The ookoo in we

Culture Matters

Christmas secrets of TT

DARA E HEALY

“… the precursor to pastelles was probably the early Amerindian "tamales" or corn-paste pies, stuffed with any variety of meats and vegetables, and made by resourceful Amerindian women as a portable, convenient fast food for their menfolk on warring expeditions in canoes.”

DO YOU think about our indigenous peoples when you think of Christmas in TT? I highly doubt it, since the season here is predominated by either our local parang music and foods or European and American symbols and music. But in our multicultural nation, many of our peoples have their own way of celebrating the life and works of the prophet. In fact, some of these traditions have become so interwoven into our national celebrations that we may not even be aware of their existence.

The practices of some indigenous peoples at Christmas time are a perfect example of this intermingling. As a result of the colonising efforts of the Spanish, great numbers of our indigenous peoples were converted to Christianity. Prior to conversion, they would have paid reverence to the earth and the elements that provided them with food and shelter, as well as to the animals and biodiversity with which they co-existed.

The Santa Rosa First Peoples community in Arima is perhaps the most widely known example of how traditional indigenous practices have become merged with those of Christianity. For instance, their Santa Rosa Festival held in August “marks the end of hostility between the church and their ancestors and the acceptance of Christianity as it was taught by the Capuchin monks. It is said to be the “oldest continuously celebrated event” in TT, having begun since the late 1800s.

Today, Arima is one of the main places to go for parang music at Christmas time, which is hardly surprising given indigenous influences in the music itself. One instrument is the guiro or scratcher. It is said this originated amongst the Lokono or Taino peoples (formerly referred to as Arawaks) and “spread among the peoples of the Caribbean, Central America, and parts of Mexico.”

But for me, the biggest secret is to be found in one of the foods we associate with this time – the pastelle. Originally a quick and simple meal as described in the opening quote, the pastelle of today is anything but easy to prepare. And if you are of indigenous heritage, it is quite likely that as you make your pastelle filling, you will include the secret ingredient of roucou, something that many of us would only have heard about in passing.

Roucou is the natural red dye used by indigenous peoples to cover their bodies, whether as body art, protection from the elements or for spiritual reasons. It is a fruit that comes from the achiote tree. The seeds are contained in a prickly red pod and are used to make the liquid roucou through a process of soaking, boiling and putting salt to preserve.

Tracy Assing, a descendant of the indigenous community of Arima, recalls: “The hunters would cook some of the meat in the forest, and rub salt, black pepper, roucou, and ginger into the rest, smoking it over an open wood fire – infusing the meat with flavours of lemongrass and bay leaf, the leaves of which would be applied directly to the fire beneath the meat.”

Omilla Mungroo also shared a memory of her grandmother who would order her to “bring de ookoo for mih please” when she was cooking.

It seems that roucou was used so frequently in our cooking in olden times, one man described it as “Trini ketchup.” It is also said to have medicinal properties. So why did this practice become so removed from our lives? No doubt, the increasing pace of our lives meant that the roucou simply took too long to prepare.

For me, this exploration has once again raised important questions about how we reconcile our history and heritage with our present; how we treat with the past in the context of the future we wish for ourselves. Many around the world are looking for answers to similar questions. From soursop to marijuana, coconut and, yes, roucou, the world is finally admitting what our ancestors certainly knew that the earth has already given us what we need to heal ourselves, to survive and prosper.

Hopefully, I have inspired you to find some roucou to put in your pastelles this year and in your food all year round. I will happily take the credit – but only if it tastes good of course.

Dara E Healy is a performance artist, communications specialist and founder of the NGO, the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN