Trinidadian Insight

Yesterday I was talking to a colleague who trained in Trinidad about an event, indigenous to the island, I had only read about - Hosay Trinidad. Derived from the Ashura processions that are common place in the Shi'a Muslim world commemorating the martyrdom of Hussein, the Prophet's grandson, the festival has taken on a local flavour and 'all of Trinidad's religious and ethnic communities participate in it'.

Hosay (a mispronunciation of Hussein) was introduced to Trinidad by Shi'a labourers from the Indian subcontinent who were displaced by their colonial patrons. 'The first observance of Hosay in Trinidad has been traced back to 1854, eleven years after the first indentured laborers arrived from India.'

My colleague then went on to reflect on how the Hosay festival was in fact one of many manifestations of Trinidad's love of partying and celebrating, reminiscing fondly of hurricane parties (when sinister news is received from the Met office) and curfew parties (when the troublesome Muslimeen group causes unrest)!