French Culture in Trinidad and Tobago

8/10/2019 French Culture in Trinidad and Tobago

1/18

French Culture in Trinidad and Tobago

Report by : Anna Lisa Soodeen


2/18


Table of Contents

1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................

2. French laces in Trinidad ! Tobago and their "eanings...........................................

#. French Language Influence in Trinidad ! Tobago........................................................

$. French Influence on %ational Festi&als and 'ress.......................................................

(. )istorical Record of French resence in Trinidad ! Tobago...................................11

*. French Influence on Fol+ Stories....................................................................................1 2

,. Reference...............................................................................................................................1 6

By: Anna Lisa Soodeen Page


3/18


1. Introduction

The culture of Trinidad and Tobago refects the infuence o Arican, French,

Amerindian, Chinese, British, Indianand to a lesser extent Spanishand Portuguese

cultures. The histories o TrinidadandTobagoare dierent, and there are contrasts

in the cultural infuences !hich ha"e shaped each island. There are also regional

dierences !ithin each island.

Bilateral relations bet!een the countries France and Trinidad and Tobago ha"e

existed or about t!o hundred #ears.$%&Currentl#, France has an embass# in Port o

Spain. Trinidad and Tobago is represented in France through its embass# in Brussels

'Belgium(. Trinidad and Tobago also has bilateral in"estment agreements !ithFrance.$)&

B# the later %*+s, the !hite upper class on Trinidad -consisted mainl# o French

creoles,- !hich created -a po!erul French cultural infuence in Trinidad. This !as

expressed not onl# in the !idespread use o French patois...but also in the general

populations enthusiasm or the Catholic tradition o Carni"al.-$*& Sean Sheehan

explains urther that or -about a hundred #ears, the language spo/en in Trinidad

and Tobago !as a pidgin orm o French, !hich !as basicall# French !ith T!i or

0oruba !ords included. 1"en toda#, there is a strong element o French in Trini, and

in some rural areas, people spea/ a language that is closer to French than to

1nglish.-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerindianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Trinidad_and_Tobago_relations#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brusselshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgiumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Trinidad_and_Tobago_relations#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Trinidad_and_Tobago_relations#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerindianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Trinidad_and_Tobago_relations#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brusselshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgiumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Trinidad_and_Tobago_relations#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Trinidad_and_Tobago_relations#cite_note-7


4/18


2. French laces in Trinidad ! Tobago and their "eanings

Blanchissuesse 2 A French Place name meaning !asher !oman

3rande 4i"iere 2 A French place name meaning large ri"er

5a Fillette 2 A French place name meaning the little girl.

5opinot 2 6amed ater the French settler Charles 7oseph Count de 5opinot

8atelot2 9eri"ed rom a French name apparentl# related to the !ord sailor orboatman

Pointe2a2Pierre 2 The French "ersion o the original Spanish name o Punta dePiedras, !hich meant Ston# Point.

Point Fortin2 6amed ater a French settler 8essier. Fortin !ho had a sugar estate inthe area

Sans Souci2 A French name meaning :ithout Care

Anglais 4oad2 Anglais is the French !ord or -1nglish- and it is belie"ed that thisarea in Cumana Toco is named ater the 1nglish !ho attempted to create asettlement in the area in %;


5/18


=essign# 2 A French name as a result o the Corsican settler Simon Paul =essin# !hoopened a sugar estate in the area



6/18


#. French Language Influence in Trinidad ! Tobago

As !e /no!, Trinidad !as a Spanish colon# until %*+*. It !as ne"er a French colon##et France has greatl# infuenced its histor# and culture.

This happened, o course, because o the infux o French immigrants in the late%*s, as a result o the Cedula o Population '%*@


7/18


Together the# ensured that a used Arican2French culture !ould be dominant inTrinidad or man# #ears to come in language 'French, and CrDole or Patois(,religion 'French orms o 4oman Catholicism(, the expressi"e arts 'dance, music,song(, ol/lore, esti"als and so on. Spanish infuences !ere largel# though notentirel# eclipsed.

The sister island !as a ormal French colon# or t!o periods, %*@%2+


8/18


But graduall#, the colonial go"ernment, the churches and the schools managed tospread the 1nglish language and British culture in the societ#. B# the %+)s or%+


9/18


4. French Influence on National Festivals and Dress

French has had maHor infuence on carni"al acti"ities and celebrations in Trinidad

and Tobago. :hen the French arri"ed in %*@


10/18


themsel"es as a landed aristocrac# and using the labour o their blac/ sla"es had created

fourishing plantations gro!ing tobacco, sugar, cotton, and coee. It has been necessar# to

outline the seuence o French settlement in Trinidad because o its utmost importance in

establishing the Shro"etide celebration o Carni"al on the island 2 at least as ar as the !ritten

record is concerned. 9espite a large and speed# increase in population 2 in particular rom the

Spanish 8ain, 6orth America, Arica, and the British :est Indian islands 2 and, indeed, some

French emigration, the French communit# remained in control o the islands economic core and,

thus, !ere able to stamp their cultural characteristics on its ensuing esti"e de"elopments.

Follo!ing emancipation, in %@ned to the upper classes,

!hich rode the streets in foats, or !atched rom the upper stories o residences and

businesses. The night !as gi"en o"er to the lo!er classes. The >rst e! hours o

Carni"al 8onda# morning, rom about M am until sunrise !as /no!n as7ou"ert'a

contraction o Hour ou"ert(. Costumed and mas/ed b# the dar/ness, 7ou"ert allo!ed

the !ealth# to mix !ith the poor in relati"e anon#mit#. 8onda# night 'night mas(

had a similar, but lesser unction.

MAS'

The da#time o Carni"al 8onda# and Tuesda# are dominated b# costumedmasueraders. ?ntil :orld :ar II, most o these masueraders portra#ed traditional

characters including the 8idnight 4obber, Police and Thie, :ild Indian, Bat, 7ab

8olassie, 7ab 7ab, 4ed 9e"il, Blue 9e"il, and 9ame 5orraine. :ith the !artime

presence o ?S soldiers 'and !ar mo"ies( Sailor 8as !as added. In the post!ar

period, indi"iduals ga"e !a# to organised bands, !hich toda# can include thousandsBy: Anna Lisa Soodeen Page
http://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Carnivalhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Francehttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Martiniquehttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Abolitionismhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Slaveryhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Canboulay_Riotshttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Trinidad_Carnivalhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/J'ouverthttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/World_War_IIhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Midnight_Robberhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Dame_Lorrainehttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Carnivalhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Francehttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Martiniquehttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Abolitionismhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Slaveryhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Canboulay_Riotshttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Trinidad_Carnivalhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/J'ouverthttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/World_War_IIhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Midnight_Robberhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Dame_Lorraine


11/18


o masueraders. Peter 8inshall is oten considered the greatest mas

designer.TemplateO:h#E

CARNIVAL FETES

Carni"al ta/e place most heatedl# during the !ee/ beore the actual parade o

bands on Carni"al 8onda# and Tuesda#. No!e"er, traditionall#, the Carni"al season

begins on Boxing 9a#9ecember ); and socaand cal#pso music reign supreme o"er

the air!a"es. The etes that ta/e place rom #ear end through carni"al 'usuall# in

Februar#( are generall# carni"al2themed and eature li"e music rom bands and soca

artists !ho are promoting their song contributions or the #ear.

MUSIC

Cal#pso musicde"eloped together !ith Carni"al. The chantuelle, !ho spo/e or the

band, e"ol"ed into the cal#psonian 'and other characters, such as the 8idnight

4obber(. The music, !hich dre! upon Arican and French infuences, became the

"oice o the people. It allo!ed the masses to challenge the doings o the unelected

3o"ernorand 5egislati"e Council, and the elected to!n councils o Port o Spainand

San Fernando. As 1nglish replaced patois 'Creole French( as the dominant language,

cal#pso migrated into 1nglish, and in so doing it attracted more attention rom the

go"ernment. Cal#pso continued to pla# an important role in political expression, and

also ser"ed to document the histor# o Trinidad and Tobago

http://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Peter_Minshallhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Boxing_Dayhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Soca_musichttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Calypso_musichttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Calypsonianhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Midnight_Robberhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Midnight_Robberhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Governorhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Port_of_Spainhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/San_Fernando,_Trinidad_and_Tobagohttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Creole_languagehttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Peter_Minshallhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Boxing_Dayhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Soca_musichttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Calypso_musichttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Calypsonianhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Midnight_Robberhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Midnight_Robberhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Governorhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Port_of_Spainhttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/San_Fernando,_Trinidad_and_Tobagohttp://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Creole_language


12/18




13/18


(. )istorical Record of French resence in Trinidad ! Tobago

France had coloniQed Trinidad during the se"enteenth centur#. $rstTreat# o 6iHmegenon % August %;*@. In %*L%, the French settled

colonists on the island, but ceded it to Britain in theTreat# o Pariso % Februar#

%*;


14/18


6. French Influence on Fol+ Stories

ur ol/lore is predominantl# o Arican origin, fa"oured !ith French and to a lesser

degree, Spanish and 1nglish infuences. In /eeping !ith !ell2recogniQed Arican

traits, the picture is ull o colour and decorated !ith a !ealth o detail. 4eligious or

semi2religious cults o Arican origin ha"e undoubtedl# contributed much to the

Islands ol/lore man# o the supernatural ol/lore >gures possess characteristics

!hich are identical !ith those o Arican deities. Indeed, it is extremel# dicult to

dra! a di"iding line bet!een the strictl# religious elements and !hat ma# be

described as -legendar# traditions-.

-a!a "oi#- is the most !idel# /no!n o all our ol/lore characters. Ne is the old

man o the orest and is /no!n b# man# names, including -8aRtre Bois- 'master o

the !oods( and -9add# Bouchon- 'hair# man(.

Papa Bois appears in man# dierent orms, sometimes as a deer, or in old ragged

clothes, sometimes hair# and though "er# old, extremel# strong and muscular, !ith

clo"en hoos and lea"es gro!ing out o his beard. As the guardian o the animals

and the custodian o the trees, he is /no!n to sound a co!s horn to !arn his

riends o the approach o hunters. Ne doesnt tolerate /illing or /illings sa/e, and

the !anton destruction o the orest.

There are man# stories o Papa Bois appearing to hunters. Sometimes he turns into

a deer that !ould lead the men into the deep orest and then he !ould suddenl#

resume his true shape, to issue a stern !arning and then to "anish, lea"ing the

hunters lost or perhaps compelling them to pa# a >ne o some sort, such as to

marr# -8ama 9lo-.

I #ou should meet !ith Papa Bois be "er# polite. -Bon Hour, "ieux Papa- or -Bon

8atin, 8aRtre- should be #our greeting. I he pauses to pass the time !ith #ou, sta#

cool, and do not loo/ at his eet.

-La $iable##e-, the de"il !oman o Trinidad and Tobago ol/lore, is sometimes

personi>ed as an old crone, !ho steps orth !ith her clo"en hoo rom behind a tree

on a lonel# road, the sound o chains mingling !ith the rustle o her petticoat.

Sometimes she ta/es the orm o a beautiul !oman, to lure some unsuspecting

passerb# to his death or perhaps to madness. Sometimes she appears as a tall,

handsome creole !oman !ho !ith s!inging gait and erect stature, passes through



15/18


a cane or cocoa >eld at noon and catches the e#e o a man !ho then proceeds to

ollo! her, and, ne"er being able to catch up !ith her 2 her eet hardl# touch the

ground 2 >nds himsel lost, be!ildered, ar rom home and he is ne"er himsel again.

She ma# ha"e a bag o bones, gra"e #ard dirt and shells, she ma# cast a spell and

be percei"ed as #oung and desirable, her rich perume blending !ith the smell o

damp and deca#ing things. Although she ma# appear #oung, she !ill be dressed in

the ancient costume o these islandsO a brilliant madras turban, chemise !ith hal

slee"es and much embroider# and lace, -Qepingue tremblant- 'trembling pins o

gold(, and all the >ner# o the b#2gone da#s.

I #ou eel #ou ma# encounter a 5a 9iablesse on #our !a# home, ta/e o all #our

clothes, turn them inside out and put them on again, and this !ill surel# protect #ou

rom a 5a 9iablesse.

-Ma%a $lo- or -Ma%a $glo- !hose name is deri"ed rom the French -maman de

l eau- !hich means -mother o the !ater- is one o the lesser /no!n personalities

o Trinidad and Tobago ol/lore.

A hideous creature, her lo!er hal ta/es the orm o an anaconda. She is sometimes

thought to be the lo"er o Papa Bois, and old hunters tell stories o coming upon

them in the Nigh :oods. The# also tell o hearing a loud, crac/ing sound !hich is

said to be the sound made b# her tail as she snaps it on the surace o a mountain

pool or a still lagoon.

8ortal men !ho commit crimes against the orest, li/e burning do!n trees or

indiscriminatel# putting animals to death or ouling the ri"ers could >nd themsel"es

married to her or lie, both this one and the one to ollo!.

Sometimes she ta/es the orm o a beautiul !oman singing silent songs on still

aternoons, sitting at the !aters edge in the sunlight, lingering or a golden

moment, a fash o green 2 gone. 6othing but a big 8orte Bleu, rising in the sun

beams.

-9id #ou see a >sh HumpE-

-0es, but it did not go bac/ in againK-

I #ou !ere to meet 8ama 9lo in the orest and !ish to escape her, ta/e o #our let

shoe, turn it upside do!n and immediatel# lea"e the scene, !al/ing bac/!ards until

#ou reach home.



16/18


-T&e Soucouant-

-A ball o fame, along she came f#ing !ithout a !ind- !as ho! the Soucou#ant o

Saint 9eau island !as described.

She is the old !oman !ho li"es alone at the end o the "illage road, seldom seen,

her house al!a#s closed up as she sleeps a!a# the da#. As e"ening dra!s near, she

stirs and sheds her old and !rin/led s/in, !hich she deposits into a mortar that she

hides careull# a!a#. 6o!, as a glo!ing ball o fame, she rises up through the roo

and !ith a shrill cr# that sets the "illage dogs to ho!ling, she fies through the night

in search o a "ictim and she !ould suc/ his lie2blood rom him clean.

As the blessed da# da!ns, she ma/es a beeline through the orest or her home,

>nds the mortar !ith her !retched s/in and proceeds to put it on, 2 but somethings

!rong, it burns li/e >re, it seems to shrin/ and slide a!a#, -s/in, /in, /in, #ou na nome, #ou na no me-, she sings, crooning sotl#, pleading to the !rin/led, dreadul

thing. -0ou na no me, old s/in.- Then, !ith horror, she realiQes the dreadul thing

that has been doneO The "illage bo#s and men ha"e >lled her s/in !ith coarse salt

and pepper and !ill soon come and get her, !ith a drum o boiling tar, the priest

and his sil"er cross, the church bells 2 and then, the end. I #ou !ish to disco"er !ho

the Soucou#ant in #our "illage is empt# % lbs o rice at the "illage crossroads

!here she !ill be compelled to pic/ them up, one grain at a time 2 that is ho! #oull

/no! the Soucou#ant.

-9uennes- are spirits o children !ho died beore the# !ere baptiQed and as such,the# are ated to roam the orests o Trinidad, practising their !ide repertoire o

pran/s, mostl# on li"ing children !ho are enticed a!a# into the orest and are then

let abandoned. 9uennes are sexless, their eet are turned bac/!ards and the# ha"e

no aces 'although the# do ha"e small round mouths(. n their rather large heads

the# !ear huge mushroom2shaped stra! hats.

To pre"ent the 9uennes rom calling #our children into the orest at dus/, ne"er

shout their names in open places, as the 9uennes !ill ta/e their names, call them

and lure them a!a#.

A stor# is told o a man called 5astiue !ho !as riding home one night, as he

passed the big sil/ cotton tree at the corner o Belmont Circular 4oad and the

Sa"annah, he heard a bab# cr#ing, so he stopped and pic/ed it up, thin/ing he

!ould ta/e it home or the night and carr# it to the orphanage in the morning.

C#cling along, he !as reduced to a state o absolute terror b# the time he reached

the hospital, !hen he realiQed that the child !as getting bigger and hea"ier.

Suddenl# the child said in a mans "oice, -0oud better ta/e me bac/ !ere #ou oundBy: Anna Lisa Soodeen Page


17/18


me-, !hich the terri>ed 5astiue did at once. As he dre! nearer the tree, the child

shran/ steadil# bac/ to its original siQe and !as deposited, once more, a ba!ling

bab# at the oot o the giant tree. The moon, a silent !itness, hid its ace in a cloud

as a chill !ind ble! and an o!l fe! out o the tree.

The -Liga&oo- or -Lou! (arou- is the shape changer o Trinidads ol/lore. An

abilit# !hich is handed do!n in some old creole amilies, this phenomenon is

usuall# associated !ith an old magic2dealing man o a district !ho is both eared

and respected, not onl# or his acilit# to change his orm to that o a "icious animal,

but also or his po!er o"er nature. Ne can la# curses and extended protection rom

him, charms and bush medicine are also readil# a"ailable.

At times the apparition ma# ta/e the orm o a con being carried through the

streets and the clan/ o chains is distinctl# heard. A single man ma# bear it on hishead, protected b# a giant -phantome-. I b# chance, the con and its gruesome

attendant !ere to be used to acilitate the uninterrupted transportation o Bush

4um, this eect !ould "irtuall# ensure its sae passage. I #ou !ant to see a 5igahoo

and not be seen b# it, ta/e some #ampee rom the corner o a dogs e#e, put it in

#our e#e and peep out o a /e# hole at %) midnight.



18/18


,. Reference

httpOen.!i/ipedia.org!i/iFrance1)@+

French Culture in Trinidad and Tobago

Documents

Transcript of French Culture in Trinidad and Tobago