Indigenous Peoples in Trinidad - Launch New Book
During a festive celebration of the United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on Tuesday August 9, the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community of Trinidad launched the book The Indigenous Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago From the First Settlers until Today, by Dr. Arie Boomert of the Caribbean Research Group of the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University. The Santa Rosa First Peoples Community is recognized by the government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as the legitimate representative of the indigenous peoples (‘Amerindians’) of this Caribbean twin island nation. The launch took place in the National Library at Port-of-Spain.
Presenting of the book
The book, The Indigenous Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago From the First Settlers until Today, was published by Sidestone Press. It represents the first comprehensive treatment of the archaeology and historic experience of the original inhabitants of the two islands. The book was written for a wide public and is meant to be used as a general textbook on the subject for teachers of secondary schools and university students. Its publication was made possible by the Caribbean Research Group while the research leading to the writing of the book received funding from the European Research Council through the NEXUS1492 project, led by Professor Corinne L. Hofman.
The first copy of the book was presented by Dr. Boomert to the Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly, who expressed the government’s continuing interest in supporting the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community. The latter’s Chief, Mr. Ricardo Bharath Hernandez, introduced the proceedings of the evening by reminding the government of their pledge to have a series of pre-Columbian skeletons, discovered during recent excavations under the Red House (the nineteenth-century monumental building housing the country’s parliament), properly reburied.
After a lecture by Dr. Boomert, highlighting the major archaeological finds and the vicissitudes of the First Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago throughout colonial times, the book was reviewed by Dr. Bridget Brereton, Emerita Professor of History at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad. Both emphasized that the book is meant as a form of outreach to the wider community of Trinidad and Tobago, not just the Amerindian segment of the society. These presentations were followed by the sale and signing of books by the author and refreshments
