The Cultural and Spiritual Origination of The Western, Southern and Central African Influences of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival and the artform of Kalinda.

Abstract

In this thesis, I will be discussing the origins of Carnival and the artform of Kalinda, within the Carribean twin island of Trinidad and Tobago. I will discuss the cultural and spiritual roots of these practices that originated from West, Central and South Africa. The first section of this paper will discuss Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival. The explanation regarding the festival will provide understanding about how, what where, when, and why it came into existence, and would always be significant to the island’s cultural and spiritual structural foundation. The second section will explain the complete physical and spiritual artform of Kalinda and why it is to understand. The last section of this paper will discuss the significant cultural and spiritual connection between Carnival and Kalinda. It will discuss how this festival and artform are significant to the spiritual and cultural foundation of Trinidad and Tobago, hence providing the relevance of it being remembered and carried on at present.