The history

Trinidad & Tobago gained independence from the United Kingdom on August 31, 1962 — 26 days after Jamaica. The two islands had been British colonies for over 160 years after Spain and France left their marks on Trinidad, and the Dutch on Tobago. Independence came under Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams, whose People’s National Movement had led the push for sovereignty through the 1950s.

The motto “Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve” reflects a nation of remarkable layers — African, Indian (the largest population of Indo-Caribbeans in the world), Chinese, Syrian-Lebanese, European, and Indigenous peoples. Trinidad gave the world steelpan (the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century), calypso, soca, chutney music, doubles, and Carnival itself — the Trinidad Carnival is the mother of every Caribbean Carnival, including Brooklyn’s.

NYC’s Trinidadian community is centered on two corridors: Liberty Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens (the largest Indo-Caribbean community outside T&T and Guyana), and Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights and Flatbush. Independence Week rolls directly into the Brooklyn Carnival lead-up — Panorama, Dimanche Gras, J’ouvert, and the Parkway parade are all, at their core, Trini tradition exported.