Love thy neighbour like a Trini would

December 30, 2017

Loving your neighbour the Trinidadian way embodies a deep-rooted cultural tradition of community solidarity, mutual support, and sharing food across cultural and religious divides. This article explores the unique characteristics of neighbourly relations in Trinidad and Tobago, highlighting how everyday interactions foster profound social cohesion.

It examines traditional practices such as exchanging holiday meals during Eid, Divali, and Christmas, which strengthen community bonds. Readers will discover authentic insights into local customs that define Caribbean hospitality and neighbourly care.

The piece stands out by capturing the genuine warmth and cultural nuances of Trini lifestyle values without relying on clichés.

Key Takeaways

Love thy neighbour like a Trini would reflects vibrant community solidarity in Trinidad and Tobago.
Cultural and religious festivals prompt the heartfelt exchange of traditional meals among neighbours.
Neighbourly care fosters deep social cohesion across diverse ethnic backgrounds in the region.
Authentic Caribbean hospitality relies on mutual support and open-door daily interactions.

By Marissa Armoogam. The people in Trinidad are well known for our tremendous love of celebrations and public holidays, actually we look forward to any time that allows us to step away from work and relax for a bit (I have personally witnessed offices and schools closed due to “Hurricane Watch” and every liming spot was packed with Trinis taking one before the storm). Our population is one where a diverse people live together in harmony (most of the time).

Because of our multicultural and multi ethnic backgrounds there are varying religious and cultural celebrations throughout the year. It is quite a blessing actually to live in such a society when compared to the harshness of the rest of the world.

The three major groups are Christians, Hindus and Muslims and yet each of these groups is able to peaceably co-exist. For each of these distinct and auspicious celebrations almost every Trini shares in the festivities, Christians, Hindus and Muslims alike each prepare on the special day the local foods associated with each event.

A Trini neighbour invites everyone to their celebration

In a Hindu home on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr you are sure to find a pot of Sawine being made along with sweets, or for Divali each home shares in the making of Indian delicacies and dishes. And as for Christmas every Trini except for those who are exceptionally devout to their respective beliefs shares in the happiness and celebrations of Christmas.

There is an unsaid law, if you would call it that amongst Trini neighbours, as in all societies, not everyone gets along all of the time, sometimes a neighbour might get angry because the leaves from your tree might fall in his yard, then follows the customary “cuss-out” and then a couple of months of not speaking to each other. However, during the couple of months of not speaking, if an incident or unfortunate accident should happen to you, be sure it’s the neighbour you “cuss-out” that will be at your house first to make sure everything is okay.

Even though we as Trinis may have a vast variety of differences amongst us the love and sometimes even ‘tough-love’ outweighs the problems. So the next time your neighbour watch you hard because your tree drop some leaves in his yard… smile and say “neighbour ah love yuh, let we boil ah pot”.