South Trinidad hidden history

...Archaeologists reveal indentured and indigenous lives

A TEAM of international and local heritage professionals are revealing new insights into the way indentured, post-indentured, and Indigenous communities shaped the physical and cultural landscapes of South Trinidad. The Researching the Environment through Archaeology and Community Heritage (REACH) Project is an initiative dedicated to historical archaeology and practical training that has recently concluded its successful 2026 field season in the Palmiste area in Southern Trinidad.

Leading the international project is Dr Mark Hauser (Northwestern University) as principal investigator, alongside a distinguished local leadership team that includes the expertise of senior researcher at the National Trust Ashleigh Morris (Project Director & Co-PI), who coordinates the overall research strategy; Heritage Preservation research officer Karishma Nanhu (Community Engagement Director & Co-PI), who drives stakeholder and local community outreach; Dr Shad Gobinsingh, an experienced Trinidadian archaeologist and Heritage Preservation expert who serves as field director, overseeing excavation operations and student fieldwork instruction; and Zara Ali, laboratory director, who manages artefact processing and analysis at the University of the West Indies Archaeology Centre.

REACH is established under a formal Memorandum of Understanding linking the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago, The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, and Northwestern University (USA). The project also relies heavily on ground-level expertise from key local partners, including the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation and the Palmiste Historical Society.

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Oh wow, talk about a flashback! 🌴 I remember Palmiste Park back and friends in Philippine Village in the days I spent at my Grandparents?

We used to spend hours playing on the cricket pitch right above the pond. I still remember all the fruit trees scattered around, chennet, dongs, mangoes, you name it.

On the Dumfries road side they had about 10 acres of pristine forest , some hugh silk cotton trees over 100 ft tall at the base about 30 ft , sadly they chopped down that small forest for homes . Coconut , cocoa , oranges , grapefruit , bananas and sugar cane plantations

Back then, they used to let animals graze freely in the park, which was fine until this one specific red bull decided he absolutely hated my guts. 😂 I literally had to scramble up a dongs tree to escape him! The stubborn guy actually stood at the bottom for a few minutes, just staring up waiting for me to come down. He was a real nasty one! 😲

So many crazy stories from that old park? 

Sarge