Festivals in Trinidad Offer Cultural Reminiscence
This beautiful Caribbean paradise boasts an exceptionally energetic and lively cultural legacy, from the traditional Christmas season to the enthralling Trinidad Carnival. The rich diversity of ethnic groups that call Trinidad home have blended and contribute to the rich heritage that is so evident in the music, dances, art and cuisine in this Caribbean archipelago.
Trinidad celebrates several different festivals, each one of them differently colorful and exciting. All of Trinidad's festivals are famous world-wide and people come to this island especially to experience these festivals.
The Carnival, Calypso and Soca music celebrations of Trinidad are very popular and sought after. The mixture of diverse cultures in evident in the many different kinds of entertainment as well as the unique musical instruments that are used. Steelpan is a musical instrument that is indigenous to Trinidad. Other unique creations of this lively and effervescent cultural heritage include the limbo dance, chutney music and East-Indian classical music. Majority of Trinidad festivals are religiously inclined, such as Diwali, Christmas, Eid-\ul-Fitr, Holi or Phagwa, Easer, Corpus Christi and Hosay.
One of the major events on Trinidad's festival calendar is The Tobago Heritage Festival, which is a special event on the island of Tobago. There are plenty of spectacular cultural festivals that are celebrated in Tobago. The celebrations of the Tobago Heritage Festival last two weeks and take place between July and August. This annual festival is a celebration of the island's heritage and there is plenty of singing, dancing, music and food.
For the Hindu residents of Trinidad, Divali is considered the largest festival. Divali, which is a very popular festival among Hindus all over the world, is also known as the festival of lights and is celebrated sometime around October and November. There is no fixed date, which changes every year depending on the Hindu calendar. This national festival is a celebration of the victory of light over darkness, which can be seen by the lighting of small clay lamps called Diyas.
The Carnival celebration in Trinidad is a true showcase of the cultural diversity and the myriad artistic expressions brought about by the different cultures.
There are also plenty of other festivals that are celebrated in Trinidad all year round, which highlight the traditions and cultures of the different ethnic and religious groups,. Some of the festivals include Shouter Baptist Liberation Day, Arrival Day and Emancipation Day. Ancient traditions and rituals are still upheld in these festivities as a way of commemorating the older generations that inhabited this nation.
In Trinidad, guests and tourists that visit the island are welcomed to participate in whichever festival they'd like to. Trinidadians are a naturally warm and welcoming people are sure to help visitors overcome their initial shyness. What's more, everybody partakes of any festivities, no matter what culture or religion.