Santa Rosa First Peoples Community
The organised Amerindian community at Arima, keeping the island's surviving first peoples traditions.
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The Santa Rosa First Peoples Community at Arima is the organised body of Trinidad's surviving Amerindian descendants, recognised by the state and holding land at Arima where a village and cultural centre have been built. It keeps traditions of cassava processing, craft, medicine and food, and its annual Santa Rosa Festival in August combines a Catholic procession of the saint's statue with First Peoples ceremony, reflecting how the two were merged.
What you actually see
- The cultural centre - the community's own display of craft, tools and history.
- The cassava processing - traditional preparation of bitter cassava into food.
- The Santa Rosa Festival - the August procession combining Catholic and First Peoples ritual.
- The Amerindian village - the reconstructed settlement on community land.
When to go
The Santa Rosa Festival falls in late August and is the fullest time to visit. The centre otherwise opens by arrangement. Heritage Day events fall in October.
Honest expectations
Visits need arranging in advance with the community rather than dropping in. The centre is small and modestly funded. The festival is a community religious event, not a performance.
Nearby
Arima is around it, and Lopinot is west.
What to pack for Santa Rosa First Peoples Community
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.