Read about the legacy of a community of African descendants in Trinidad
“Safeguard and adaptation of traditions: Rada Community in Trinidad”, University of Trinidad and Tobago
The project “Rada Community of Trinidad: Continuities and Adaptations” aimed at increasing awareness of the legacy of the Rada community (a group of people from Dahomey, a country in West Africa now the Republic of Benin) among young people aged 20 to 28. The project contributed to increasing the visibility and appreciation of a community that has been able to preserve its heritage while adapting to the realities of a different world. The University hopes the project will contribute to the Rada Community being declared part of the local heritage.
Over the course of this project, students increased their knowledge of Rada traditions and understanding of the adaptation process in their new home in Belmont, Trinidad. To this end, students examined Rada practices and traditions, as well as their belief system, and assessed how they were maintained amidst Western culture.
This project had the specificity of being conducted at University level, which is still quite rare for TST projects. The level of education had an impact on the nature of activities, with greater use of academic language and the introduction of scientific concepts and analysis. Thus students discussed the syncretism between Christianity and traditional beliefs, the meaning of religious ceremonies and seasonal sacrifices and the role of musical instruments in traditional practices.