Discover Nelson Island: The historic lifeline of Indian immigration to Trinidad.

Nelson Island. Image courtesy National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago.

Nelson Island: Gateway of dreams, quarantine and resistance in Trinidad’s history

Just 2.5 kilometres southwest of Port-of-Spain, in the calm waters of the Gulf of Paria, lies a limestone outcrop that has played a disproportionately monumental role in the shaping of Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural, political, and historical identity, Nelson Island.

While seemingly modest in size, Nelson Island has, for centuries, been the site of transformation: from a quarantine station for Indian indentured labourers and a garrison in the colonial era, to a naval base during World War II and a political detention centre during times of civil unrest. It is not just an island; it is a living relic of a past that reflects the trials, hopes, and resilience of many who passed through its shores.

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A pre-colonial and colonial outpost

Long before its documented colonial uses, Nelson Island was likely used as a trading post by the Warao and Nepuyo tribes of the First Peoples. Its strategic location within the cluster of the Five Islands gave it natural importance for coastal exchange and temporary habitation.

During the early 19th century, the island, then known as Stephenson’s Island, was granted to Dr Neilson and later renamed Nelson Island. By the 1820s, these islands were fashionable retreats for the colonial elite of British Trinidad. But Nelson Island’s real historical footprint began to deepen as Trinidad transitioned from a slave-based economy to one dependent on indentured labour.

Post-Emancipation labour vacuum and the arrival of East Indians

With the abolition of slavery in 1834 and the decline in the local labour force, many freed Africans rejecting plantation work, the sugar industry faced collapse. Attempts to fill the labour gap with migrants from Madeira and West Africa failed.

Thus, the colonial administration turned its gaze eastward. Although plantation owner William Hardin Burnley had suggested the use of Indian labour as early as 1813, it wasn’t until 1845 that this proposal was realised. That year, the Fatel Razack docked with 225 East Indian immigrants, inaugurating the Indian indentureship system in Trinidad.

By 1866, the immigration system had grown more formalised. That year, the ship Humber became the first vessel to dock at Nelson Island with 473 immigrants—329 men, 84 women, 32 boys, and 14 girls. Sadly, 25 did not survive the arduous journey.

Nelson Island was now fully established as a quarantine station and processing depot, serving the same symbolic function for Trinidad’s Indian population as Ellis Island did for immigrants to the United States.

Quarantine, survival and Jahaji Bhai

On arrival, immigrants were subjected to fumigation procedures for both themselves and their belongings. Those suffering from severe illness—dysentery, bedsores, and other ailments brought on by the months-long sea voyage—were transferred to Lenagan Island for intensive care. Those fit enough remained at Nelson Island for about a week to recover, fed on rice, mutton, potatoes, and chapattis—an unleavened bread akin to sada roti.

Despite being strangers bound by no previous affiliation, the immigrants developed a kinship known as jahaji bhai—or “brotherhood of the boat.” It was a bond that transcended caste, religion, and geography, formed in the ship holds and on the limestone shores of Nelson Island. While a return passage was theoretically offered at the end of the five-year indentureship term, few took it. Most stayed, forming the roots of today’s East Indian population in Trinidad and Tobago.

As the flow of immigrants increased, additional wooden structures were built on the island by the late 1870s. Nelson Island’s infrastructure expanded to accommodate the influx of newcomers, becoming an essential node in the logistics of indentureship. The island remained a key processing and quarantine site until the system was abolished in 1917.

Nelson Island in the World Wars

Nelson Island’s significance did not end with indentureship. During World War I, it was intermittently used by the British as a holding facility. However, it was in World War II that the island took on renewed strategic importance. As part of the Allied defence strategy in the Caribbean, the United States Navy took over the island for use as a harbour defence station. But it also served a darker purpose, internment.

From 1939, Jewish refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe who had sought safety in Trinidad were ironically declared “enemy aliens” due to their German passports. Many were interned on Nelson Island, with women and children sent to nearby Caledonia Island. These internees included Hans Stecher, who would later become a successful jeweller and philanthropist in Trinidad. Though their internment ended by January 1944, it remains a paradoxical chapter where victims of Nazism found themselves imprisoned in the British colonies.

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Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler and political repression

Another notable chapter in Nelson Island’s history unfolded during the 1930s and 1940s with the incarceration of Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler, a Grenadian-born preacher and labour leader. Butler had become a significant voice for labour rights in Trinidad, especially among oilfield workers. In 1935, he famously led a hunger march from the Apex oilfields to Port-of-Spain.

Seen as a threat by colonial authorities, Butler was charged with sedition and imprisoned. He spent time on Nelson Island between 1939 and 1945, confined to what is now known as “Butler’s Cottage”, a small structure reconstructed in recent years using vintage photographs and historical blueprints. This cottage, now a part of the island’s guided heritage tours, stands as a testament to Butler’s legacy and the broader struggle for workers’ rights in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Black Power Uprising and 1970 detentions

Nelson Island re-emerged as a site of political importance in 1970 during the Black Power Revolution in Trinidad and Tobago. The government of Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams arrested and detained 50 revolutionaries, intellectuals, and activists who had called for systemic change in the post-colonial state. Nelson Island, with its history of confinement, was again used to stifle dissent.

The 1970 Black Power Uprising was a transformative moment in the nation’s history, driven by widespread frustration over inequality, racial discrimination, foreign economic control, and political elitism. Influenced by the global Black Power and civil rights movements, and inspired by Pan-Africanist ideals, the local revolutionaries sought to decolonise the minds and institutions of the country.

At the forefront of the protests was the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), founded and led by Makandal Daaga (born Geddes Granger). His speeches and grassroots mobilisation captured the hearts and minds of thousands of young people, workers, and marginalised citizens. The movement called for economic justice, racial pride, cultural affirmation, and the dismantling of neo-colonial structures that continued to benefit foreign interests and local elites.

As the protests gained momentum, they were joined by powerful labour unions and university students. Industrial action and public marches became widespread. The movement also received the vocal support of disillusioned middle-class professionals and academics who viewed the status quo as unsustainable.

The situation escalated rapidly, prompting the government to respond with emergency powers. On April 21, 1970, a state of emergency was declared. Under the Emergency Powers Regulations, security forces moved swiftly to detain NJAC leaders and their allies without formal charges or trials.

Many of those arrested were transported to Nelson Island, a location historically associated with quarantine and punishment. Now, it became a political prison for dissenters and thinkers. The full list of detainees are as follows:

Abdul Malik
Adrian Espinet
Aiyegoro Ome
Anthony MacFarlane
Apoesho Mutope
Bayliss Frederick
Brian Chen
Carl Blackwood
Carl Douglas
Carlos Williams
Chan Maharaj
Clive Nunez
Darwin Lewis
Dedan Kimathi
Dupont Ewing
Errol Balfour
George Weekes
Gerald Bryce
Glenford George
Hector Greig
Hilton Greaves
Hugo Piechier
Ian Richardson
John McKarm
Julian Britto
Kelshall Britto
Khafra Kambon
Leroy Rattan
Lester Efebo Wilkinson
Makandal Daaga
Mervyn Quinn Huggins
Michael Als
Michael Phillips
Nuevo Diaz
Otto Patrick
Pat Emmanuel
Stanley Antoine
Syl Lowhar
Urban Mason
Vibert Harriet
Victor Marcano
Wayne Davis
William Benjamin
William Duncan
William Rivierre
Winston Leonard
Winston Pierre
Winston Smart
Winston Suite

Most notable among the detainees were:

Makandal Daaga – Leader of NJAC, detained for allegedly inciting unrest and calling for a revolution in governance.

George Weekes – President of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), accused of leading industrial strikes in support of the movement.

Michael Als – Dynamic orator and activist, reportedly instrumental in energising youth at mass rallies.

These men, and others, were accused by the state of being part of a conspiracy to destabilise the government and overthrow the constitutional order. However, critics argued that the detentions were politically motivated and intended to suppress legitimate calls for justice and reform.

The use of Nelson Island as a detention site during this crisis was deeply symbolic. Isolated and fortified, it allowed the authorities to separate perceived threats from the general population while minimising the risk of further mobilisation. Conditions on the island were stark, and detainees had minimal contact with the outside world, except for tightly monitored visits.

Despite the detentions, the movement’s impact reverberated throughout the country. Public pressure and continued demonstrations eventually forced the government to release most detainees by the end of the year. Moreover, the uprising led to significant national introspection.

Dr Eric Williams famously responded with the televised speech, “I did not go into politics to go to jail,” a moment that illustrated the pressure his administration was under. In the aftermath, the government introduced reforms aimed at increasing Black economic participation, local ownership of industries, and cultural policy shifts, though critics argue many of these measures were cosmetic or insufficient.

Today, the 1970 Black Power Uprising is regarded as a watershed moment in the evolution of Trinidad and Tobago’s democracy. It exposed fault lines within the young nation, challenged the legitimacy of the post-independence ruling elite, and opened a space for broader civic discourse. Nelson Island, in turn, occupies a dual legacy: a symbol of state repression, but also a shrine of resistance and the unyielding spirit of political defiance.

Courtesy National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago

Heritage recognition and modern-day tours

Today, Nelson Island is listed as a protected heritage site by the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago. It is open to the public for educational and historical tours, allowing citizens and tourists alike to engage with the layered history embedded in its limestone walls and rusting ironwork.

Visitors can walk in the footsteps of Indian indentured immigrants, peer into Butler’s reconstructed cottage, and explore the remnants of the US naval installations. The island now serves not only as a memorial to past suffering and perseverance but also as an educational platform that challenges modern Trinidadians to reflect on their complex cultural inheritance.

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Notable residents and legacies

Over the centuries, Nelson Island has hosted many notable individuals—both voluntarily and involuntarily. Among them:

Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler – Labour leader and political prisoner whose actions laid the foundation for the trade union movement in Trinidad.
Hans Stecher – Austrian-born Jewish refugee who was interned during WWII and went on to become a successful businessman and donor to The University of the West Indies.
Countless unnamed indentured labourers – Men, women, and children who braved disease and uncertainty to forge a life in Trinidad, transforming its demographic and cultural landscape.

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More than an island

Nelson Island is not merely a place—it is a symbol. It symbolises forced migration, hope, resistance, and resilience. From the dawn of indentureship to wartime internments and political imprisonments, the island has borne witness to the human cost of empire and the unyielding spirit of those who dared to dream beyond its shores.

For students of history, social activists, or anyone seeking to understand Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural mosaic, a visit to Nelson Island is not just educational—it is essential. Its waters whisper stories of arrival and departure, of pain and perseverance, and most of all, of transformation.

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