Since “Treasures from the Hideaway” was publicly launched in February 2015, the Culture Division’s Cultural Research and Heritage Preservation Unit has hosted some special visitors. The exhibition has had a series of local school visits and visitors from as far as Guadeloupe, New York, Canada, Belfast and South Africa. The unit also welcomed visits from Barbados’ Read More
The Culture Division is happy to announce one of its new projects: “Building the Rhythm.” This is a Percussion Festival designed to develop audience appreciation for some aspects of the long percussive history of Trinidad and Tobago. One can easily call to mind a few of the inherited and indigenous percussive instruments that dot our Read More
45 Years ago, people across the country tuned into Radio Trinidad to listen to the first commissioned radio drama serial. Calabash Alley went on air in November 2, 1970 and electrified the nation with its portrayal of life in Trinidad. The Culture Division is so excited to be connecting young actors of the National Theatre Arts Company Read More
Born in the early days of the 1930’s as the Lime Groove Tamboo Bamboo Band; this fledgling Belmont percussive ensemble would evolve into the Merry Boys Steelband in 1935, and then to the biscuit drum band called Bar 20 in 1945. The Band has been rebranded several times, from Old Oak Casablanca, to ISCOTT Casablanca, Read More
Since the early 1960s, residents of Belmont have been gathering to engage in sporting activities, fostering a spirit of camaraderie within the community. The steelband, Belmont Fifth Dimension Steel Orchestra, would be born out of such activities, created when members of the sport group informally started a musical band. Officially founded in 1972, the band exploded onto Read More
Hailed as one of Trinidad & Tobago’s most talented songstresses, Mavis John is a musical talent of note. A singer, songwriter, John produced her first record, It’s a Man’s World, in 1965, becoming a teen idol throughout the 1960s and 70s. Originally born in Clifton Hill, she relocated to Belmont and made a home here for Read More
Initially, the area surrounding Government House, which was located at Belmont Hill, was called Belmont by Governor Thomas Hislop (1803-1810), after his residence, office and most of Port of Spain was destroyed by a fire on March 24, 1808. The area was also called Belmonte, meaning Beautiful Hills, by the French. Additionally, it was known Read More
This building is estimated to be one hundred and six years old and was removed from Norfolk Street, board by board, nail by nail and erected at its present location on Belmont Circular Road at the mouth of Providence Girls’ Catholic School. It is the original home of a local family line of Josephs. Antiguan Theophilus Payne Joseph, Read More
Pandemonium Steel Orchestra was founded in 1974, and has been blazing a trail since on both local and international circuits, encouraging the growth and visibility of the National Instrument. They have toured, collaborated with various artistes and arrangers, and competed in numerous contests. For many years, this orchestra was captained by Jerry Sheppard, and then Read More
One of Trinidad & Tobago’s renowned Mas men, Jason Griffith was born on Pelham St, Belmont on June 20th, 1927. He attended the Miss Lewis Private School and Belmont Boy’s Intermediate School. As a youth, he was influenced by Jim Harding’s Mischievous Sailor Band, which was popular in the 1930s. He first participated actively, however, Read More
