Tribute to Robert Antoine on Piccadilly Street

Here’s a sign in Yoruba Village, Port-of-Spain paying tribute to our Robert Antoine as the pioneer of free Africans who came to Trinidad. The village is on Piccadilly Street and this is what the plaque says:

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING YORUBA VILLAGE

For many years during the 19^th century a part of east Port-of-Spain was known as Yarraba Village or Yarraba Town. This was so because of the large population of Yarraba speaking people who were to be found in this section of the City of Port-of-Spain. The Yarraba People or Free Africans had come originally from the West Coast of Africa.  Taken by slave traders from their homes they had been liberated at sea by British Navy who in the period after 1838 operated a blockade against the slave trade. They were brought to Trinidad where they were landed as free people. They formed societies for their protection and well-being and maintained most of its important elements. The pioneer of their family in Trinidad was Acojori Zahwru, who when he arrived in Trinidad adopted a French name of Robert Antoine. He was born in Dahomey in 1800 and was among the last group of African immigrants to come to Trinidad. He arrived here in 1855 and lived to a great age.

A special thank you to Andre Antoine and Kendall Millington for bringing this to our attention.