Santa Rosa Carib Community
Encyclopedia
The Santa Rosa Carib Community is the major organisation of indigenous people in Trinidad and Tobago
. The Caribs of Arima
are descended from the original Amerindian inhabitants of Trinidad; Amerindians from the former encomienda
s of Tacarigua
and Arauca (Arouca
) were resettled to Arima between 1784 and 1786. The SRCC was incorporated in 1973 to preserve the culture of the Caribs of Arima and maintain their role in the annual Santa Rosa Festival (dedicated to Santa Rosa de Lima
, the first Catholic
saint
canonised in the New World
).
The SRCC is headed by its President Ricardo Bharath Hernandez and maintains a leadership role among indigenous organisations in Trinidad. The community is also the base for the Carib Queen (currently Jennifer Cassar).
The Ameridians were relocated to open their lands for settlement by the influx of French settlers brought in by the Cedula of Population and to separate the indigenous people from the newcomers (see: History of Trinidad and Tobago
). The Mission was granted 1000 acres (4 km²) of land by Governor Chacon
, and Governor Sir Ralph Woodford added 320 acres (1.3 km²). However, as the Mission gradually dissolved, these lands were seized by the state.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. The Caribs of Arima
Arima
The Royal Borough of Arima is the fourth largest town in Trinidad and Tobago. Located east of the capital, Port of Spain, Arima supports the only organised indigenous community in the country, the Santa Rosa Carib Community and is the seat of the Carib Queen...
are descended from the original Amerindian inhabitants of Trinidad; Amerindians from the former encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
s of Tacarigua
Tacarigua
Tacarigua is a town in the East-West Corridor of Trinidad and Tobago, located east of Tunapuna and north of Trincity. It is on the banks of the Tacarigua River....
and Arauca (Arouca
Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago
Arouca is a town in the East-West Corridor of Trinidad and Tobago located east of Port of Spain, along the Eastern Main Road. It is located west of Arima, east of Tunapuna and Tacarigua, south of Lopinot, and north of Piarco. It is governed by the Tunapuna-Piarco Regional Corporation...
) were resettled to Arima between 1784 and 1786. The SRCC was incorporated in 1973 to preserve the culture of the Caribs of Arima and maintain their role in the annual Santa Rosa Festival (dedicated to Santa Rosa de Lima
Santa Rosa de Lima
-Description:The city is named after St. Rose of Lima, born on 1586 in Lima . Its "fiestas patronales" are during the month of August, when the city gets full of vendors from around the country selling a wide range of articles and food. The city is also known as the "capital of commerce" in La...
, the first Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
canonised in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
).
The SRCC is headed by its President Ricardo Bharath Hernandez and maintains a leadership role among indigenous organisations in Trinidad. The community is also the base for the Carib Queen (currently Jennifer Cassar).
The Ameridians were relocated to open their lands for settlement by the influx of French settlers brought in by the Cedula of Population and to separate the indigenous people from the newcomers (see: History of Trinidad and Tobago
History of Trinidad and Tobago
The history of Trinidad begins with the settlements of the islands by Amerindians. Both islands were explored by Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498. Tobago changed hands between the British, French, Dutch and Courlanders, but eventually ended up in British hands. Trinidad remained in...
). The Mission was granted 1000 acres (4 km²) of land by Governor Chacon
José Maria Chacón
Don José María Chacón was the last Spanish Governor of Trinidad. He was responsible for signing the Cedula of Population in 1783 , moved the capital from San José de Oruña to Puerto de España in 1783, founded the city of San Fernando in 1784 and surrendered the island of Trinidad to a British...
, and Governor Sir Ralph Woodford added 320 acres (1.3 km²). However, as the Mission gradually dissolved, these lands were seized by the state.