Cultural Pursuits

The things we in Trinidad and Tobago see as we go about  our daily business.

When last have you stopped to just appreciate things like:

a seascape- being an island state we take it for granted we will always be able to go observe the surf at anytime, but what if one day we wake up and it is  no more? what if one  day we wake up in a metropolis unable to hear the music of the water or see the sun’s rays glistening on the water? Nothing will be able to replace that feeling.

a landscape: what pictures would the following generations have to see the natural beauty of a place?

a house: so many do not have the privilege of having a roof over their heads. some are in tents others in cardboard boxes while others get shelter where they can.

a church: aplace of worship, a place of refuge. Many have been turned into places of decay because society has moved away from the notion of fellowship. These monuments stand alone and empty. just like the elders who need taking care of they are neglected and crumble.

a flower: the cycle of flowers symbolic of renewal. we do not have to wait for an entire year to pass to be given an opportunity  to start arfesh, the possibilty is there in every new bloom.

a tree laden with fruit: when last you ate a fruit straight from a tree? Do we still have enough trees? all we want is fast food, prepackaged and yet we wonder why  certain health issues are on the rise.

a memory: we chose to throw away the memories that remind us where we came from and those that show us the core of who we are.

a sunset that heralds the end of the day and is precursor to a new tomorrow.

Located at the corner of Charlotte and Duke Streets, The Trinidad Co-operative Bank (TCB) also known as the Penny Bank, was incorporated in 1914 as a savings institution with the vision “to inculcate in the people virtue of thrift…and to provide a quick, easy, safe means for children and poor people to save …” The major driving force behind the establishment of the bank was Charles Augustin Petioni, who encouraged the other coloureds at that time to get together and form a bank to call their own because at that time a large section of the population had no banking relationships. Petioni who was born in Trinidad in 1883 was at the time a young journalist and he later went to Howard University in the United States and studied medicine. Charles Petioni who was a friend of the father of Eric Williams later became a pioneer of Marcus Garvey’s (1887–1940) Universal Negro Improvement Association and a leader of the Caribbean independence movement in the United States. He died in 1951.

When the Bank was established in May 1914 it began operating at 42 Henry Street. Unlike the other Banks which accepted no less than a shilling (24 cents) to open an account, the Bank encouraged depositors to open accounts with as little as one penny. In this way, the bank became known as the Penny Bank. The Bank’s deposits in the first year of trading, 1914 – 1915, were $83.31. As the Bank grew, it was able in 1923 to move to larger premises at the corner of Duke and Charlotte Streets. Written into the concrete were the words Thrift, Save and Cents.

The Trinidad Co-operative Bank also has the distinction of employing the first female banker in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. Rose Liris Mc Shine Monsantowas born on February 24, 1908. She was the daughter of Dr Arthur Hutton Mc Shine and was the fifth child in a family of 12 other siblings. Apart from being the first female banker, another of her major life accomplishments was being the first female banker to be appointed to the board of directors. Her role with the bank was highlighted in a book published by First Citizens Bank. She worked in the banking industry for more than 16 years before being named a director of the Bank in 1943. She died January 13th 2009.

Port of Spain Lighthouse, St Vincent Jetty. Built in 1880s, 64 ft hexagonal tower with a small lantern at the top and a gallery in the middle, painted white with red and black trim. The original lighthouse was also hexagonal, but only 43 ft tall. The lighthouse was built at the base of the St. Vincent Jetty, but since then the shoreline has been extended and the original purpose of the light has been lost. At some point some restoration work was done on the tower, but by 2004 it was in poor condition, with a lean of about 5°. In late 2005, the lighthouse was repainted in a wildly colorful pattern honoring Trinidad and Tobago’s World Cup soccer team, and in late 2006 it was painted again to publicize the Cricket World Cup played in Trinidad in 2007. 2011 photo by Jaime Bagoo

Canons at Fort San Andrés. One of the oldest forts built for the defense of Port of Spain. Originally built on an offshore rock in the harbour, the site is now inland due to reclamation of the surrounding land. After the British captured Trinidad in 1797 the fort fell into disuse. A new building, built on the foundations of the old fort housed the Commercial Newsroom, and later the harbour-master’s office. The building housed various government offices, but when the Police Service Traffic Branch vacated the building in 1995 the decision was made to restore the building to its 1845 appearance and convert it to a museum of the City of Port of Spain. Several of the original cannons are still present and the foundations bear the date 1785. The fort may have been built as early as 1757, but the first reference to the fort is in 1777. It saw action when the British captured Trinidad in 1797, but was unable to prevent them from landing. Photos by Jaime Bagoo

Did you know this boat went around the world? Harold La Borde and his wife made history in this vessel. A famous Trinidadian sailor and adventurer who in 1963 to 1973 circumnavigated the world in his 40ft ketch, ‘Hummingbird II’. He was accompanied by his wife, Kwailan, and his five year old son Pierre. As the first known Trinidadian sailors to cross the Atlantic and later to circumnavigate, Harold and Kwailan were awarded the nation’s highest honor - the Gold Trinity Cross. Photo by Jaime Bagoo

Named after Ernest Hugh Canning, Canning’s Corner, which was situated at 25 Frederick Street, corner of Queen Street, Port of Spain. was the site of a popular grocery store of the day.
In 1941, at the time of World War II, Canning’s American son-in-law: Gordon Graves New, then manager of the soft-drink division of the company, arranged for the company to get the bottling concession for the novelty drink in order to supply the heavy demand of the soldiers stationed at Chaguaramas as well as the Wallerfield bases. 2011 Photo by Jaime Bagoo

What do these pictures have to do with culture you say? Well, just look at them.

The view from a hill shows part of the skyline of upper Port of Spain, as seen from Carr Street in Belmont. In a couple of years it will be transformed just as it changed within the twenty-something odd years of my seeing this view everyday.

The Moravian Church fell into dis-use and decay over a period spanning twenty six years, mainly as persons of the Moravian faith moved out of the area. The church is built in typical architectural style of other churches of the faith.

That house on the corner of Piccadilly street itself is perhaps close to being 100 years or so. It was typical of the style of houses from pre -independence days.

The Rosary Church is an historic monument with its own rich history and part of the Catholic Church’s impact on the country.

Laventille road… These were taken as I had just finished reading Lovelace’s “The Dragon can’t Dance” as well as looking at the  movie “Fire Down Below” starring Rita Hayworth and shot entirely in Trinidad…it actually is very reminiscent of the scenes described in the book as well as the footage from the movie.

Will these places be around in the next twenty years? Whether they are or not it would be good to have  some evidence of what the place looked like back then (even if they are not really stellar photos).

This is part of documenting our history as we go along, telling  our own stories.

Join me in capturing images of the country.

Photos by Jaime Bagoo