Write a reflection of two parts:

1. In what specific way(s) has the Spanish influence persisted in the Caribbean/Trinidad
and Tobago?
The name of the island says it all, “La Isla De La Trinidad,” / “The Island of the Trinity”
better known as Trinidad and Tobago. In the present day of Trinidad and the Caribbean,
there continues to be an abundance of Spanish influence that remains from the colonial
days. This includes:
Places names:
 Las Cuevas- the caves
Santa Cruz- the holy cross

Traditions:

 The playing of parang can widely be heard in Trinidad around Christmas time and
was brought to us by the Spanish. Its translation is “out partying” or “party lover”

Dances:

 Castillian Waltz is a dance that people Trinidad and Tobago like to enjoy at
Christmas.
 Another dance from the Spanish heritage is Maypole which is performed by kids
dancing around a pole with ribbons. At the end, the pole is beautifully decorated with
ribbons.

Music:

 Musical instruments such as the cuatros, guitars, maracas are all Spanish heritage
instruments and are used to play many different songs like the song for Maypole.

Religion:

 The Roman Catholic religion is influenced by Spanish culture as well. This is also a
religion practiced in Trinidad & Tobago. During church services prayers are offered
to a number of different Saints.

Food:

 There are many popular foods that are influenced by Spanish heritage for example
carambola, sapadilla, granadilla, cassava bread, sancocho or sancoche, and pastelles.

Languages:

 The Spanish influenced language in Trinidad. Approximately 60,000 people in

Trinidad speak Spanish.
Clothes:

 One of the dresses worn by Trinidadians is influenced by Spanish heritage and it is

called the Traje de Faralao, this is a polka dot dress also some can be striped.

2. If Christopher Columbus had not encountered the region in his search for Asia, how
do you imagine life would be in the Caribbean today?
I would imagine that life in the Caribbean would have been a lot different in terms of the
people living here however I think that we would have at least 60% of the same history. I
say this because if Christopher Columbus had not encountered the region, the indigenous
people would have gone on to survive and become proper societies that would exist in
present time. Additionally, the discovery of the region would have been inevitable as the
European explorers would at some point in time want to know what there was in the rest of
the world and ventured out to discover us.
In terms of genocide and slavery, these might have been avoided if in that extra time the
Europeans had evolved from such barbaric behaviour and the indigenous people would
have known how to fight and protect their land better. I believe that our culture would
have a certain amount of European influence since the they would be allowed to settle here
and carry on in the generations. In terms of the Asian and African aspect of history, these
may not be the same as the need for slavery would not be necessary.
Due to all these changes, the life of a Caribbean person would be greatly different. We
would have a different heritage and different customs etc. Our daily lives would have a
greater similarity to those of the indigenous people just like how the nine native tribes of
Guyana live today. We would know and practice the ways of the people before us which in
some instances would allow us to have less technological advances. Thus the Caribbean
would have a strong indigenous culture nut suffer the price of being as multicultural as we
are today.
However, the happenings of these times might have played out the same exact way just in
a later period in history. That is, if later on in time the Spanish had sent Columbus to find
another route to Asia and he stumbled upon the region and had seen the need for genocide
and slavery. We would be sitting right where we are today.