History & Culture of Tobago

The changeable history has led to an interesting mix of diverse cultural influences. Food, drink and festivities reflect the different epochs.

A trip around the island leads to many fortresses, most of them almost destroyed. Fort George, situated on a mountain above the island capital Scarborough, is one of the largest and best preserved contemporary witnesses and an ideal place to experience history and enjoy a great view.

A large steel wheel with the inscription “Glasgow” on the former sugar plantation Arnos Vale also points to the eventful history of the inhabitants.
The remote location leads to the question: How did this part get there at that time? The answer lies in the fact that Tobago at that time was strongly influenced by enslavement and that the ancestors of today’s inhabitants had to implement the plans of the respective occupying forces.

In Tobago’s darkest time, a rain tree in Scarborough served to hang unwilling slaves.

Due to its location off the American mainland Tobago lay on the route from West Africa, so that permanently new slaves were brought to the island by ship. At the time of the abolition of slavery in 1834, 15,000 slaves lived on Tobago.

The current population on Tobago is thus essentially “Afro-Tobagonian” – in contrast to the inhabitants of Trinidad, who are strongly influenced by Indian roots.
The inhabitants of Tobago are very proud of their culture and celebrate it at the annual “The Tobago Heritage Festival” which takes place from mid-July to the beginning of August. People from all parts of the island meet to celebrate with dances, songs and delicacies. The visitors dress in the style of the early 1900s and thus pay homage to the time when emancipation from the occupiers reached its peak.

Throughout the year, numerous events and festivals take place throughout the island. Historical events and customs such as traditional dances, weddings, limbos or combat demonstrations are often the focus here as well.

Most of the Tobagonians are of Christian faith. On Sundays, many families have a regular part in going to church together. Wearing the best suit for men and the most beautiful dress for women underlines the importance of this ritual, which can take up to half a day.

Tradition and the celebration of one’s own history thus have a firm part in the culture of Tobago. Probably the biggest event is the annual goat race in Buccoo during the Easter season. This event takes place in the midst of numerous food and drink stands run by the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. If the occupying forces cultivated horse racing as an expression of their prosperity, it was again the slaves and their descendants who established goat racing as an alternative to “the little man”. Today this event attracts thousands of spectators and tourists from all over the Caribbean.

Tobago thus has a large number of events that never cause boredom on the island. A power boat race, the Tobago Jazz Experience, an international bicycle race, a sailing regatta and a gastronomy festival round off the calendar.