Introduction to the Smithsonian Taino Symposium, August 2011

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"José Barreiro, director of the Office of Latin America at the National Museum of the American Indian, introduces the participants of the Smithsonian Latino Center's "Beyond Extinction: Consciousness of Taíno & Caribbean Indigeneity" symposium on August 26, 2011.

"Text from the invitation: This symposium features scholars on Taíno and Caribbean indigenous themes who will discuss the survival of Taíno language, identity, and material culture in contemporary Caribbean consciousness.

"Participants include archaeologist Osvaldo García Goyco, historian Alejandro Hartmann Matos, and biologist Juan Carlos Martínez Cruzado. Roberto Borrero, president, United Confederation of Taíno People, will serve as respondent. Moderated by José Barreiro, director of the Office of Latin America at the National Museum of the American Indian.

"This program is organized by the National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Latino Center and is supported by the Consortium for World Cultures, Smithsonian Institution."

First Nation peoples lauded as they celebrate Amerindian Heritage Day.

First Nation peoples lauded as they celebrate Amerindian Heritage Day.
By Michelle Loubon
Trinidad Guardian Online | Monday, October 17, 2011

Edris De Freitas knits a hand-woven basket.

Craft, indigenous cuisine, basketry and traditional vestments took centre stage as the Carib community celebrated Amerindian Heritage Day in the precincts of the Santa Rosa RC Church, Arima, on Friday. The cultural extravaganza featured Maypole dancing, drumming, singing, chanting and the playing of wooden musical instruments. The celebrations began at pre-dawn with a smoke signal ceremony at the base of the Hyarima statue. Among those attending were contingents of Surinamese, Dominican and Guyanese Amerindians. They added their local arts and craft to the cultural potpourri. Amerindian visitors fielded questions about the mores, customs and folk traditions of the Amerindian.

On Thursday, Santa Rosa Carib queen Jennifer Cassar said Amerindian Heritage Day was celebrated to remind indigenous people about the contribution of ancestors of First Nation peoples. She said: “We cannot get a holiday so it is a day to remind us of our ancestors who were there before us and to sensitise us to the contribution of our ancestors. That is the only day we have at this point to commemorate the memory of most of our ancestors and exhibit the local craft.” Special tribute was paid to tribal queen Hummingbird Ramirez from Miami, USA. Members of the Orisha movement were also in attendance.

Apart from the Santa Rosa activity, events were launched at the Arima Town Hall. School children from the community learned about the contribution of First Nation peoples. Canadian High Commissioner Karen Mc Donald also hosted the contingents at a Canada sponsored Culture of the Cloth exhibition at the National Museum, Keate Street, Port-of-Spain on Wednesday.

Peters: They have contributed greatly to society

In his congratulatory message, Peters lauded First Nation peoples for their contribution to T&T. He said: “The First Nation peoples have contributed greatly to our multi-cultural society. With their presence, most evident in our place names like Tunapuna, Caroni and Chaguanas, we realise their contribution to national history. I hope First Nation peoples would pass on their rich heritage to the next generation and the legacies would live on forever.

He noted the Santa Rosa community has been struggling assiduously to stabilise issues like land settlement, protection of sacred sites, raising public awareness, promoting education, curriculum revival and cultural exchanges. Peters urged them to continue to negotiate outcomes for the benefit of the Santa Rosa community.

Wikileaks: The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, the Amerindians, and Indigenous Rights

Thanks to the recent release of WikiLeaks' U.S. Embassy cables, we have a complete set for Trinidad and Tobago, and many of the items are quite striking and revealing. One is of particular relevance to Trinidad's Indigenous community. It seems that the U.S. Embassy worked to temper any Trinidadian embrace of a new Indigenous Rights charter (that being drafted by the OAS), and that on the other hand, the Trinidadian government had a very selective view of what rights it had actually signed on to at the UN, as well as seeming agreeable to making concessions to the U.S. Of course none of this international diplomatic chatter on the rights of Trinidad's Indigenous People was previously made public.

Apparently the public profile of Trinidad and Tobago's Indigenous community, specifically the Santa Rosa Carib Community, came up in discussions between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) and an officer in the Political Affairs section (PolOff) of the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, according to a WikiLeaks cable. The cable is marked as "sensitive but unclassified". In a meeting that took place on 22 October 2007, Ms. Delia Chatoor of the Multilateral Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned that "Trinidad and Tobago's own small Amerindian community had recently become more vocal, and that a week dedicated to the history and culture of the group had just concluded [Amerindian Heritage Week]". These remarks were made in connection with developing a government position on the work of the Organization of American States (OAS) in preparing a Draft Declaration of Indigenous Rights (DRIP) (also see this and that), and in light of the then recent passage of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples--which the GOTT approved. We already know, from other WikiLeaks cables, that the U.S. worked actively on the international front to try to pressure governments to vote against the UN Declaration. However, the remarks by the Trinidadian government official are rather curious.

With reference to the UN Declaration, Chatoor commented that "states could...pick and choose which items to endorse"--when the GOTT in fact voted to approve the Declaration as a whole, not select parts. This comment suggests some duplicity on the part of the government, in that it might "pick and choose" those elements which it found to be least of a challenge to the dominant order. To her credit, she also told the U.S. Embassy official that "the UN declaration was important as a means of reminding people indigenous rights was not a dead issue and that indigenous communities should be factored into considerations of human rights".

However, when it came to the OAS DRIP, Chatoor seemed to agree with the U.S. Embassy that instead of a Declaration, "a Year of Action and a non-binding action plan also had merit". Merit for whom? Certainly not for Indigenous Peoples, as this would mean the adoption of superficial, symbolic actions. While she earlier implied that the more vocal Amerindian community in Trinidad had an impact on the Government's decision-making regarding Indigenous Rights, her subsequent willingness to concede to U.S. interests, and her delegating authority to Trinidad's diplomatic mission at the OAS before reaching any decision, make it apparent that the rights of Trinidad's Indigenous People are not as important as they ought to be--and they are apparently subject to negotiation with foreign powers.

Preserve heritage sites. New Carib Queen:

Preserve heritage sites. New Carib Queen:
By Louis B Homer
Trinidad Express Newspapers | Aug 7, 2011 at 11:42 PM ECT

As newly-elected Carib Queen Jennifer Cassar took up office on Saturday, she immediately called for the preservation of all special Amerindian sites in Trinidad.

In her maiden speech as head of the Santa Rosa First Peoples Carib Community, Cassar said: "I am emboldened to engage the attention of the authorities and the national community on the preservation of Corita, a petroglyphics stone at Maracas St Joseph, site of the old church at Caura Valley, Banwarie site in south Trinidad, and La Venezuela Statue on Old Santa Cruz Road."

She said the positive contributions made by their forefathers to the development of these areas have been largely ignored, and the history of Trinidad and Tobago has been no different.

Cassar said her first step would be the realisation of a heritage village which is critical to the preservation of Carib culture, spiritual traditions, and the social and economic development of young people.

She said Government has agreed to grant the community 25 acres of land on Blanchisseuse Road.

"My first duty will be to pursue discussions with the Cabinet-appointed committee to complete the paper work to officially hand over the land to the community next year."

She said the village will be used as a catalyst to generate employment, provide food security and the understanding of indigenous food and craft, create an environment for the education of children, create a museum to showcase the diversity of the nation, and to develop activities in eco- tourism and sustainable business activities.

Cassar, a descendant from a full Carib bloodline from Guyana, was inaugurated as the new Carib Queen at a colourful ceremony during Holy Mass at Santa Rosa Roman Catholic Church, Arima, in the presence of members of the Carib community and officials from the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism and various organisations.

Minister Winston Peters was represented at the historic ceremony by Permanent Secretary Jennifer Jones.

Following her anointment by Monsignor Allan Ventour, parish priest of Arima, the community's new banner was blessed and Cassar was presented to the congregation, with loud acclamation from members of the community, as their fifth Queen of the Carib Community of Santa Rosa.

Her predecessor, Valentina Medina, died recently after serving as queen for 11 years.