Close Topic Options

Trinidad Syrians And Local "Whites" - Page 3

Local whites may discriminate others like East Indians or Africans do (no difference), but for some reason if a local folk do it is always a BIG DEAL, why? Simple because they are white and they are not "supposed" to say anything related to race. Ridiculous really.

I think Trinidad besides of suffering of certain racial issues, suffer of Colorism. As one of our members here called Cookie says "Trinidadians are obsessed with skin color" and I think this is evident in daily interactions with people. People seem not to be happy with their race at all, they are always quick to mention "I am mixed with this or with that" when is evident one race is predominant.

Now, if people are not happy with their race then they will tend to discriminate others more, in this case, since the White folks and Syrians make the minority of the country, they are the targets of criminals, silly jokes, stares and stereotypes.

Then people complain why they live in certain neighborhoods. I had a co-worker (Dougla) who said that all the white people who live in Westmoorings live there because they do not want to live with the "darkies". I laughed and I said it was ridiculous. She got angry. Then I explained that NOT only white folks live in Westmoorings, there are several Afro-Trinidadians and people of other races. She did not want to hear it. I am not saying white folks here do not discriminate, I am sure they do...my point is that they do it just as the Afro-Trinidadians and East-Trinidadians do it, no difference at all. Why is the big deal about it then?

I do not know if I mention this here or in the "Primitive people" thread within this board. Some Trinidadians live in a state of "Post-traumatic slavery". It was abolished hundreds of years ago but they chooseto live in a state of mental slavery that they need to get rid of in order to move on. I am an Argentinian, the British killed a lot of my folks on the 1982 Falkand War, do I keep a grudge every time I see a British? Of course not. People need to move on.

Rather off topic, but... Feel free to check the Trinidad and Tobago board, there are plenty of controversial topics there. We may well not agree on lots of them but I look forward to your opinions. Some "controversial" ones: https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index....showtopic=20455 https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index.php?showtopic=5578 https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index....showtopic=14301 https://www.bordeglobal.com/foruminv/index....showtopic=21030

Edited: LDS_forever on 8th Dec, 2006 - 2:57am

quotWhitesquot Local Syrians Trinidad

I actually read this in another board, possibly "Primitive People", but I found it relevant to add here. A non-white woman is commenting on how other non-white people interact with her foreign white husband:

I personally haven't found this to be true at all. I actually find, when I walk into a store or restaurant, that whoever is behind the counter tends to everyone else except me. I'm either ignored completely or forced to wait longer than necessary. This could be pure bad service on the part of the person, or it could be some perverse desire to "put white people in their place". I don't get more respect than someone else of another race who shares my age and gender; rather, I find I get less.

Being stared at doesn't mean being respected. I try not to feel out of place, but I inevitably do. People who meet me ask where I was born or when I came to Trinidad, and usually hear an accent where there is none (I was born and bred in Trinidad and have never left for more than three weeks at a time). The assumption is always that I'm foreign because I'm white. Why is that? Some people apparently refuse to even recognize the existence of a local white population, albeit a very small one.

Trinidad Syrians And Local "Whites" Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad

My husband is French-Creole and they ask him the same question, but I think mainly because he speaks proper English and they think is an accent when he is just speaking properly.

I have never been in a country where skin color is such an issue. Let me give you a quick example, I have a 5 months old baby. The FIRST thing some people said when they met him for first time was not the typical "Oh, he looks so cute" but "Oh, you have a white boy here" and things related to his skin color, we are talking about a BABY here. Oh please, and then they want to eat me alive when I say that's "primitive" thinking but it is!

True, and local "whites" have a look that you just know they are Trinis (at least, I can recognize them from the tourists)

A lot of Trinis hold grudges against white folks but when you hear their reasons, the excuses are so lame. "They think they are better than we"

Edited: LDS_forever on 7th Jul, 2011 - 1:16pm

Page 3 quotWhitesquot Local Syrians Trinidad

Sigh, I think our "colourism" and our insistence on ethnic/racial prejudice is probably Trinidad's main problem to overcome if we really want to reach this whole Vision 2020 idea. That would solve a lot of things - like why most people insist on voting party instead of person. But that's another story for another thread.

I think what separates people is not colour but breeding and manners. I get along with people of any shade who have been raised with morals and values similar to my own, not with people who have upbringings drastically different from my own but who are white.

Coincidentally, a white friend with a mixed wife had a baby the other day, and her entire family has pretty much claimed the child as their own. They haven't said so outright, but reading between the lines, they're all completely ecstatic that he has blond hair. People are so attracted to what is different, yet at the same time they can fear and resent it for the silliest of reasons.

Rather off topic, but... Trinidad does have a problem with primitive thinking. Which is not to say that we are a primitive people. If parents would train their children to be respectful and tolerant of another differences, we'd be off to a brilliant start right there. But certain widespread ideologies absolutely have to change before we can make that all-important transition into "first-world" status.

Message Edited... I just add it offtopics tags

Edited: LDS_forever on 9th Dec, 2006 - 12:43am

quotWhitesquot Local Syrians Trinidad

That's funny. Again the mentality that white=beauty yet when those same babies grow up, they are resented by the same people who praised them when they were kids. What an irony.

Trinidad Syrians And Local "Whites"

Name: Jen

Comments: Hello, I hope I'm doing this correctly. I'm a white female and my boyfriend is a black Trinidadian. I will be visiting Trinidad for the first time this year during Carnival. I hope we wont have any issues... we currently live in NYC and have little issues there. Do you think we will have problems?

Trinidad Syrians Local "Whites" - Page 3

Jen, I don't think you will have problems at all compared to the issues you may face in the US. When you come to Trinidad, you will see such a huge diversity of races and ethnicities (even more in Carnival time) that you will feel quite okay about it. Trinis love to stare at people so you may get that but they do it with everybody. All the best.

Trinidad Syrians Local "Whites" Trinidad & Tobago / Caribbean - Page 3

But I just do not take it on and this is not condoning it.
If objectionable, then one does not associate with those people!.

For those of us who use the term of negative self expression, it is part of defiance against those who would dare to attempt to mark the words as insulting! You take away the intended purpose and turn it around in a nice way, as it were!
Used properly within the same crowd, it is humorous. When used to incite anger or hatred or otherwise, that is the main problem!

When I was in the military, there were about 5 Trinis in the same unit I was, and we would always greet each other with 'oye negro (pronounced kneegrow) and it was comical because others would look at us like we were crazy!
I am surprised that many Trinis are as ignorant as they say since I have not been in T&T for about 5 years and I spent just one month.
Westmoorings is a place where you live there if you can afford to live there but sadly people some Afro-Trinis think that is is luck and the hue factor that is the qualifying criteria.