Pomp and religious fanfare reigned at the Trinidad and Tobago consulate in downtown Manhattan last week. Hymnal tones and tolling bells reverberated through the upscale office building, transforming the main floor into a virtual church. A sea of colour filled the open space as the faithful donned white, red and blue dresses with complementary head ties. As libations were poured, there was stomping, chanting, clapping, singing, swaying-even convulsing–to a collection of familiar church renditions, including, Oh God by whose hands the people are still fed, and When the trumpet of the Lord blows. The drumming never abated-the entire evening. Touted as the Consulate's biggest celebration to date, the two hour long ceremony attracted a diverse audience from the five boroughs. Consul General Rudrawatee Nan Ramgoolam, seeming to have made good on her pledge to "have a more integrated Consulate," delivered the key note address in which she praised the tenacity, dedication and will of "a people who have passed the test of fire and brimstone." She recalled the group's origins, and the discriminatory laws and physical abuse that it had endured. "We salute you, our Baptist brethren," she said, referring to the faith as the only indigenous religion of T&T.
But amid the celebration of culture and religion, a tittle of politics emerged, as Ramgoolam lauded former prime minister Basdeo Pandy for "restoring the dignity of Spiritual Baptists with the stroke of a pen," referring to the Shouter/ Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day which he signed into law. "It was the government of the United National Congress (UNC) which is now part of our current government that recognised the trials and challenges of this important group of nationals and granted them a national holiday. She praised the present administration for continuing in the same vein as the UNC-making mention of land and other resources given to the once beleaguered faith to construct schools, churches and a spiritual park. "Our beloved Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is a Spiritual Baptist," she said, a gesture intended to remove any speculation that the group's new found status could be suspect or short lived. "I urge you to go brave, preach your gospel...so that your message will help nurture productive citizens who respect the beliefs and rights of others and will contribute positively to the development of your respective homelands-the United States of America and Trinidad and Tobago."
Her remarks were immediately endorsed by influential spiritual leader, King Shepherd Callender, who expressed the community's disappointment in previous administrations, and called Ramgoolam's support of the Baptist community, a "bold" and "profound step." He also gave an engaging account of the history and religious nuances of the faith and hailed T&T as its "Mecca." He encouraged the government to promote annual trips to the birth place of the religion as part of a tourism initiative. The celebratory evening was capped off by a spirited performance from the legendary Lord Defender. Refreshments, Creole cuisine and delicacies were also served. A prominent Brooklyn-based Spiritual Mother, buoyed by the significance of the occasion, was clearly overwhelmed. "We never had it this good," she said. Dr Glenville Ashby is a New York based correspondent.