Sweet TnT Magazine Trinidad and Tobago Culture
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Marc Algernon explores the transformative power of Caribbean romance through a first-person narrative detailing a life-changing encounter at a Trinidadian fete. This account provides a cultural examination of how local traditions, including soca music and indigenous cuisine, facilitate deep personal connections and long-term commitment.
It highlights the shift from a transient visitor to a settled resident, offering readers an intimate look at the integration of lifestyle, marriage, and agrarian life within the island context. The narrative serves as a testament to the enduring allure of Trinidad and Tobago, blending elements of folklore-like charm with the practicalities of building a home amidst the sun and rain.
It is distinct for its rhythmic prose and authentic portrayal of local customs, from “buss up shot” to the tranquility of the savannah.
Key Takeaways
- The narrative illustrates how soca music and cultural festivities serve as catalysts for significant life transitions.
- Marriage in Trinidad often incorporates traditional culinary elements such as pumpkin choka and buss up shot.
- The transition to island life involves adapting to tropical weather patterns through architectural choices like wide verandahs.
- Agricultural self-sufficiency remains a central theme in the pursuit of a peaceful Caribbean lifestyle.
- Authentic local experiences are defined by the integration of nature, music, and community traditions.
Trini Woman: How soca music sealed a lifelong union
By Marc Algernon
Where can I go, do you know, for sapodilla brown skin?
Majestic eyes, barefoot smiles, sexy innocent sin
There is this place in the world, that live the most beautiful girls, an island in the sun
Take a chance, come and dance, come and have some fun
I came for a day and in some strange way I haven’t left yet
I took a “wine from behind” I must have lost my mind, we met in a fete
Couldn’t refuse it, trapped by sweet soca music, best dance of my life
Maybe I got carried away, just for that one day but now that Trini woman is my wife
We got married below coconut trees, sweet island breeze, the pastor an old Indian man
Of course there was soca, buss up shot, pumpkin choka, sweet tenor pan
I was hypnotised, by the love in her eyes, the hibiscus in her hair
My dreams came true, by two words “I do!”
Her cheeks wore silver tears
We built a house out of bamboo, what would you do, if your weather was only sun and rain
A wide verandah, overlooking a wide savannah; never need a fan again
I planted coconut and cassava, pumpkin and banana, my favourite… mango
I worked the land with my bear hands, as far as a man’s hands can go
So here I lay in my hammock, on my verandah, smelling the sweet grass of my savannah
Recounting all the events in between
She made me ochro rice and fish, my favourite dish… a meal for the King and Queen
I tap my feet as I eat, and read my “Sweet TnT Magazine”
August 2014 – Issue 11 www.sweettntmagazine.com
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