Caura

Caura village, located in Northern Trinidad, shoulders the memory of the Arawaks who once lived there along with the Spanish, French, and African settlers. This was the birthplace of my grandmother.

Descendants of the mixed ethnicities from Caura are often referred to as French Creole. Mama spoke Patois, a trench dialect, which was one of the dominant languages of the area. Patois was her first language. Caura was known as the land of rivers, but changes to the landscape over the years significantly reduced its size and volume. Regardless, love for the rivers of Caura remains as it is a popular destination where you can either admire the landscape, bathe, cook and play music or conduct religious rituals.

My maternal great-grandfather and grandmother were a part of the settlers

who in 1943 were forced to relocate when Government officials ordered the evacuation of Caura for the construction of a dam. It was a difficult decision for them to leave as they were farmers and owned cocoa and coffee estates which they relied on for survival. Some moved to various parts of the country like Arima, Siparia, Maracas, Lopinot, Las Cuevas and Blanchisseuse.

My grandmother's memories of her home in Caura were filled with a deep sense of nostalgia. Listening to her I grew to have a special love for my ancestral home. Just above my door there is a carving. Each time I looked at it, I thought about the destruction of the village for the intended dam. I thought about the curse put on it by the priests of the day as it also meant the loss of their beloved Santa Veronica

church. The pronouncement that the dam would never be built came to be a self fulfilling prophecy for the State.

Now I look up at the carving, I look up and see a small piece of the past - a beautiful reminder of what once was and I smile.