Reminder: Virtual Sports Day on Saturday

Ready, Set, Go!  Don’t forget to post your athletic photos tomorrow.

Calling all athletes come showcase your stuff
No water boys or bat boys, just the ones who score
Kickers, receivers, high jumpers, skaters and more
Post your pics;  not for fame nor glory
Just for fellow Antoines to love and adore

St. Francis of Assisi Church and Antoine Connection

The Belmont Antoines are Roman Catholics and attended mass and other religious services at the St. Francis of Assisi church on Belmont Valley Road.  The church was completed in 1902 and official records state that it’s limestone most likely came from “the quarries that operated in Laventille”. We also discovered that some of that stone came from the Antoine yard delivered personally by Papa. No wonder the church was so beautiful!

Belmont and Free Africans

In Trinidad, we call Belmont home. Belmont is a suburb of the capital, Port-of-Spain, lying on the eastern side of the city at the foot of the Laventille Hills. It is an area known for narrow streets and winding lanes with houses sitting close together. Belmont's development essentially began in the 1840's and 1850's when the British Royal Navy started to stop illegal slave ships and rescued the captured Africans who were on these ships. There is reason to believe that Robert Antoine would have been on one of these ships. The rescued Africans settled in Belmont which at the time was on the outskirts of the city's boundary. The map above shows where the various Africans settled. The sketch of the compound refers to the Antoine compound.

In the 1880's and 1890's the population of Belmont increased significantly as the black professional class began to build large homes in the area. Many of these homes survive to the present either as residences or business places and Belmont is one area in Trinidad where it is easy to see the varied architectural styles of the late 19th and early 20th century.

The sketch came from Andrew Carr's book, "A Rada Community in Belmont".

We've Come a Long Way

Look how far we have come? Not too long ago many of our relatives were called pejorative names, teased or ostracized because of the African rituals they practiced. Even the local Catholic priest discriminated against us on a number of occasions. A few family members also consciously distanced themselves from this part of their heritage due to ignorance or embarrassment. However, if the Trinidad and Tobago government can acknowledge Robert Antoine on a plaque on Piccadilly Street it’s time for us to reclaim our pride in our name, ancestors and heritage! 

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.

Vivian Baptiste

Here's Vivian Baptiste, son of Anthony and Irene Baptiste. Uncle Sedley described Vivian as the head drummer for our family’s rituals in one newspaper interview. Vivian owned a small shop across from Albert Lane on Belmont Valley Road. I was a regular customer of Vivian's shop; purchasing candy on my way home from school. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us.

Virtual Sports Day on Saturday, April 2

Calling all athletes come showcase your stuff
No water boys or bat boys, just the ones who score
Kickers, receivers, high jumpers, skaters and more
Post your pics;  not for fame nor glory
Just for fellow Antoines to love and adore