Dem Red House Bones. What do we know about them?
The recent finds of skeletal remains and artefacts believed to be early century AD under the Red House Parliament Building in Port of Spain, Trinidad point to the need for a comprehensive archeological survey of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago’s prehistoric connections with the American mainland holds enormous potential for opening up a vast field on new research activity.
With limited resources and means I have been conducting original independent research on these connections to expand the research arena that far precede the colonial period on which most of our historical research is focused.
The new university campus in South Trinidad ought to look at establishing an all-encompassing programme in heritage studies that incorporate research, scientific, conservation, restoration and curatorial study among other fields that would advance the knowledge and understanding of Trinidad and Tobago’s prehistory and multicultural heritage.
This also has value to the region and the world. We have for too long paid only lip service to our multiculturalism.
The find under the Red House of bones potentially dating to the beginning of this epoch points to the significant need for a proper survey and support for such research actions, to secure and to establish mechanisms for protection of such areas that are of significant historical and prehistoric importance.
Without support or resources, I have been conducting such research independently. I have been hesitant to put out bits of this, indeed, have had to remove some highlights from my public pages, because better well-resourced forage through, grab information and use without crediting, and without trying to invest in further research actions to advance knowledge.
Why, forty years later, as one of the richest countries in the region, must we be looking to other universities from which to draw expertise when by now we should have full-fledged – not only archeological, but also conservation, restoration and other related programmes that explore the significance of our heritage beyond the current focus on song and dance mode?
I have been pounding on bureaucratic tables, writing letters, policy positions and an exhausting round of trying to move inert technocrats and bureaucrats to action.
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See related posts: A Tale of Two Skeltons: http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-tale-of-two-skeletons.htmlAn Innovative Approach to LiTTerature in LiTTribute to the Mainland http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2013/02/an-innovative-approach-to-literature.html ReflecTTions on Intrinsic ConnecTTions at LiTTribute to the Mainland: http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2013/02/littribute-11-litturgy-to-mainland-with.html Seeing Connections in Our Caribbean Sea http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2013/04/seeing-connections-in-our-caribbean-sea.html Alas Poor Richards Bones: http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2013/02/alas-poor-king-richards-bones.html
Louisa Daggers8:27 PMReply
The world is moving towards the path of Cultural Heritage preservation, on this not it is pivotal that the entire Caribbean region work towards the development of a systematic coordinated approach geared towards the management and protection of cultural heritage. We have turned a blind eye on the significance of our landscape and archaeological sites and heritage for too long. It is time to stop treating both historic and prehistoric topics as a kind of “black box”, and to recognize that we are in possession of a wealth of information that will benefit our future generations.