Author & Researcher :Angelo Bissessarsingh
Written December 14, 2014
Back in times Christmas has become commercialized to the point where it has lost some of its special savour. The rampant consumerism that now begins as early as September in some stores, has robbed the season of its traditional values and in the process, has deprived us of that essence which once made Yuletide important to our ancestors. Christmas was of course introduced with the coming of the Spaniards to the island in their first permanent settlement of San Jose de Oruna (St Joseph), in 1592.
There is no documentary evidence yet known about how these early colonizers celebrated the season, but being of an almost unanimously Roman Catholic persuasion, it can be assumed that there would have been mass at the church. First Peoples became evangelised through the machinations of the colonists themselves and later, through the influence of Capuchin monks who began arriving to establish missions in the island in 1687. Through a process of supplanting indigenous beliefs with Christianity and doubtless with the enticement of trinkets as gifts, there would have been some observance of Christmas at the missions.
The influx of French planters and their enslaved workers after the Cedula of Population in 1783 brought a more stabilizing influence to the society. Like the Spaniards, the French were almost all Roman Catholic and attended midnight mass at the wooden chapel which served the little muddy town that was Port-of-Spain.
With the growing affluence of the planters, especially after the conquest of the island by the British in 1797, Christmas balls became a great tradition with sumptuous meals being served on large tables. Both imported cured meats such as hams were served with an abundance of local fare like wild game, turtle and fish.
The enslaved who were fortunate enough to be on estates held by more humane masters also had a share in the festivities.
This of course was no elaborate matter but to poor beings trapped in the oppressive circumstances as the slaves were, a little was quite magnanimous in their eyes. Some who were permitted to keep provision grounds could raise crops or chickens for sale and thus have some cash for a few extra innocent luxuries. If the master of the plantation wished, he would distribute some extra food and pieces of cloth.
One invaluable account was written on La Reconnaissance Estate (Lopinot Valley) by Webster Gillman who bought the cocoa plantation after the death of its founder, Comte de Lopinot in 1819.Gillman recorded:
"We are all here carousing at La Reconnaissance. My family are preparing my dinner, and I am keeping order amongst 80 negroes who are all dancing, old and young, big and little, around me as hard as theycan put feet to the ground. I spent last Christmas here and finding the negroes converted were most happy and contented.
I determined to make them so this year and I have succeeded. Early this morning, the 25th,we were awoke by salutes of small arms and as soon as the day broke, all the children were brought to the house to say their catechisms and to sing psalms,which to me was a very pleasing sight; this plan I adopted since I purchased the estate as I conceived that knowledge and existence of a superior being above would do no harm for them to know, and I have seen the happiest effects resulting from it.
At nine o’clock while at breakfast, the whole of the negroes came dressed in the gayest clothes to wish us a Merry Christmas, and a piece of beef and an allowance of flour and raisins with a proportion of rum for the men and wine for the women and children. Then began dancing and the whole house is made free to them for three hours and they are enjoying themselves in the hall etc. “I have been three hours engaged in fitting the whole of the men with two suits of clothes each viz. a hat, a woolen cap, woolen shirt, a linen shirt, blue cloth jacket lined with flannel, blue trousers, and a pair of duck trousers; the manager’s wife supplying the women and children with hats, handkerchiefs, two shirts, blue wrapper and blue petticoat,with a linen gown, the boys supplied according to their ages.”
Far from being a kindly indulgence, these clothes were the yearly allowance for the enslaved workers and would have to last until next season, but in the Christmas spirit, this pittance was like the riches of the world.

Photo description :Dancing at La Reconnaissance Estate in the Lopinot Valley by Richard Brigens ( 1836

That’s the caption under this comic by Dereck C. Aleong, which was published in the Trinidad Guardian on December 24th 1950.
The comic shows a Trinbagonian family in their home decorating a fig (banana) tree for Christmas. There are presents under the Christmas tree.
Aleong was the Chief Artist of the Trindad Guardian in the 1950s. He sold his first cartoon to the newspaper in 1950 while he was a student at Queen’s Royal College (QRC) in Port of Spain.
This comic is courtesy of the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Newspaper, which is part of the National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago Newspaper Collection. (Source: National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, Dec 22, 2023).

​In the heart of culinary passion lies Tyrelle Amanda Chase, the driving force behind TC’s Sweets&Treats.
From her earliest memories in the kitchen at the age of seven, Chase's journey has been a tapestry woven with love, family, and a deep connection to food.
Reflecting on her culinary evolution, Chase said, “I'd always go to the kitchen and watch, whether it’s my sisters or my father, whatever they may be doing. The first meal I cooked on my own was corned beef and spaghetti, and from then on, I thought I was ‘d boss’ of the kitchen.
Her culinary ambitions deepened after losing her sister, fostering a shared love for food and laughter in the kitchen.
“As I got older, I'd always watch Food Network with the iron chefs and the bake offs with one of my sisters who was also a foodie.”
She passed away when I was 14, and I guess me going further into the culinary industry is partly because of her, aside from the fact that I grew to love the arts myself, but we would be in the kitchen and copy the recipes, (as best as possible), laugh about what came out bad, enjoyed what came out good, and I'd always be disappointed whenever I made something that wasn't really like up to par, but she would always comfort me, and remind me I'm still a child and that Rome wasn't built in a day.
"She used to tell me that those people on television are trained professionals who had years of practice. Even today, at 22 years old, I still sit back and remember those times whenever I would start to beat myself up over something not coming out perfect, or close to perfect as possible. Everyone makes mistakes, we just have to learn from it and try a different technique.”

Officially becoming a YTEPP-certified pastry chef in April, Chase credits Montgomery Guy and her family for their instrumental roles. She expresses gratitude for the support that fuelled her journey into the hospitality industry, aiming to evolve into an executive chef.
Cooking, baking, and crafting food are Chase's expressions of love and warmth. "I love the satisfaction of seeing someone smile because of me. You never know who may be having a bad day."
Chase's passion is rooted in creating joy for others, a sentiment she holds dear.
Her business, currently online with aspirations for a physical location, offers an array of pastries, baked treats both sweet and savoury from puffs to pizzas, dinner rolls, éclairs, quiche, cheesecakes, black cakes, pone, cookies and more.
Her Christmas cooking philosophy resonates with warmth and nostalgia, aiming to bring comfort and joy reminiscent of childhood traditions. She believes in spreading homemade comfort, especially in challenging times.
The motto Chase lives by is a testament to resilience and perseverance: “Rome, nor the Great Wall of China, were built in a day. Take life one stride at a time, stumble, fumble, make mistakes, but don't give up.”
She encourages others, especially those in the culinary field, to persist through challenges, reminding them that it's never too late to start anew.
The recipe Chase generously shares is black cake
Ingredients
250g (1 cup) brown sugar
2 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 tsp, vanilla extract (essence)
1 ½ tsp grated lime peel
2-3 dashes bitters
Nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon powder
½-1 cup browning
Fruit mix
250g (1 cup), seedless prunes
125g (½ cup) currants
250g (1 cup) sultanas and raisins
125g (½ cup) lemon peel
125g (½ cup) cherries and mixed fruits
Directions
For non-alcoholics
Soak your fruits using 2-3 bottles of sorrel and ginger Shandy (you can use ginger beer) as well, along with ½ bottle of Malta, ¼ tsp baking powder and some clove (stir thoroughly).
You need to ensure the liquid is just about one to two cms above the fruits as the fruits will soak the liquid and you would need to save some of that syrup to pour over the cakes (to keep them moist) when they are done baking,
For those who consume alcohol
Using the same measurement of fruits, replace the Shandy and Malta with cherry brandy and vodka, White Oak or puncheon rum. Remember to add enough liquid so fruits are completely submerged and liquid is one to two cms above fruits. Also, because you're using alcohol you don't need to add baking powder.
Soak fruits for three to four days before using.
Preheat oven to 250°F (125°C)
Line cake pan with paper (baking/wax)
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon
Cream the butter and sugar (until light and fluffy)
Add eggs, one at a time and beat until well combined
Mix in, vanilla, lime peel, nutmeg and bitters
Fold the flour mixture gradually into the butter mixture (in three equal parts)
Add fruits, and enough browning (for your desired colour)
Stir well
Pour mixture into lined baking pans to ¾ full and bake in your preheated oven at 250°F, for the first hour.
Reduce heat to 200-225°F, for remaining 1 ½ hours or until tester comes out clean
Prick hot cake with skewer, pour mixture of Shandy, Malta, or cherry brandy and rum
Cover, set aside
Remove from pan only when the cake is completely cooled and all liquid is absorbed.(Source: Newsday, Dec. 16, 2023)

BAVINA SOOKDEO
In the village of Flanagin Town, art teacher Clive Teemul has found a way to marry history and the holiday spirit.
Using his teaching experience and his knowledge of the cultural heritage of his community, Teemul has put together and curates the Cocoa Panyol Museum and Christmas Village.
The Christmas village comprises almost entirely recycled and re-purposed materials such as plastic bottles, glass bottles, Styrofoam and scrap fabric.
The traditional cartoon characters and Christmas figures are all hand-designed and hand-painted by Teemul.
The museum contains artefacts, some of which were donated by people in the community.
There is also a roadside display that is set in a separate area and offers spacious surroundings with ease of accessibility and movement in a clean, green environment.
In addition to the display itself, visitors are treated to photo opportunities, a festive drink such as sorrel or hot chocolate, a short, guided tour of the museum and a small snack pack for children while stocks last. Some may be served home-made hops baked on banana leaves.
Born and raised in Flanagin Town on rented property which was part of a cocoa estate, Teemul was the seventh of eight children. Together with his parents, he lived in what he describes as “a humble wooden dwelling.” As progress was made, the wooden structure was replaced with a concrete house.

“We grew up with sound family values and family cohesiveness,” he told Newsday.
“Our parents were hard-working to maintain the family stability…they were creative, enabling self-sufficiency in some ways. We never had Christmas decorations and gifts, except balloons while growing up. No tree, only some postcards hung on a string on the living-room wall.
“As I grew older and began teaching, I was able to afford some decorations, tree, crèche. Each year I tried to add something new. My nieces and nephews anticipated visits here to see ‘what new Uncle Clive had’…their excitement never grew weak.”
He said after his mother died in August 2012 and his father in June 2015, he did not decorate the house.
Instead, he decided to take them to his school, Tabaquite Secondary, so his students could enjoy them.
Eventually, he created a mini Christmas village in his art room, adding children’s art projects to the display.
“I linked with other subject departments which were willing to add to the display. Some teachers did Christmas storytelling in the Christmas village during their lunchtimes.”
He observed the reactions of students, and resolved to create something bigger and better for the children the following year.
In 2016, together with a colleague who sourced raw materials, and the efforts of students and teachers from neighbouring primary schools, the Christmas village with the theme Being a child again this Christmas was opened. 
In 2017, Teemul saw the need for a permanent museum and worked toward the opening of Cocoa Panyol Museum.
“In brainstorming the theme that year, I looked for ways in which Christmas of long ago influenced Christmas today.
“As the thought of pastelles and parang echoed in my mind, I initially associated the Spanish connection, but as I examined it further, it dawned on me that the Venezuelan connection was evident...those who came in the mid 1800s were not pure Spanish, but a tri-racial or
pardo group mixed with Amerindian/African/Spanish….they were the group known as the ‘panyols’ and the ones who worked the estates, like the one I lived on, were commonly called ‘cocoa panyols.’ It is with this realisation that I decided to name the museum Cocoa Panyol Museum.”
Since the Christmas project and the museum concept developed at a phenomenal rate, in 2017 Teemul moved it to his home, where visitors could have easier access at their convenience rather than during confined hours at school.
“I chose my home and yard where I can monitor and attend to its needs without stress or difficulty.
“Also, I can easily link my discussions with the history of my own village. I can draw or attract people to a district which would normally be unknown to many Trinidadians. These efforts can open up rural travel and exploration by outsiders.
“Flanagin Town is said to be at the centre of Trinidad as told from the days of World War II, when American pilots flew over the RC Church and used it as a landmark.”
He said he faced some challenges when establishing the museum – from finding artefacts to reorganising home space and creating an inviting environment. But with time, the community and visitors contributed items, and Teemul’s resourcefulness turned garage and living-room spaces into museum corners. Glass cases, funded by visitor donations, now protect the artefacts, reducing maintenance.
Teemul said initially, the number of members of the community visiting both the museum and Christmas display was extremely small, but last year there was an observable upward spike in villager visits at Christmas time. He also noted that a few villagers visited several times during the Christmas season.
“Visitors from outside have been gradually increasing over the years,” he said.
“The total visitors for December so far this year is 115,” which will most likely increase because the Christmas display runs until the evening of January 1, 2024.
Teemul said visitors “...are overwhelmed and excited throughout their visit.
“Upon entry recently one visitor who accompanied a tour group organised by the National Trust said when she reached and observed from the road she wondered, ‘What are we really going to do in this place for four hours?’…but upon entering and going through the planned activities, she quickly retracted that thought.
“Many seniors share their personal experiences with us. We look forward to learning from visitors, not only imparting knowledge from the museum. Some visitors return with other persons whom they mobilised for a trip here.
“Some visitors indicate that they came as a result of feedback from previous visitors, or from social media coverage and conventional media coverage. Some are returning to the place of their childhood and reuniting with family members through the museum efforts or even reuniting in the museum.
“Some are brought to tears by standing in the presence of an artefact they realise belonged specifically to a grandparent or relative.”
Teemul envisions expanding the village by adding interactive sessions and diversifying museum offerings. But, he said, there will be need for more media coverage and exposure to attract visitors.
During the Christmas season the Cocoa Panyol Museum and Christmas Village is open daily from 10 am-10 pm. Outside of the Christmas season, it is open on weekends and public holidays from 1-5 pm. Special arrangements can be made for group and weekday bookings.
Teemul said, “During the month of December there is no planned cost for drop-in visits: we rely on the goodness and generosity of visitors’ cash donations.
“For drop-ins during the year, the same policy applies...donations are optional but highly appreciated.
“For group visits, details and costs are discussed when making arrangements, depending on group size, age group and the package desired, as these visits require lengthy preparation and incur high costs.”
Lunch is optional at an extra cost.
He said all income goes towards accommodation for artefacts, acquiring additional artefacts and to provide additional infrastructure such as display units, and land preparation for future expansion.
For more info call 733-5701 or visit the Facebook page Cocoa Panyol Museum.
(Source: Newsday, Dec 16, 2023)

From a professional-sounding perspective, Nicholas Walker calls himself a conservationist and nature enthusiast.
But in casual conversation, he is “just a man who likes the bush.”
From fields to forests, the former national footballer is now on a mission to get more people interested in this country’s flora and fauna.
Walker, 33, was raised in St Ann’s, Port of Spain, in a large family. He told Sunday Newsday he has always been surrounded by and in love with nature.
“(As a child) I was exactly like I am now – probably worse. We grew up doing bush things, we had a farm and those kinds of things.”
His childhood heroes were the legendary English broadcaster and biologist Sir David Attenborough and late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin. His eyes would be glued to the TV any time Animal Planet or Discovery Channel were on.
He attended St Margaret’s Boys’ Anglican Primary School, then St Mary’s College. He then did a bachelor’s degree in sports management at the Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey, US, graduating in 2014.
It was there the defender played college football and later played professionally for MLS (Major League Soccer) team FC Dallas, among others. He has also played for TT’s national under-20 football team.


But when his grandmother, Gloria Walker, fell ill, he decided to return home in 2018. She died two months after he got back.
Admittedly, just before his return, he felt like he was “losing the connection to (his) roots.”
He recalled his grandmother continually encouraging him.
“She was my rock (and) the greatest matriarch you’d ever meet. She not only raised seven children but 20-30-something grandchildren, and without an education. Seeing that type of love was an inspiration.”
So Walker returned to his happy place – nature.
He said he got the opportunity to travel the world thanks to football, and “by doing that, I realised that TT has so many of the things (flora and fauna) you can see abroad.
“It might be a different colour, but we have it.”
He then felt mandated to urge others to “show some appreciation and encourage them (to explore TT) a bit more.”
That, he concluded, is his purpose.
“It’s the thing that came easy to me.
“I think a lot of people have this idea that they need to chase after their purpose. For me, your purpose is the thing that comes easy to you.”
The passion behind this purpose eventually led to his nature tour business, TTrodOn Tours And Experiences/Exploring TT.
“I started taking friends and it moved from my friends to their family and friends.
“I remember (tours) would be like $20 back then.”
Living up to his surname, his preferred method of transport is walking – which he does barefoot.
In fact, he once walked from Port of Spain to Maracas, and from Port of Spain to Grande Riviere, a fishing community along the northeastern coast.
He now makes YouTube videos of places he hikes or explores with his friends Zakirayya Ali, Saifaudeen Mohammed and Sabrina Ali. In the videos, he gives fun facts about every animal or ecosystem he comes across in effort to educate.
In what he described as “a chance of a lifetime,” he got the opportunity to assist the crew of the BBC docuseries Liz Bonnin's Wild Caribbean in November. The team was here to see the white-fronted capuchin monkey. Bonnin said there are only 50 mature adults left of this species in the world, and they're all in TT.
Bonnin lived here for some time as she was born to a TT mother and her father, originally from Martinique, also lived here.
Walker had visited the area they were exploring – Bush Bush Forest/Wildlife Sanctuary – a week earlier and posted videos about it.
“So a week later, my friend’s mom was like, ‘Aye, these people from the BBC coming.’ Don’t ask me how (she knew) but she said it would be a good opportunity to go see what they do, that I could help them carry equipment…”
So he went.
But after several hours of trying, they still had not found the animal.
“And at one point, I just took it upon myself and said I’d take the camera crew alone to the spot where we found our monkey.”
He said the monkey is very skittish, so the large team would have lowered the chances of its coming out.
“So I could hear a male making a call, and I started whistling back. He was coming closer, to see who is this other male (capuchin) in his territory.
“You could see him coming through the branches, and he came straight to the camera, realised, ‘Wait, this is not a monkey,’ then took off.”
He said a cameraman ran after the monkey, which paused for a drink of water, allowing him to get the perfect photo.
“That experience just solidified my purpose in this space. When it comes to nature in TT, this is what I am supposed to be doing. I am trying to encourage (TT nationals) to learn their home and I think if you do, you can respect it a little more and appreciate it a little more.
“You’d realise in my videos – you don’t really see people. I want to show TT’s nature, and the vibrance of what we have right here.”
He recently came across the Suriname toad, which he said had not been recorded as seen in TT for at least 32 years, as well as the critically endangered golden tree frog.
Sunday Newsday did a mini hike with Walker at the Bamboo Cathedral in Chaguaramas, which he insisted was not a hike but “a small stroll.”
It was there he and the team saw a group of tufted capuchins, among smaller critters.
But Walker credits a lot of his knowledge to the friends he goes on adventures with.
“Yes, I know trees, I know animals, but I learnt from them. I always have to give credit where it is due. They actually have degrees in these things.”
He also does wildlife photography and is known for taking impressive close-up shots of snakes.
“If you sit in nature long enough, stories will start to unfold.”
A dream of his has always been to work with Caribbean Airlines to have his work featured in some way.
He said three weeks ago, the company “messaged (him) out of nowhere” saying they liked his work and wanted to send him to Dominica to do something similar.
“Dominica has been the only place in the world I’ve wanted to go since I was 16, and I still had not been. It was an amazing experience and there was so much to see.”
Although he has seen many animals, he is yet to see a (mapepire zanana) bushmaster (
Lachesis) snake – the largest venomous snake in the Americas – and an ocelot, but hopes he can achieve that soon.
“Nature, in itself, just gives to us, and we are supposed to protect it.” (Source: Newsday Dec 16, 2023)

Wendy Rahamut

With only two weeks to Christmas, I know most of you will be in frenzy mode. For me it’s the Christmas baking I like to get done ahead of time, especially my Christmas black cakes and cookies. Christmas cookies make delightful gifts and its one activity you can engage the whole family. I enjoy black cakes and enjoy making them, and I also am very fond of Dundee cakes, rich with fruits and nuts, this year I will be making my traditional black cakes but I’m promising myself a Dundee as well.



Thumbprint cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 cup finely chopped nuts, (peanuts, hazelnuts or almonds)
1 cup jam or jelly any type
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butter and flour baking trays.
Cream butter until light. Beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Add egg yolks and vanilla, beat until blended.
Combine flour and salt and add to batter.
Stir until a dough like consistency is formed.
Shape cookies into one-inch balls and place on a trays.
Lightly beat egg whites in a shallow bowl.
Place finely chopped nuts in another shallow dish.
Roll each ball of cookie dough in egg white and then roll lightly in nuts.
Place on prepared trays about one inch apart.
Press centre of each cookie in slightly using your thumb or index finger.
Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
Gently press the indentation again and cool cookies on racks.
When cookies are cooled, spoon a little jam or jelly into the centres.
Makes about 48 cookies
Sugared fruit shortbread
1 cup dried fruit, raisins and currants
2 tsp aromatic bitters
1 cup unsalted butter
⅔ cup icing sugar, sifted
1½ tsp salt
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup coarse-grained golden sugar
Wash and dry fruit, place in a bowl and add bitters, stir.
Let macerate for about one hour.
Chop fruit finely in a food processor.
Cream butter with icing sugar, add salt and flour.
Mix well, add fruit and combine.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead to a uniform texture.
Divide into 2 pieces. Roll each into a 7-inch log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Chill for about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place golden sugar into a plate.
Slice cookies ¼ inch thick; roll in the sugar, covering the ends only.
Place on cookie sheets one inch apart
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool on racks.
Makes 24
Rich West Indian Dundee cake
1 lb butter
½ lb granulated sugar
½ lb brown sugar
8 eggs
Zest of three limes
2 tbs vanilla essence
1 tsp almond essence
1¼ lb all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 oz ground almonds
½ cup rum (optional)
1 lb currants
1 lb sultanas
½ lb mixed peel
¼ lb cherries (red & green, cut)
3 ozs chopped Nuts
Pre-heat oven to 325 F.
Grease and line two nine inch by 3 inch cake tins.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time beating well between additions.
Add the lime zest, almond and vanilla essence.
Sieve flour, baking powder and mix in the ground almonds and fold into the batter with the rum if using.
Toss cherries, currants, sultanas, mixed peel and chopped nuts in some flour, coat evenly, shake off excess flour.
Add to the batter and gently fold in.
Bake for about 1½ hrs or until cake leaves the sides of the tin.
Cool cake in tin before removing.
Makes 2 nine inch cakes.
rahamut@gmail.com
@wendyrahamut3881 youtube.
(Source: Newsday, Dec 16, 2023)