URBAN HAVEN OF PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD: Exclusive Reflection:Trinidad's First Inhabitants

On Saturday 12th March,2016 a visit was made to the sacred site of the Banwari Man,Trinidad's first inhabitant. This sacred site is found Banwari Trace, Debe, South Trinidad. This place is thought to be the first settlement of our indigenous ancestors.The Banwari Bones can be dated to approximately 34000 ac which means the remains is about 5400 years old. On hearing that it was a sacred site, like any other sacred site such as temples and mosques, I was expecting a nicely built infrastructure displaying the indigenous people's culture. But to my dismay, this was not so as all they had was an empty hole where their ancestral bones were excavated with no other representation of our first inhabitants in our country. The remains of the bones was sent to the University of the West Indies where it is being preserved currently. However when I visited the actual remains; the museum attendant told me that some of the bones were bagged and sent to other universities to be studied.
Upset and somewhat distraught, Mr.Rabina Shar was disappointed that the bones of the Banwari Man was extracted from his tomb as this area was seen as a "sacred sense of space" where he did his prayer sessions and worship to his ancestors. A proper definition for a sacred space would be "A site where the human search for meaning and truth and divine inspiration commingles with practises and beliefs in the attempt to find an answer." He felt as if he had nothing but dirt and natural environment to pray too.He would usually offer prayers towards Banwari's remains.
" I feel very sad, I feel like I lost someone who died because when I come here to pray, the bones are not here. It was put here for a specific purpose. Naparima Hill is aligned with the sun on a certain degree with a certain frequency. With an angry tone of voice he claimed we do not know anything about this. He said they are disappointed. They have sent a claim to the Government but they do not have the money to get a lawyer to go in court for it to be determined in court. There is a precedence in the the CCJ (Inter-American Court.
This truly touched me because this Warao tribe seemed as if they have a close bond and tie with their ancestors. A bond that seems unbreakable but somehow removing the bones from them; left an open scar that generated anger towards the government. His words were, " North Americans would do a smoke ceremony 'ritual' and in that ritual; there is an offering give unto me to bury on this Earth in a place where nobody can find it and I did that.

GROUND OF CLAIM:
United Nations Declaration in the Rights of Indigenous People was declared in 2007 and the government signed this declaration. This meant that they were obligated by law or by moral principles to 'recognize' them. According to Francisco since 1538 the first original inhabitants are the sovereign of that land. The status of the nation hood, question of language to communication traditions that you live by and territory; we do not have a history in Trinidad and Tobago. Mr.Rabina Shar believed we are not a nation according to the definition of a nation. He said in 1832, John Marshall, chief justice of the Supreme Court rule in favour in the matter that they had right to sovereignty.

"An ancestral bone is the dead part of somebody that was once alive, it is a means of communication with your ancestors. Some might say it is 'obeah' and other kinds of ignorance. It is Science. A true Science. An example would be in our teachings we had a term called anomanina. This term means that there is an education system or a compilation of knowledge. Knowledge of every blade of grass, every animal, every fish; what is their name, who is their partner, who is their spirit within them, what is their purpose on Earth. We were what you call Scientific in terms of harmony and nature." Rabina Shar. Our ancestors were not destroying mountains to build housing. They were not destroying it to build a road or find oil. Mr.Rabina Shar believes they are building the highway to extract oil from oil sand which is the dirtiest way to get oil. In addition, Mr.Hamlet Harrysingh who lived Banwari Trace since birth said that if the highway was built through the Banwari's Scared Ground, it will divide the community into two. The community will not be in harmony. When asked if he was willing to move out of the place of his birth. He said that was never an option for him; as Banwari Trace was his home even though he lived Canada for a few years. It never felt like home.
Some of us may have varying definitions of what a home is. I feel there is a psychological difference between being at home and being home. Some us will easily adapt to new places and make it our home as we rediscover new aspects of life but some of us may not want to leave the one home we have always known as we hold our sentimental memories that we had in that one space. A space we knew since birth. A space that saw us from being a baby to an adult.
Some us may believe that men came on Earth to conquer and be progressive. On numerous occasions I have heard news about the highway but visiting the site made me realise that no one should be forced to let go of their sentiments to a place they keep close to their heart. They can move these people as an object and put them in a new space but can they expect them to reintegrate like their ancestors did? Almost thirteen communities with 800 residents and 350 homes will have to be broken down. The government will not be relocating their livelihood, their jobs and their sentimental values to their home. A place where their umbilical cord is buried.
The 21st century development always or most of the times result in the removal of natural habitats in the environment to erect buildings and infrastructure. The Warao Tribe have a close relationship with nature as it was part of their education. It is part of their heritage. This will cause some tension between heritage and development as they will not go hand in hand.

To learn more about the Banwari Man, Please click the link below.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Discovering-Banwari-Man-278965391.html