From October 12-14 communities such as The Santa Rosa First Peoples, will be celebrating the First People Day of Recognition. The Santa Rosa First Peoples will celebrate their heritage as descendants of Trinidads’ Indigenous Nepoyo and or Carinepogoto through a variety of spiritual ceremonies and cultural events. 

  While not a public holiday, The Day of Recognition was granted in the year 2000. It is a day to bring awareness to the general public of the presence of Indigenous/First Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago. 

  The Santa Rosa First Peoples have been recognized by the government and are the official representatives of our Indigenous people. 

 In previous years, guests made up of other Indigenous Caribbean countries such as Venezuela, Guyana and Guatemala would come to Trinidad in order to take part in the activities. However, due to Covid restrictions, things are a bit different this year as the community is unable to do the major public events. 

  This year’s program will include:

Ritual at the Red House in homage to the ancestors. 

Water Ritual at the Arima River. 

Smoke ceremony at the Hyarima Monument. 

  The theme for this year’s activities is Respect and Honour to The First Peoples with the official day of recognition being October 14th. 

The Public Services Association joins with the nation in honoring our indigenous communities and their ideas centered around the preservation of the environment and living sustainably. These indigenous peoples constitute an often overlooked part of the nation’s history and this day offers to us all an opportunity to reflect on their indelible contributions.