and me, Anthony corrected this earlier statement by saying: “Now, writers have it much better, they can come through. Especially if they are good and they are resourceful, they can make a living. I know that, I’ve seen so many young writers of talent.”
Part of the reason he was wrong was because of his own doing.
On his return to Trinidad in 1970, Anthony initially received small jobs as a writer, with little freedom and a negligible income. His breakthrough came after he submitted an essay entitled Writing for the Younger Ones to a National Library competition that celebrated the International Book Year 1972.
He was the only writer to follow through with the project, and thanks to this submission, was recommended by Prime Minister Eric Williams to receive a post at the National Cultural Council, then directed by Dr JD Elder. Anthony held the post until he retired, publishing one work of writing after another through to his nineties.
​Regardless of whether one reads the stories of his childhood in some of his first novels; or his historical fictions in short stories, novellas and later novels; or his historical works which have become classics, like The Carnivals of Trinidad and Tobago (2011) – he was a writer who always had the wider public in mind.
In an interview with Reginald Clarke in 1990, Anthony explained, “I think a good style is a style that doesn’t attract attention, and I think the important thing is, in telling a story, you want to communicate, and the important thing is to communicate as clearly as possible. So I think simplicity is a very, very important thing.”
The love and admiration he received from the public underlines the success of his approach.
Anthony was one of the reasons why it has become possible to make a living as a writer in the Caribbean. He demonstrated how important and enriching it is to have writers of fiction and history describing the world around us.
In 2021, he said, “if one likes writing, one has to write, and the only place one can write about is the place that one knows…So it’s just that I think the things you love, or the things that are important in your life, whether you love them or not, they take place and that makes a part of your story.”
Anthony’s stories draw on his own experiences and his tireless historical research.
Much of his writing aims at telling the story from a local perspective.
His books have been included in school curricula and he himself was invited to public readings time and again. Just as it is the wider Caribbean public who enjoys his writings, it will also be this public that will miss him the most.
Michael Anthony (February 10, 1932-August 24, 2023) is survived by four children.
Dr Jarula Wegner is the Hundred Talents Young Professor of German and Comparative Literature at the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University, China.
(Source: Newsday, August 27, 2023)

The Trinidad and Tobago film industry is set to make history as two short films shot on location in TT will be showcased at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
It is a ground-breaking moment for FilmTT and the nation’s film sector. This milestone not only celebrates the rich artistic talents of TT's filmmakers but also marks a resounding step forward in bolstering the nation's presence on the global cinematic landscape, a media release said. The TIFF platform provides an invaluable opportunity to showcase the unique narratives, cultural richness, and artistic prowess that TT has to offer, Film TT said.
It said it is thrilled to showcase two completed short films in collaboration with internationally-acclaimed Nigerian filmmaker James Amuta. The first titled When the Monsters Come Out, a gripping 15-minute proof of concept created by The James Amuta Company and Bold Moves Production (Nigeria), with support from FilmTT, aims to secure an international distribution deal for its full-length feature to be filmed in TT.
The second offering is the riveting A Mother's Revenge, a product of FilmTT’s 48hr Film Challenge, written by local theatre icon Penelope Spencer and directed by Amuta. Both films had 100 per cent local cast and were created with the involvement of over 100 individuals. By showcasing these short pieces to international film delegates at TIFF, FilmTT, in collaboration with The James Amuta Company, will pitch in real-time to prospective investors, film buyers, and the global press. Film TT says it's an invaluable opportunity to cast a spotlight on TT in an effort to secure future commitments that will be beneficial to the creative ecosystem.
FilmTT general manager Leslie-Ann Wills-Caton said, “As part of our commitment to amplifying the potential of the local film industry, this momentous occasion at TIFF signifies a leap towards attracting international collaborations, co-productions, and alternative financing opportunities. By leveraging our presence at TIFF, we aim to ignite interest in our picturesque locations, diverse narratives, and skilled production teams, positioning TT as an attractive destination for film production. The participation of TT films at TIFF is a testament to the talent, creativity, and dedication of our local filmmakers. This is a golden opportunity to not only showcase our stories but also to foster meaningful connections with international partners."
Amuta, facilitator of the Script to Screen Workshop with James Amuta, said, “Film is a universal language, and for me, collaborating with FilmTT and the amazing talents from TT, is a fulfilment of a life-long dream to use the cinematic arts as a bridge to connect cultures, and export the combined cultures and artistic excellence represented by the film industries in Nigeria and TT. We share a similar heritage, and considering that the Nigerian film industry (Nollywood) is the second largest film industry in the world, the goal is to use our big brother status, to help project the skills and craft of our talented cousins in the Caribbean to the same global audiences that have a huge appetite for Nigerian films.”
When the Monsters Come Out and A Mother’s Revenge have been scheduled for a market screening on September 12.
FilmTT said it has led the charge for local films to participate at TIFF as part of its commitment to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and cinematic innovation. It is FilmTT’s mission to showcase TT’s film productions extensive range of genres, themes, and perspectives that will undoubtedly captivate global audiences and showcase the wealth of creative potential present in the country, it said.
Through this landmark achievement, FilmTT aims to foster new avenues for collaboration, stimulate alternative financing models, and catalyse creative partnerships that will further propel the growth of the nation's film industry, it said. It’s overarching goal remains to consistently attract international productions to TT. By joining hands with international filmmakers, producers, and distributors, FilmTT is carving a path toward sustained success and recognition for TT on the global film stage.
​(Source: Newsday, August 30, 2023)

The voices of individuals, organisations and politicians spoke out yesterday on the loss so many people felt at the news of Denyse Plummer’s death.
The former calypsonian and pop and gospel singer died of cancer on August 27, at 69.
Her death led the nation to reflect on a woman who gave a voice and a face to the plurality of what it means to be a citizen of TT.
Her family confirmed her death on her Facebook page on Sunday, saying she was a wonderful mother, grandmother, wife and friend, and an exemplar to younger generations.
The family’s statement added that she would be missed by many, but would live on through her music and “the beautiful impressions she left on everyone she met.”
Initially, Plummer sang in bars and hotels before entering Calypso Fiesta in 1986.
Newsday's BC Pires recalled in his Thank God It’s Friday column in 2021, “What Skinner Park was for Denyse Plummer in 1986, the year she transmogrified from relatively upmarket Chaconia Inn lounge singer to decidedly downmarket calypsonian at the Calypso Monarch competition semifinals. Singing to the famously hostile Skinner Park crowd, she was booed, jeered and pelted with toilet paper (mainly for being fair-skinned, because both her songs were good).”
Despite the initial public reaction, Plummer’s persistence and dedication to the craft of calypso led her to become one of its treasured figures, and she won its major titles: National Calypso Queen, Young King and, in 2001, Calypso Monarch. In 2011 she was awarded the Hummingbird Medal.
In 2015 she became a born-again Christian and performed and recorded gospelypso with artistes like Michelle Sylvester. She also published her book Crossover that same year.
The National Carnival Commission’s tribute to Plummer on Monday said she was a true daughter of the soil who charted a journey that defined TT’s calypso landscape.
“Multitalented and gifted, Denyse blended music and social commentary, blessing us with well-known songs like Nah Leaving, Heroes, Fire and Woman is Boss. Without question or exception, she has left a legacy as one of our nation’s most talented ambassadors and cultural icons.”
Many of her fellow performers also paid tribute to her life and work.
Soca artiste Destra Garcia, in an Instagram post, saluted Plummer’s musical legacy, recalling Plummer’s 1988 hit Woman is Boss and her 2001 Nah Leaving.
Garcia said, “I salute queen mother. Thank you for being an inspiration and opening so many doors worldwide for the rest of us women, you helped pave the way, and taught us what the phrase Woman is Boss truly means, you fought a great fight.”
Chutney soca artiste Drupatee Ramgoonai posted a photo of herself with Plummer and said it had been a “wonderful experience” to share many stages with her, including calypso tents, fetes and tours.
Songwriter and composer Mark Loquan, who worked with Plummer on her 2003 and 2005 songs Identity and Frenzy, said it was a privilege to know her, and she crossed many barriers and boundaries to claim her success in the industry.
Loquan said he would miss her presence. They had communicated, after a long time, about a fundraising concert for her, Thankful, which was held on May 13.
“Imagine seeing her performing over so many years and getting to work several years with her in pan. I’m forever grateful for that rewarding experience. May she rest in eternal peace,” he added.
Bandleader and producer Carl “Beaver” Henderson shared some facts about Plummer’s start in the music industry and what it was like working with her for 47 years.
In a Facebook post, Beaver said before she started singing at Chaconia Inn, Maraval, she “honed her craft across the road...in a little known club called The Baron.”
He produced her first batch of recordings, including her first album and number one hit, You’re What I’ve Waited For, which he wrote for her.
“That single stayed on the charts at number one for 13 weeks. We won every award that year,” he recalled.
Beaver also remembered being on stage as her musical director at Skinner Park when she got her “baptism of fire.”
“No one fully understood your emotions in that moment except your husband Patrick and myself. I still marvel at the level of professionalism that you displayed immediately after.”
Plummer and Beaver shared many live performances over the years, many fetes and concerts – so many he could not count them.
“I also produced your last major iconic hit Nah Leaving (and that was a funny story by itself) which took you to winning the Calypso Monarch in 2001...
“So much time spent at your home with your parents and family, so many memories. I spoke to you a little over a month ago and we said our farewell without actually saying so…,” he said. "My sister from another mother, fly high and proud. You have served well."
Many other organisations and people shared condolences to Plummer’s family and their own personal story of what her life meant to them and the country. Among them were Pan Trinbago, the United National Congress,and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.
UNC MP for Princes Town Barry Padarath recalled using a verse from Plummer’s Nah Leaving as he vied for a scholarship in 2001.
“I was also fortunate to view Denyse’s performance at the National Calypso Monarch final that year in the big yard coincidentally. In all my life, I never witnessed a performance as majestic as the one Denyse delivered that night. Denyse was the embodiment of everything that was good about TT, she had a tremendous impact on my life and today remains one of the best artistes of all time,” Padarath said in his tribute.
A post by the Tourism, Culture and the Arts Ministry said Plummer’s journey as a singer and legacy as a performer was punctuated with lessons in perseverance and dedication for people to follow.
“Her work exemplified how the power of music could affect positive change. We will certainly miss her vibrancy and passion, but we will forever be grateful for the joy her music and life brought to our hearts,” it said. (Source:  Newsday, August 29, 2023)