Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians

Indo-Trinidadian, late 19th century.
Regions with significant populations
Trinidad and Tobago  468,524(2011 census) (plurality of the population)[1] Concentrated in the South, Central, and East ofTrinidad with pockets in theEast–West Corridor,St. James, andDiego Martin
United States	125,000[2]
Canada	100,000[2]
United Kingdom	25,000[2]
Languages
Trinidadian and Tobagonian EnglishTrinidadian and Tobagonian Creole Trinidadian Hindustani
Religion
Majority: Hinduism ~49.5% Minority: Christianity  · Islam  · Others[3]
Related ethnic groups
Indo-Caribbean people · Indo-Caribbean Americans · British Indo-Caribbean people · Indo-Guyanese · Indo-Surinamese · Indo-Jamaicans · Indian people · Indian diaspora · South Asian diaspora · Bihari diaspora · Tamil diaspora · Dougla

Indo–Trinidadians and Tobagonians orIndian Trinidadians and Tobagonians are people fromTrinidad and Tobago whose ancestors are ofIndian origin that came fromIndia and the widersubcontinent beginning in 1845 during the period of colonization andindentureship.

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are a subgroup ofIndo-Caribbean people, which is a subgroup of the widerIndian diaspora. Generally, most Indo-Trinidadians can trace their ancestry back toNorth India especially theBhojpur andAwadh regions of the present day Indian states ofBihar andUttar Pradesh, two states located in theGangetic plains of theGanga andYamuna rivers. However, some Indo-Trinidadians may trace their ancestry to other parts of South Asia, notablySouth India, such as the Indian state ofTamil Nadu. Indians first arrived in Trinidad and Tobago as indentured laborers from India through theIndian indenture system from 1845 till 1917, and some Indians and other South Asians, along with their families, later came as entrepreneurs, businesspeople, religious leaders, doctors, engineers, and other professional occupations beginning in the mid-20th century. SomeIndo-Caribbean people from many other Caribbean nations, such asGuyana,Grenada,Martinique, andSaint Croix, also immigrated to Trinidad and Tobago.

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are the largest ethnic group in Trinidad and Tobago, identified by the official census, accounting for about 35.43% of the population in 2011.^[4]

Of 94,135 Indian immigrants to Trinidad, between 1874 and 1917, 50.7 percent were from the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, 24.4 percent hailed fromOudh State, 13.5 percent were fromBihar Province and lesser numbers from various other parts of the British Raj, such as theMadras Presidency,Bengal Presidency,Central Provinces,Chota Nagpur Division,Bombay Presidency, andPunjab Province.^[5] Out of 134,118 indentured labourers from India, 5,000 who left from thePort of Madras distinguished themselves as "Madrasi" and the immigrants who left from thePort of Calcutta distinguished themselves as "Kalakatiyas".

Many were people who were escapingpoverty in India and seeking employment offered by the British for jobs either as indentured labourers, workers or educated servicemen, primarily, between 1845 and 1917.^[6][7]

The demand for Indian indentured labourers increased dramatically after the abolition of slavery in 1834. They were sent, sometimes in large numbers, to plantation colonies that produced high-value crops, such as sugar, in Africa and the Caribbean.

According to the most recent census (2011) conducted in Trinidad and Tobago, Hinduism is the religion followed by a plurality of Indo-Trinidadians. The breakdown of religious affiliation for Indo-Trinidadians is as follows^[1] -

1. Hinduism – 49.54%
2. Islam – 11.64%
3. Pentecostalism/Evangelicalism/Full Gospel – 9.67%
4. Roman Catholicism – 6.48%
5. Not Stated – 6.30%
6. Other – 5.81%
7. Presbyterianism/Congregationalism – 5.68%
8. None – 1.04%
9. Spiritual Baptist – 0.96%
10. Seventh-day Adventist Church – 0.91%
11. Jehovah's Witnesses – 0.73%
12. Anglicanism – 0.56%
13. Trinidad Orisha – 0.31%
14. OtherBaptists – 0.21%
15. Sikhism – 0.06%^[11]
16. Methodism – 0.05%
17. Rastafari – 0.02%
18. Moravian Church – 0.007%

Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago are represented by several sects, organizations and entities the largest of which is theSanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, aSanātanī Hindu organization withRamanandi,Smarta,Shaiva, andShaktist roots. Other Hindu organizations and sects include SWAHA International,Arya Samaj,Chinmaya Mission,Kabir panth,ISKCON, theSathya Sai Baba movement, Seunariani (Sieunarini/Siewnaraini/Shiv Narayani),Aughar (Aghor/Owghur),Kali Mai (Madrasi),Murugan (Kaumaram),Bharat Sevashram Sangha,Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (Radha Madhav),Ganapathi Sachchidananda movement,Divine Life Society,Brahma Kumaris, and Blue Star.^[12][13]

A majority of Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian Muslims areSunni, however there are notableShia andAhmadiyya minorities. The major Muslim organisation representing Muslims in Trinidad and Tobago is theAnjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA). Other Islamic organizations include the Trinidad Muslim League, Darul Uloom, Ummah T&T, the Muslim Federation, and the Tackveeyatul Islamic Association.^[14]

TheSikh community in Trinidad and Tobago, numbering at about 300, consists of the descendants of the fewPunjabis who came during the indentureship period,Punjabi Sikhs who came in the twentieth and twenty-first century, andSindhi Hindus andPunjabi Hindus who also came in the twentieth and twenty-first century and who are, in addition to being Hindu,Nanakpanthis, followers of the SikhGuru Nanak. The Sikhs have agurdwara (temple) inTunapuna dating back to 1929.^[15][16]

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian Political Leaders

Basdeo Panday

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Rudranath Capildeo

Bhadase Sagan Maraj

Most Indo-Trinidadians have traditionally given their political support to parties that opposed thePeople's National Movement (PNM) which has historically been perceived as aChristianAfro-Trinidadian dominated party.^[17] Voting patterns among Indo-Trinidadians have also been influenced by religion. At times, non-Presbyterian Christian and Muslim Indo-Trinidadians have shown major support for the PNM due to concerns about the Indo-majority led political parties such asPDP,DLP, andULF that were felt to be Hindu and Presbyterian Indo-Trinidadian dominated parties.^[17] With the advent of theNAR and then theUNC this polarization by religion has been on the decline however its existence is still felt with the UNC fielding a Muslim candidate in every election for the San Juan/Barataria seat since 1995 owing to the presence of a large Indo-Trinidadian Muslim population within this constituency.

Notable Indo-Trinidadian politicians include:

• Basdeo Panday – first prime minister of Indo-Trinidadian descent and the first Hindu to hold the office
• Kamla Persad-Bissesar – first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago
• Noor Mohamed Hassanali – first Muslim head of state in the Western Hemisphere and the first Muslim and Indo-Trinidadian to hold the office of President of Trinidad and Tobago (1987–1997)
• Christine Kangaloo – first female president of Trinidad and Tobago of Indo-Trinidadian descent
• Rudranath Capildeo – Leader of the opposition at the time of independence
• Bhadase Sagan Maraj – Leader of the Parliamentary wing (1958–1960)
• Ashford Sinanan – Opposition leader (1951–1956); West Indies Federation Opposition Leader (1958–1961)
• Rudranath Capildeo – party leader (1960–1969)
• Stephen Carpoondeo Maharaj – acting opposition leader (1963–1965)
• Simbhoonath Capildeo – opposition leader (1965)
• Vernon Jamadar – opposition leader (1965–1972); party leader (1969–1972)
• Adrian Cola Rienzi – mayor ofSan Fernando and Member of theLegislative Council forVictoria (1937–1944)
• Raffique Shah – opposition leader (1977–1978)
• Winston Dookeran – UNC party leader (2005–2006); COP party leader (2006–2011)
• George F. Fitzpatrick – first Indo-Trinidadian member of theLegislative Council, nominated in 1912
• Sarran Teelucksingh – Member of theLegislative Council forCaroni (1925–1946); first Indo-Trinidadian elected to the Legislative Council, a predecessor of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobgao
• Isaac Hyatali – firstchief justice of Trinidad and Tobago of Indo-Trinidadian descent
• Satnarine Sharma – firstHindu chief justice of Trinidad and Tobago

Indo–Trinidadian and Tobagonians have retained their distinctive heritage and culture, while also functioning in a multicultural society. TheSouth Asian languages of their ancestors have largely been lost, although a number of these words have entered the Trinidadian vernacular language (Trinidadian Creole).Indian movies, music, and cuisine have entered the mainstream culture of Trinidad and Tobago.Chutney andchutney soca music rivalscalypso andsoca music during theCarnival season.

Diwali,Eid ul-Fitr, andIndian Arrival Day are national holidays, andPhagwah/Holi,Maha Shivratri,Hanuman Jayanti,Ram Naumi,Sita Naumi,Navratri,Vijayadashami,Krishna Janmashtami,Radhastami,Saraswati Jayanti,Raksha Bandhan,Vivaha Panchami,Guru Purnima,Ganesh Chaturthi,Kartik Snan,Ratha Saptami,Karagam Puja,Kalbhairo Jayanti,Mesha Sankranti,Makar Sankranti,Tulsi Vivah,Gita Jayanti,Datta Jayanti,Ratha Yatra,Gurpurab,Buddha Purnima,Ramadan,Hosay (Ashura),Eid al-Adha,Mawlid,Shab-e-barat,Chaand Raat,Islamic New Year, and otherHindu andMuslim holidays are widely celebrated.

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian cuisine is mostly derived from theBhojpuri andAwadhi cuisines ofNorth India. It has considerableSouth Indian, especiallyTamil andTelugu, influence on preparation and ingredients in the tropical environment of Trinidad and Tobago that was similar to the tropical environment of South India, where a significant minority of Indians came from. There is also influence from other ethnic cuisines on the island such asCreole,Chinese,West African,Indigenous,French,British,North American,Portuguese,Arab, andLatin American cuisines. It is unlike the mainstreamIndian-South Asia cuisines, which is mostly based on Punjabi, Rajasthani, Mughlai, Gujarati, Bengali, Udupi, and Tamil cuisines. This "mainstream" Indian cuisine was brought to the country by more recent immigrants and is termed as East Indian cuisine in Trinidad and Tobago and is contrasted from the local Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian or local-Indian cuisine.

A traditional Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian breakfast consists ofsadaroti, a type of unleavened bread made with flour, baking powder and water. The dough is rolled out and cooked on flat, cast-iron skillet, called atawa. The cooked dough is cut into quarters and served with a variety of fried vegetables,tarkaris or chokhas.^[18] Sometimesfried bake is eaten instead and is made using with flour, baking powder and yeast and is then fried in oil. Usually breakfast is vegetarian, howeversalt fish is sometimes added. Some breakfast dishes includebaigan chokha (roasted and mashedeggplant),damadol chokha^[19] (roasted and mashedtomatoes),pepper chokha (roasted and mashed peppers),aloo chokha (boiled, roasted, and mashedpotatoes),karaili chokha (roasted and mashedbittermelon),murtani orupar ghar (combination of roasted and mashed eggplant, tomato, pepper, and okra), fried orcurriedbodi (long beans), fried or curried aloo (potatoes), fried or curriedochro/bhindhi (okra), fried or curriedseim (hyacinth beans), fried or curriedkaraili (bittermelon), pumpkin orkohratarkari (pumpkin simmered with spices and seasoning), fried or curriedsaijan (drumstick), fried or curriedlauki (bottle gourd),bhaji (made with youngdasheen bush (taro) leaves,spinach leaves,saijan (drumstick) leaves, orchaurai (spiny amaranth) leaves), and/or friedplantains.

Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian foods likedoubles,^[20]aloo pie,^[21]pholourie,saheena, baiganee,bara, andkachori are popular street foods throughout the country and are served with variouschutneys,achars, and pepper sauce.Doubles is made with twobaras (flat fried dough) andcurriedchanna (chickpeas) and is served with toppings, likepepper sauce,kuchela, andtamarind,mango,pommecythere,cucumber,coconut andbandhaniyachutneys. It is one of the most popular breakfast foods eaten on the islands, however, it is eaten at any time throughout the day. Another Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian street food that is popular isroti, which consists ofroti (usuallyparatha or dhalpuri) that wraps curried vegetables, curried channa (chickpeas) and aloo (potatoes), curried chicken, curried shrimp, curried goat, curried duck, curried conchs, or any other spicy fillings. The town ofDebe in southern Trinidad is a popular destination for these street foods.^[22]

TraditionalDiwali and otherHindu festivals and prayers foods include appetizers such aspholourie, saheena, baiganee,bara, andkachori. Main dishes includeroti (most commonly dalpuri andparatha) andkarhi and rice served with condiments such asachar or anchar,kuchela, mother-in-law (pickled vegetables),pepper sauce, and dishes such ascurried mango,bhaji (dasheen bush or any spinach), pumpkin or kohra tarkari (pumpkin), curry channa and aloo (chickpeas andpotatoes), fried or curriedbaigan (eggplant), fried or curriedbodi (long beans), fried or curriedseim (hyacinth beans), curryeddoes (arui), curry chataigne or katahar (breadnut), and othertarkaries (vegetariancurries). Desserts includemohan bhog (parsad),lapsi and suhari,burfi,khurma,gulab jamun,pera,rasgulla, batasa,gujiya,gulgula, roat,kheer (sweet rice),laddu, andjalebi. It is traditionally served on asohari (Calathea lutea) leaf.^[23]

SpecialEid,Hosay, and other Muslim festival foods includecurry goat, curry channa and aloo,sawine,burfi,rasgulla, sirnee,maleeda, andhalwa.

Indo–Trinidadians and Tobagonians accompany their meals with various condiments; these can include pepper sauces, chutneys and pickles and are often homemade.

Pepper sauces are made by usingscotch bonnet or other hot peppers, either minced or chopped and added to vinegar or lime or lemon juice and sometimes pickled together with carrots, sour cherries,bitter melon, ordaikon (murai).Mother-in-law is another popular condiment which is a coarsely chopped spicy medley of peppers, pimentos, carrots, bitter melon, and other spices.

Chutneys are popular as well and often includemango,tamarind,cucumber,pommecythère,bandhaniya,dhaniya,chalta, andcoconut. They are most commonly eaten withdoubles,aloo pie,saheena, baiganee,kachori, andpholourie. There are a variety of popular pickles known locally asachar oranchar which are commonly used.Kuchela a grated spicy version, usually made from mango but sometimes made frompommecythère, the mango version being most popular. Other version of achars are made from mango,pommecythère, tamarind,amla,lemon,lime,chayote, chalta, andgreen apple.

Indian sweets and dessers are commonplace in Trinidad and Tobago and are distributed especially at Indian weddings and religious events. They includekheer (sweet rice ormeetha bhat),sawine,khurma,gulab jamoon,burfi, roat,laddu,jalebi,halwa,mohan bhog (parsad), sirnee,lapsi and suhari,rasgula,tilly cake,gulgula, paynuse,pera,modak,gujiya, and batasa.

Indian dance forms are prevalent among Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians.^[24]Kathak,Odissi, andBharatanatyam are the most popularIndian classical dance forms in Trinidad and Tobago.^[25]Indian folk dances, such aslaunda ke naach,Bollywood dancing, andchutney dancing are also popular Indian dance forms.^[25]

Indian theatre is also popular throughout Trinidad and Tobago.Nautankis and dramas such asRaja Harishchandra,Raja Nal,Raja Rasalu,Sarwaneer (Sharwan Kumar),Indra Sabha,Bhakt Prahalad,Lorikayan,Gopichand, andAlha-Khand were brought by Indians to Trinidad and Tobago, however they had largely began to die out, till preservation began by Indian cultural groups.^[26]Ramleela, the drama about the life of theHindu deityRama, is largely popular throughout the country during the time betweenSharad Navaratri andVijayadashami leading up toDiwali, with almost each locale having their own celebration. The Ramlila celebrations end with the burning of aneffigy ofRavana, the main antagonist of the ancientRamayana and its 16th century vernacular variation, popular among Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago, theRamcharitmanas.Rasleela (Krishnaleela), the drama about the life of the Hindu deityKrishna, is popular around the time ofKrishna Janmashtami.^[27][28][29]

The Indian–South Asian influence is very much noticeable inTrinidad and Tobago as they are the largest ethnic groups in the country.Mandirs,masijids, jhandis (Hinduprayer flags), Hindu schools, Muslim schools,roti shops and stalls, puja stores, Indian groceries/markets, and Indian clothing stores and expos dot the landscape of the country. Many businesses also bear names of Indian-South Asian origin. Many towns, settlements, villages, avenues, traces, and streets in Trinidad and Tobago are named after Indian cities and people, such as Calcutta Settlement, Madras Settlement, Delhi Settlement, Jai Ramkissoon Housing Settlement, Boodoosingh Village, Raghoo Village, Jaraysingh, Hasnalli, Hindustan Village, Patna Village, Gandhi Village, Kandahar Village, Cawnpore (Kanpur) Village, Nepal Village, Pahari Village, Abdul Village, Samaroo Village, Basta Hall, Gopaul Lands, Sumadh Gardens, Mohammed Ville, Gobin Village, Nancoo Village, Coromandel,Malabar, Matura (Mathura), Bangladesh, Morang Village, Chandanagore (Chandinagar), Sadhoowa,Divali Nagar, Golconda,Barrackpore, andFyzabad.^[30][31] The holidays ofDiwali,Eid al-Fitr, andIndian Arrival Day arenational public holidays in Trinidad and Tobago.Trinidadian Hindustani andother South Asian languages has had a great influence on theTrinidadian Englishlingua franca. Most people of South Asian descent inTrinidad and Tobago also speak a uniqueHinglishmacaronic dialect ofTrinidadian English andTrinidadian Hindustani and they incorporate more Hindustani vocabulary into their Trinidadian English dialect than other ethnic groups in the country.

• Anglo-Indians
• Awadhi people
• Bengalis
• Bhojpuri people
• Chindians
• Chutney music
• Chutney parang
• Chutney soca
• Dougla people
• History of Trinidad and Tobago
• India–Trinidad and Tobago relations
• Indian Arrival Day
• Indian indenture system
• Indo-Caribbean
• Indo-Caribbean music
• Indo-Guyanese
• Indo-Surinamese
• Pashtuns
• Pichakaree
• Soca music
• Tamil people
• Telugu people

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• People of Indo-Trinidadian descent
• Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago
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• Human migration
• India–Trinidad and Tobago relations
• Indian diaspora in the Caribbean

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