OVERVIEW

The Luso-Trinbagonian community has made significant contributions across various spheres of national life in Trinidad & Tobago, particularly in the business and political arenas, the arts (music, literature, Carnival and cuisine), and sports.

In our 2016 article, "Behind the Scenes: The Cultural Impact of the Portuguese on Trinidad & Tobago," we examine the significant, though often quiet, "behind-the-scenes" contributions of the Madeiran Portuguese community to Trinidad & Tobago, despite their status as a small minority group.

Our key points are the following:

Broad Contributions: The Luso-Trinbagonian community has made contributions across various spheres of national life, including business, politics, the arts (music, literature, Carnival), cuisine, and also sports and a range of other professions.

Cultural Assimilation: Due to strong assimilatory pressures and a focus on socio-economic betterment, much of the ancestral Portuguese language and culture has been lost or abandoned by descendants of 19th-and 20th- century immigrants.

Surviving Cultural Emblem: The most enduring and widespread symbol of Portuguese ethnicity in Trinidad & Tobago is the Christmas dish garlic pork (or calvinadage from carne vinha d'alhos), reinforced by immigration from Guyana. See more on the Portuguese love of Christmas (a Festa).

Focus on Key Figures: We highlight the contributions of three individuals whose importance has often been overlooked in the areas of music and literature:

Eduardo de Sá Gomes (1893-1955): A pioneer in the national music industry and calypso recordings. Born in Madeira, he established Sá Gomes Radio Emporiums and sponsored calypsonians like Atilla the Hun and the Roaring Lion who recorded in the USA, greatly helping to popularise Trinidadian calypso internationally. His name and businesses were celebrated in numerous calypsos of the era.
Alfred Hubert Mendes (1897-1991): The son of Luso-Trinidadians (Portuguese Creoles), he was a civil servant and pioneer Trinidadian writer (author of two novels, numerous short stories and more), and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The University of the West Indies, St Augustine in 1972.
Albert Maria Gomes (1911-1978): The son of a Madeiran and a Luso-Trinidadian, he was a former political leader and first Chief Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, defender of steelpan, calypso and freedom of religion (especially liberation for the Shouter Baptists), and author. Gomes and Mendes were both members of the famous Beacon Group of writers.

Language and Social Life: The Portuguese language was once used publicly in religious and social circles (like the Associação Portuguesa Primeiro de Dezembro), but efforts to sustain it, such as establishing a Portuguese school, were ultimately unsuccessful, leading to its disappearance as a community language, despite a few personal efforts to learn the language.