Island of many cultures

PERRINE | During the offertory procession, representatives of European, Chinese, African, and Carib and Arawak Indian descent brought gifts symbolic of Trinidad and Tobago to the altar of Christ the King Church. They were part of a Mass of thanksgiving to mark the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean nation�s independence.

�They represent the cosmopolitan nature of the country,� said Jerry Alleyne-Nagee, a founder of the Trinidad and Tobago community at Christ the King Parish. �We people in the diaspora love to boast about Trinidad and Tobago.�

Like Shay McMayo, a Miami Heat dancer who wore a colorful carnival headpiece as she carried the flag into the church, they are proud of their heritage. �I was born in the United States, however, my parents are native Trinidadians,� she said.

Many people at the Mass wore the colors of Trinidad and Tobago�s flag, red, black and white. This is the 23rd year that Christ the King parishioners and members of the South Florida community have celebrated the island nation�s independence, which took place Aug. 31, 1962. This year, Father Steve Ransome, 34, of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Anthony Church in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago�s only diocese, presided at the celebration and delivered the homily.

�Thank you for celebrating your country of origin,� said Father Ransome, who told anecdotal stories about his life in Trinidad and sang funny excerpts from calypso songs familiar to his compatriots. When he asked how many at the Mass were from Trinidad, the congregation answered, �Everyone. Today we are all from Trinidad.�

Father Ransome told members of the Trinidad and Tobago community that they have a responsibility to show others that they are good Christians. He said the country�s problems � crime and corruption � need to be turned around.

Ordained in 2010, Father Ransome recalled a trip to Grenada with other seminarians after Hurricane Ivan.

�Grenada was a mess,� he said. �It was really awful. It was hot and humid, the sun was piercing my skin. We only had hot water to drink and had to bathe in the ocean. A Grenadian jokingly said that Hurricane Ivan was going to hit Trinidad, but the hurricane was afraid Trinidadians would steal its wind, so it went to Grenada.�

About one-third of Trinidad and Tobago�s 1.3 million people are Roman Catholic. Alleyne-Nagee estimated the diaspora in South Florida at about 100,000 people.

�We appreciate all those Trinis who came from Broward, Orlando and the west coast,� said Alleyne-Nagee. �Thank you, Father Ransome for coming. Some Trinidadians would call you, �Mommy, nice child,� but I call you, �Father Handsome�.�

The island of Trinidad was discovered by Christopher Columbus in July 1498 and was a Spanish colony until the British took over in 1797. Tobago was colonized by the Spanish, the British, the French, the Dutch and the Duchy of Courland (now part of Latvia) until finally becoming a British colony in 1802.

Anil Ramarian, Trinidad and Tobago�s consul general in Miami, said that the 50th anniversary of the nation�s independence from British rule was a glorious day.

�We are descendants of many nations,� he said. �The past 50 years has seen our nation reach great heights. Among our achievements, we�re the smallest nation to reach the World Cup soccer finals, we have two Olympic gold medalists, and we invented the only new musical instrument in the 20th century, the steel drum.�

Trinidad and Tobago is part of the Antilles in the southeastern Caribbean and at one point is just 7 miles from Venezuela. It has a thriving economy based mainly on energy and oil.

Christ the King�s pastor, Oblate Missionary Father William Mason, urged the congregation to buy raffle tickets for a grand prize of a round-trip ticket to Trinidad.

�Thank you for inviting us non-Trinigonians to celebrate with you,� he said. �We look forward to more celebrations with you.�