 "Sparrow was born in Grenada, but was less than two years old when his family migrated to Trinidad in 1937. He made his professional debut in 1954 at the Old Brigade Tent where he sang as the Little Sparrow. In 1956, he changed his name to The Mighty Sparrow, moved to the Young Brigade Tent, and won both the Calypso King and Road March titles; he repeated this double-crown feat in 1960 and 1972. As his popularity increased, Sparrow would come to be known as "Birdie." In a distinguished career that began in the mid-1950s, Sparrow won a total of eight Calypso King titles: 1956, "Jean and Dinah"; 1960, "Ten to One" and "Mae Mae"; 1962, "Sparrow Come Back Home" and "Federation"; 1963, "Dan Is The Man in the Van" and "Kennedy and Kruschev"; 1972, "Drunk and Disorderly" and "Rope"; 1973, "Happy School Days" and "Same Time Same Place"; 1974, "Miss Mary" and "We Pass That Stage"; 1992, "Both of Dem" and "Crown Heights Justice." Sparrow also won eight Road March titles: 1956, "Jean and Dinah"; 1958, "Pay as You Earn"; 1960, "Mae Mae"; 1961, "Royal Jail"; 1966, "Obeah Wedding"; 1969, "Sa Sa Yea"; 1972, "Drunk and Disorderly"; 1984, "Doh Back Back." His calypsoes were played by four steelband Panorama winners: 1963 - Dan Is The Man In The Van (North Stars); 1966 - Obeah Wedding (Desperadoes); 1971 - Queen of The Bands (Starlift); 1978 - Du Du Yemi (Starlift). Sparrow has received numerous awards throughout his career. He received the ultimate honor in July 2001 when his statue was installed in the community of St. Ann's." (Source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of T&T, July 9, 2023)
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Trinidad and Tobago’s distinctive nineteenth-century architecture survives not only in grand mansions,but in many more modest old houses that linger in our rural landscape creating an architectural blend of the old world and the new . Though rapidly succumbing to the ravages of time, the quaint homes of yesteryear are still very much a part of Trinidad’s landscape. The cosy atmosphere to these old homes that cannot fully be replicated in a modern structure. These homes were built by hand using local timber to provide families a form of shelter from the storms of life. Wooden houses, made of local timber (like the one seen in the attached photo ) were raised off the ground, to protect against floods and provide ventilation, and often featured a pitched roof . The front steps usually led to a gallery that served as a area for the family to gather on afternoons to relax and socialize with each other .In this photo the front steps lead directly to interior of the house. The use of the pillars also increased the living space by providing an “under-the-house” area in which most daily family activities occurred, and the family retreated to the upper section of the home on evenings. Home improvement was always an ongoing activity around the 1960s and 70s , and the first room to increase in size was most notably the kitchen area. These old family homes capture the spirit of those who have been born, raised, and who ended their days within the walls. From the welcoming double-panel doors to the bygone memory of children playing between the raised pillars below, echoes of an era gone still can be heard. What did you home looked like in the decade you were born? Look out for Part 2 of this. (Source: Virtual Museum of TT, June 10, 2023) Photo taken from Angelo Bissessarsingh's Photo Album Collection. House in Grande Rivierre ( 1970)  THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE SWIZZLE STICK
Researcher : Patricia Bissessar I never knew that in Trinidad we had a tree called the swizzle stick tree which got its name because its branches were cut and dried and made into natural swizzle sticks . The swizzle stick’s story is an interesting one of humble beginnings. In this blog, we will briefly explore the history of the swizzle stick, its uses, how they are made. I will also attempt to clear up any misconceptions or confusion by members. According to my research, the Swizzle Stick made its appearance around the 1600’s on a sugar cane plantation in the West Indies and was used to stir a refreshing rum elixir called “Switchel” made from a mixture of water and molasses. The first print mention of the swizzle comes in 1788 (“A Classical Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue”), but the stick seems to have pre-dated that by at least a century and raced back to the arrival of enslaved workers brought from Africa to the West Indies to work on the sugar cane plantations where the sugar cane was fermented and made into sugar , molasses and rum. Annie Brassey author of the book “In the Trades, the Tropics, & the Roaring Forties”, found the tool in use in Trinidad in 1885 and make mention of her intent to take back to England some of these special sticks to stir mixed drinks. Her book gives the following recorded insight into how the local islanders of Trinidad transformed a branch of the Quararibea turbinate tree into a manual hand blender: They are cut from some kind of creeper, close to a joint, where four or five shoots branch out at right angles to the stem, so as to produce a star-like circle, resembling the spokes of a wheel, each radiating twig being about two inches long. Cocktails of all kinds are a great institution in Trinidad and are mixed with these sticks. The branches she was referring to were cut from the Quararibea turbinate tree ,native to Martinique and a few other Caribbean islands including Trinidad and Tobago. Botanists call it Quararibea turbinata, but it was known to locals as the swizzle stick tree. These trees sprout branches that end in tiny spokes, which spread out like the points of a star. When dunked in an unmixed cocktail and rolled between one’s palms, the sticks work much like simplified immersion blenders. The all natural harvested wooden stir stick, popularly used in the Caribbean, was also known as Bois Lélé in Martinique .Local islanders would make a ‘rum swizzle’ from rum, water,ice and aromatic flavourings, by rapidly spinning a dried branch of the tree between the palms of the hands, thus putting the tiny bicycle spoke-like twigs to work, resulting in a deliciously frothy and evenly chilled beverage. Eventually, the stick migrated back to the homeland from the British colonies, and by the early 1920s, the swizzle stick had found a new purpose. Queen Victoria and the other refined women of her era used the sticks or glass and plastic imitations of them to stir the bubbles out of their Champagne, thus preventing any rather unladylike emissions of air . Finally, the stick entered its modern era when inventor Jay Sindler needed a way to remove the olive from his martini without using his fingers. So he sketched out an idea of a barbed wooden spear featuring a small paddle at the other end, which could be imprinted with the establishment’s name or logo. A problem was solved and bars had a new cocktail stirrer . Who knows maybe the rural artists of India was inspired by the natural swizzle stick when they created the Dhal Ghutni Swizzle Stick which many of us still use today to swizzle and purée dhal. It is also interesting to note that like many Caribbean Hindustani nouns, ghuṭnī is derived from the verb of the action performed by this kitchen tool. Ghuṭnī comes from the verb ghoṭe meaning to mix, dissolve or swizzle. I also use my mother’s Dhal Ghutni Swizzle Stick to swizzle the ingredients when making callallo. N.B In reading some of the comments made by members with prior posting on the swizzle stick tree it would appear that there is some confusion about the Quararibea turbinate or swizzle stick tree .This tree is the same as the lay lay tree . I did attempt to do further research to clarify this issue and this is what the research says: Ø The Bois Lele swizzle stick as it is called in Martinique is made from the dried wood stems of the Quararibea turbinata tree (aka the “swizzle stick” tree!) which is an aromatic plant native to the Caribbean. It is small perennial tree or shrub.The branches of this tree form with side branches radiating outward from a central point, like spokes on a bicycle wheel. Ø Botanical name: Cordia collococca what we refer to as Lay Lay tree in T & T is a short-deciduous tree with a moderately thick, single-layered crown that is often wide and spreading, usually growing around 5 - 15 metres tall but occasionally reaching 35 metres.The red fruit / lay lay , which resembles a cherry, has a sweet flavour and is eaten greedily by birds. The Lay Lay berry is one of the lesser known fruit treasures of Trinidad, found mostly in the south and eastern parts of the island. ( Sources: Useful Tropical Plants ; 62 fruits of Trinidad) I have also tried to show differences in both trees by including a few photos. I am just stating what the research says and I am certain back in the early days our ancestors would have been quite creative and used branches from other trees to make natural swizzle sticks. (source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago, June 29, 2023)  Rodney Pigott, right, addresses participants in the 2nd Tobago Remembrance Day at Swallows, Pigeon Point, Tobago on Saturday. - DAVID REID CHAIR of Tobago CivilNET Rodney Piggott says the organisation is working closely with the Emancipation Support Committee to decolonise spaces in Trinidad and Tobago.
“We have spaces like Fort King George (overlooking Scarborough)…. one of the most beautiful places in Tobago and I have to call this man’s name. I have to pour libation every time I use their names. Where are my ancestors’ names on these places?” he asked on Saturday while addressing a group of African descendants at the 2nd Middle Passage Remembrance Day observance at Bago’s, Swallows Beach, Crown Point. Piggott noted Picton Street, scene of some of the most “barbaric” acts in Port of Spain, was also named after an early coloniser. “We don’t realise this but it is their ancestors we are revering every time we call their names. We are about decolonising these spaces.” Last year, the government appointed a five-member committee to review the placement of statues, monuments and historical signage across the country. Piggott told the gathering that Tobago CivilNET, since its inception, has addressed several matters interest, including internal self-government. He said the group has also established committees to “bring all activities of the people of Tobago to the forefront of Tobagonians. “Right now, the political scene dominates Tobago. Everything is politics and no one knows of anything else except politics.” Saying the organisation also started a holistic health series on social media, Piggott said the fourth episode, which airs on June 21, deals with mental health. “Sometimes we don’t think that a people itself can be sick, that the mentality of a people can be sick.” Author and historian Sufia Giza, who is of Muskogee/Creek and Gullah heritage, introduced the first Middle Passage Remembrance Day last year, in Tobago, as part of a celebration throughout the African diaspora honouring the millions of slaves who perished during the treacherous journey. Remembrance Day seeks to educate African descendants about the importance of acknowledging and respecting the sacrifices made by their ancestors. The celebration has been taking place in Ghana, Panama and various parts of the US, including Brooklyn, New York, Oakland, California, Charleston, South Carolina and other locations. Giza, who has been celebrating the Middle Passage in South Carolina for the 12 years, said she was inspired by the gathering at the event. “We are growing from strength to strength,” she said. Giza also showed an image on her laptop computer of an area behind the Scarborough Police Station where she learnt, African slaves disembarked when they came to Tobago. She is hoping next year’s Middle Passage observance can be held at that site. Giza urged the gathering to trace their respective lineages. “I could trace my lineage to black native Americans crossing Siberia 15,000 BC and I still have 52 per cent Nigerian. I could go back 11 generations. So when it comes to decolonisation that is the work that we have to do. We have to find who and whose we belong to and that is our strength.” Ifa Rounke Diedre Prescod, who has authored three books, offered libations to several historically-recognised African liberators, who, she believes, paved the way for ensuing generations. They included former South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela; Black Jamaican nationalist Marcus Garvey; and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Hazel Beckles Younglao also spoke. One of the highlights of the event was a drum procession from Bago’s to Swallows Beach. (Source: Newsday, June 10, 2023)  Ronaldo Mohammed represented TT at the 40th edition of the Poetry Market (Marché de la Poésie) in Paris, France. - The vibrant poetry scene of Trinidad and Tobago has won international recognition as writer Ronaldo Mohammed was chosen to represent the country from June 7-11 at the 40th edition of the Poetry Market (Marché de la Poésie) in Paris, France.
Mohammed was one of ten exceptional emerging poets selected to showcase their work at the highly-anticipated literary event. The cohort stood out from 252 applications from hopefuls vying for a chance to participate in the programme. For the first time, the Caribbean region was a guest of honour at the Poetry Market, due to the alliance forged with the Transcultura programme, a media relase said. The event followed a call for young poets from the Caribbean, 18-35 years, initiated under the auspices of the Unesco programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean, and the European Union through Culture and Creativity. It is funded by the European Union. As part of this opportunity, the poets were also featured in a special supplement of the Market of letters (Marché des lettres), a prominent publication of the event, which served as a testament to the rich literary talent emerging from the Caribbean. Mohammed, a poet and teaching artist, draws inspiration from TT's culture, folklore, and the nuances of local dialect, to shed light on issues such as crime, violence among youth, gender-based violence, and the challenges faced by Venezuelan migrants in TT, the release said. His approach has been evident in his performances during this year’s First Citizens National Poetry Slam, which was the closing event of the 2023 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. Mohammed credits local authors for his passion for writing and poetry. “I'm extremely proud to have represented TT at this literary event in Europe,” he said. “Through this opportunity, I was able to present my first-ever chapbook of poems, What Happens at the Edge of the World, which highlights the untold stories of people who have succumbed to and soldiered through the rough realities of life in TT society.” He believes this achievement affirms his status as a rising star in the world of poetry. The Poetry Market is an annual event that presents a unique opportunity for young Caribbean poets to expand their professional horizons, forge connections with influential figures in the European literary scene, and strengthen their networks. A dedicated stand promoting the works of these talented poets graced the heart of Paris at the Place Saint-Sulpice. (Source: Newsday, June 16, 2023) Air Canada is returning to Trinidad.
Tourism Trinidad announced on Saturday that the airline will resume its air service between Toronto, Canada to Port of Spain, Trinidad. TTAL said via a press release that historically, Air Canada has been and still remains a vital partner to Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism industry and its diaspora connectivity. The airline for the 12-month period of January to December 2019 had a total of 22,918 passengers disembarking at Port of Spain. Air Canada will recommence service on November 1, 2023, with three flights per week arriving in Trinidad at 11:25 pm, on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and departing at 12:30 am Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. From December 3, 2023, to March 9, 2024, service will be expanded to four flights per week, arriving at 12:25 am, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and departing at 1:30 am, Tuesday, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Carla Cupid, Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Trinidad, said: “We welcome back Air Canada to our destination. This is a positive development for our tourism industry, and we look forward to using this connection to continue to promote Trinidad as a top travel destination.” On hearing the news of the new flights, High Commissioner for Canada to Trinidad and Tobago, Arif Keshani, noted that: “The ties between our countries are significant and I am very pleased that Air Canada will be resuming their flight between Port of Spain and Toronto this Fall. This, combined with the expansion of Canada’s electronic travel authoriaation (eTA) program to include Trinidad and Tobago, will further serve to enhance our bilateral economic, social and people-to-people connections.” Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Senator Randall Mitchell, also expressed his enthusiasm about the news. "We continue to work with our international partners and stakeholders in the Air Transportation industry to increase our connectivity and seat capacity from our traditional source markets while at the same time, reducing the cost of travel to Trinidad and Tobago," he said. “This marries well with the recent announcement by the Canadian government of Visa-free travel to Canada to the diaspora located there.” Tourism Trinidad and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts are confident that the recommencement of Air Canada’s service between Toronto and Port of Spain will be a major boost to the tourism industry. The airline's flights will provide a convenient and affordable way for Canadians to travel to Trinidad and vice-versa while helping to attract more visitors from other parts of the world. (Source: The Loop) |
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