The bittersweet taste of Trinidad and Tobago

THE EDITOR: Lucky for us TT is not known by our flavour profile.

And maybe that’s a good thing, because I don't think we would be comfortable with the descriptions connoisseurs might use to describe us.

Flavours define only a few nations, encapsulating their essence in taste and aroma.

Grenada, for example, is known as the Spice Isle, intoxicating the senses with the rich scents of nutmeg and cinnamon. Canada’s identity is sweetened by the golden flow of maple syrup, while Madagascar offers the world its prized vanilla; a flavour both exotic and familiar.

But if TT had a flavour, what ever could it be?

It would have to be bittersweet. A complex interplay of contrasts, reflections, and existentialism.

Where else can a nation declare a state of emergency due to escalating violence, yet its citizens continue to revel into the night, as if the proclamation holds no weight? The juxtaposition of crisis and celebration paints a vivid picture of our resilience, or perhaps our denial.

Reflect on the moment when Joshua Regrello secured a world record attempt by playing the national steelpan, uniting us in collective pride.

Yet we find ourselves divided over the approach to altering our coat of arms and replacing Columbus's ships with the steelpan. A nation that can rally behind a record-breaking moment of culture but struggle with the symbolism of its own identity.

Our Police Commissioner was arrested, an event that would shake other nations to their core. Yet we move forward, the shadow of this news fading from public discourse.

After all, the exclusive fete season is upon us. With production levels at an all-time high, the glitz and glamour provide an easy distraction. Who really has time to dwell on accountability when celebration beckons?

Even our beloved Carnival embodies this duality. Born from colonial oppression, it has transformed into a vibrant display of freedom and creativity.

Yet beneath the revelry, our divisive and negative uproar plays out daily in black and white, typed furiously on social media pages and pseudo-news platforms.

TT’s essence is a contradiction, a bittersweet symphony that captures the paradoxes of our existence. We dance on the edge of joy and sorrow, unity and division, celebration and introspection. This is our flavour, uniquely and unmistakably ours.

So bitter are we that our country exports it in mass, bottled and shipped to bartenders around the world. But like our very society, that bitterness is never served alone. It is always mixed with something sweet, something smooth, something that makes it bearable.

And if you run out of bitters for your favourite drink? You could always suck a salt prune and bite into a piece of local chocolate right after. That might just taste like the very ground we walk on.

SHAHAD ALI

via e-mail