Trinidad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Trinidad (Spanish: "Trinity") is the largest and most populous of the 23 islands which make up the country of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just 11 km (7 miles) off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. Trinidad has an area of 4,769 km² (1,864 sq. mi.) and is located between and .
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[edit] History
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Trinidad was originally settled by Amerindians of South American origins. The first European to spot it was Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498.He sailed to the 'New World' in three ships, called the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. On first discovering the Island, (or RE-discovered as was the case) he named it La Trinity in the name of Spain. He called it this because the first thing he saw when approaching the island from the south was three hills together. The island was later renamed Trinidad, although the hills are still known as Trinity Hills. Trinidad remained in Spanish hands until 1797 (when the British attacked the island, which was subsequently ceded to Spain in 1802), but it was largely settled by the French and their African Slaves.
The Royal Botanical Gardens, located in Port of Spain, were established in 1818.
After the Abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire in 1834 and total emancipation in 1838, several Immigrant Indentured Laborer groups, including Portuguese, Chinese and Indians, were employed to fill the labor void created when the liberated Africans left the plantations.[citation needed]
In 1889 it was united with Tobago into a single crown colony. The united entity, Trinidad and Tobago, obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a republic in 1976.
[edit] Contemporary Trinidad
Today's Trinidad is the result of a fusion of many different cultures. It hosts an annual pre-Lenten Carnival. It is the birthplace of Calypso music, the Steelpan musical instrument and Limbo dance. Styles of popular music include calypso, chutney music, soca, reggae and parang.
Indian traditions also represent a significant part of the island's culture. Divali, the annual Hindu festival of lights is celebrated nationally. A week before Divali night there is a week long festival of Indian song, dance and shows called the Divali Nagar which is held at the Divali Nagar site in Chaguanas.[citation needed]
Natural scenery includes: a variety of beaches (e.g. Maracas, Las Cuevas, Toco,Mayaro and Grande Riviere), swamps (Nariva and Caroni), areas of seasonal tropical forests and the hills of the Northern Range. Trinidad is also home to such animals as the leopard-like ocelot, the manatee, the caiman and the Scarlet Ibis (see List of birds of Trinidad and Tobago), which is the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago and is featured on the coat of arms along with the Rufous-vented Chachalaca or "Cocrico". The Scarlet Ibis represents Trinidad and the Cocrico represents Tobago.
Trinidad is also an industrial island with a diversified economy, based to a large extent on oil and natural gas, industry and agriculture[citation needed]. It is one of the leading gas-based export centers in the world, being the leading exporter of ammonia and methanol and among the top five exporters of liquefied natural gas. This has allowed Trinidad to capitalize on the large mineral reserves within its territories. It has good transport links and infrastructure, although some roads in more rural areas are in disrepair.[citation needed]
The capital of Trinidad is Port of Spain, located in the northwest of the island. The largest municipality is Chaguanas, an important shopping area, and central to the once vibrant sugar industry. The city of San Fernando, the second largest municipality, lies further south.[citation needed]
[edit] Religion in Trinidad
The largest religious groups on the island are Roman Catholics and Hindus. There are also substantial Anglican, Presbyterian, Muslim, Methodist, Spiritual Baptist, Orisha and independent fundamentalist/evangelical Christian groups.[citation needed]
According to the latest official statistics (2000), 26 percent of the population was Roman Catholic, 24.6 percent Protestant (including 7.8 percent Anglican, 6.8 percent Pentecostal, 4 percent Seventh-day Adventist, 3.3 percent Presbyterian or Congregational, 1.8 percent Baptist, and 0.9 percent Methodist), 22.5 percent Hindu, and 5.8 percent Muslim. A small number of individuals subscribed to traditional Caribbean religions with African roots, such as the Spiritual Baptists (sometimes called Shouter Baptists), 5.4 percent; and the Orisha, 0.1 percent. The smaller groups were Jehovah's Witnesses (1.6 percent), atheists (1.9 percent), or those listed as "other," which included numerous small Christian groups as well as Baha’is, Rastafarians, Buddhists, and Jews (10.7 percent), or undeclared (1.4 percent).from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71476.htm</
[edit] Christianity in Trinidad
Roman Catholicism and Hinduism have been decreasing in recent years (ie they have not increased in numbers), while the Pentecostal and other Born-again churches have increased beyond expectation. This is not a promotional statement, but a fact when one examines the Census results over the past decades. The Pentecostal / Born-again churches were virtually non-existant until the 1950's (although there was the presence of the Canadian missionaries or Presbyterians in the late 1800's). As such, the growth and representative numbers of these churches have been gained in under a century. The major Born-again churches belong to the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (P.A.W.I.) and the Open Bible Standard Churches, there is also the New Testament Church of God.
Unlike other religions present such as Hinduism, Islam, Roman Catholocism and Orisha, the Born-again churches claim major appeal amongst all races and across all socioeconomic and political groupings. The largest churches on the island are Born-again, and there are several churches who have memberships of 700 - 2,000. No other churches or religious groups can claim active memberships that exceed the Born-again church. Some of the larger churches include (in no specific order) The First Church of the Open Bible (San Fernando), Miracle Ministries' Christ Castle (Chase Village), Faith Centre (San Fernando), Curepe Pentecostal Church (Curepe), Deliverance Temple (Port-of-Spain), Faith Centre (Arima) etc.
[edit] External links
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