January 10th Blog by Aleema, Makayla, Wynsome :)

January 10th -- TOBAGO 😍

Pirates Bay, Charlotteville☠

We have been in Tobago for about 4 days! We have been living in the Man-O-War Cottages on the beach in Charlotteville and even got to have class outside on our porch. Today, after class, we made the short hike to Pirates Bay to swim and spend the day on the beach. While on the beach we spotted jellyfish and took quite a few tumbles in the large, powerful waves 😂After our excursion we were very tired and headed back to Charlotteville to get food, which you can see in the pictures below! Overall, our Friday was full of fun, laughter, and good food! 


Food from a local restaurant in Charlotteville😋

As well as having lots of outdoor fun, we also learned about Carnival and the beginning of the Steelband Movement in Trinidad and Tobago! Although Carnival can appear to other parts of the world as one big frivolous party, it is in fact full of important meaning. Carnival is an instigator of national culture and works to reflect the colonial history and the many ethnic, diverse groups who live on both islands. Essentially, Carnival represents the story about the resilience and culture of Trinidad and Tobago. Alongside this, the steelpan has emerged as the leading instrument in Carnival culture and music. We have seen evidence of this in Tunapuna (the town where our dorms are located) and other cities/towns as well. Steelbands play a major role in the community and are a source of pride for people who associate themselves with their local band. 


THINGS TO KNOW:
⭐Trinidad gained its independence from Britain in the year of 1962.
⭐Steelpan (also known as a pan or steel drum) is a musical instrument that is the national instrument         of Trinidad and Tobago. Steelpan was created in the 1930s!
⭐Steelpan has origins from slavery 🠞 enslaved Africans would sing, dance, and play drums during         periods of time outside of the plantation work routine. 













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