Travel Diary: Paramin, Trinidad & Tobago
While it is true that many aspects of Trini Carnival are not taking place this year, our beloved festival is still very much alive. Carnival is such an ingrained part of Trinbagonian culture, that Trinis are bound to find ways to celebrate it. In that spirit, I have decided to finally publish this post about a Carnival experience I had when last I was at home in 2020. Don’t expect any pretty feathered costumes or fêteing memories in this blog post though. As much as I like and did indulge in those elements, this particular experience was off the beaten path.
I did not share pics previously because I wasn’t pleased with their quality. (My camera wasn’t working and I only managed to take a few photos with my phone). Anyhow, since I’m feeling nostalgic, I figured that I would detach from perfectionism and tell you about my day trip to Paramin.
Before we get into details about the outing, you should know that Paramin is a village in the mountains roughly 30 minutes outside of downtown Port of Spain. Although I had passed through the village before, I had never spent time there. However, I had always wanted to do so because Paramin has a rich culture and interesting history. Thus, when my friends Kaye and Nakita told me that there was a group planning excursions there for Carnival, I asked them to count me in. A couple of days after later, fueled by caffeine and excitement, I met up with my friends and the rest of the tour group and we ventured further north. The early morning drive into the mountains was invigorating due to both the environment and conversation. Our tour guide Mr. Carlos set the tone for the day by immediately engaging us with his humour and extensive knowledge about Paramin.
By the time we arrived in the village, I was wide awake and hungry. Fortunately, there was breakfast awaiting us. The roasted bake served right off the fire, buljol & cocoa tea hit the spot. I could have had one more serving of each! Instead, we burned off the calories, first by dancing to calypso and then by trekking through the village. Mr. Carlos took us to various places describing the folklore attached and showing us where much of the Trinidad’s green seasonings: chive, thyme, chadon beni etc are planted. Even though my parents have always had handfuls of these things in our home’s urban garden, it was amazing to see rows upon rows of the crops growing on the mountain sides. It helped me understand why they cost alot in the city markets. As we walked around, we were also schooled on Paramin’s significance in the cocoa industry as well as on its French Patois (Kreyol) and Spanish speaking heritage. That background is one of the things for which, Paramin is known. Many people including Trinbagonians are surprised to hear the distinctive accent that the villagers have. The linguistic influences of Spanish and especially French sit heavily on the local folks’ tongues, especially among the older generations.
I could have spent the rest of the day learning about that heritage but there was more to see. But first, we broke for lunch. That too was special since it was prepared by a local cooking legend - Uncle Clyde. My friends and I took the opportunity to chat with him as we savoured his delicious soup.
The final portion of our day in Paramin was spent in the company of some of the most important characters of T&T Carnival - Blue Devils or Djabs Bleu. Paramin is an epicentre for djabs so a journey there during Carnival time would not have been complete without seeing them. We were fortunate to have a behind the scenes glimpse of the preparations the djabs make for the festival. We even had the opportunity to practise our fire breathing skills - I opted out for the time being but maybe next time, I’ll go for it ;) As the djabs went through some of their rituals, they explained the significance of the djab and J’Ouvert traditions to the community. Their sense of pride was obvious and infectious. Being with them was the perfect way to end the day.
As we drove back to the city, I felt more convinced that it is humble places like Paramin that preserve the soul of Trini Carnival. Our nation’s dazzling fêtes and sexy masquerades are famous for good reason but experiences like visiting the Blue Devils in Paramin also highlight what makes our Carnival special.
Thank you to the people of Paramin, who were welcoming to us; to Mr. Carlos Felician for teaching us so much about his historic village and to the Xperience Local team, who did a superb job of organizing the tour. My friends and I agreed that based on the value we received, we would have gladly paid more money for it. Even though I knew a decent amount about the village before the excursion, I learned so much more that day. I can’t wait to return for a longer stay. I can’t say enough how much I recommend experiencing Carnival festivities in Paramin or a visit there, in general.
Photo Credit: Thank you to my friend Nakita for allowing me to use some of her photos.
