The diversity contained in this geographic space of just 5,128 km2 is a remarkable feature strongly reflected in the religious freedom that will be on display throughout this long weekend.
Tomorrow is a time of celebration for the Muslim and Spiritual Baptist communities. Commemorations of Eid-ul-Fitr and Shouter Baptist Liberation demonstrate a harmonious coexistence that isn’t possible in many parts of the world.
Followers of these two faiths will freely celebrate this weekend, warmly welcoming members of other religions to join their festivities.
At the same time, Roman Catholics and members of other Christian religions are observing Lent and counting the days to Good Friday and Easter on April 18 and 20.
Earlier this month, the Hindu community celebrated the joyous and colourful Phagwa festival.
All this reflects not only T&T’s religious diversity but the freedom, often taken for granted, that is enshrined in our Constitution—freedom of conscience, religious belief and practice, including worship with protection under the law from actions that incite religious hatred and violence.
The foundations of those freedoms can be found in history and the experiences of the people brought to these two islands — some against their will—whose descendants make up this cosmopolitan society.
The first Muslims in T&T arrived from Africa, starting in the 16th century, as slaves brought here by the colonists. Then, from the mid-19th century, Muslims came from India as indentured labourers.
Followers of Islam are now well represented in the population and their influence goes well beyond religious practices such as tomorrow’s celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the month-long fasting of Ramadan.
Like many other religious events celebrated in this country, Eid is a major national occasion marked by a public holiday. However, the day doesn’t always coincide with other religious observances because it does not fall on the same date every year. Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr follow the Islamic Hijri calendar, which is dependent on a lunar cycle, so every year, the holiday falls about 11 days earlier than the year before.
In the case of the Spiritual Baptists, theirs is a unique religion, comprising elements of Protestant Christianity and African doctrines and rituals that has flourished across the English-speaking Caribbean.
Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day is a celebration of the freedom that came with the repeal, on March 30, 1951, of the 1917 Shouter Prohibition Ordinance.
For many years, Shouter Baptists, as they were known by the colonial authorities, were banned from practicing their religion.
Their distinctive style of worship, with loud singing, chanting and bell ringing, was described by then-Attorney General Sir Henry Gollan, who introduced the legislation, as an “unmitigated nuisance.”
That was an unfortunate view shared not only by the authorities of that time but by some religious leaders as well, and Spiritual Baptists were forced to worship in secrecy, as they faced prosecution if caught practicing their faith.
It took years of extensive lobbying for Spiritual Baptists to gain the religious freedom that so many in this country now take for granted.
Members of both faiths are now well represented in various spheres of influence, so it is with deep appreciation that Guardian Media extends best wishes to the Muslim and Spiritual Baptist communities.
