Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Long before there were roads, villages or even the Caribbean islands as we know them today, people were living, hunting and burying their dead on a quiet patch of land at Banwari Trace in San Francique, southwest Trinidad.
Now, the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago invites citizens to discover that remarkable history for themselves as it works to transform Banwari Trace into a heritage tourism destination, in partnership with the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community and the residents of San Francique.
Speaking to WE, archaeologist at the National Trust, Ashleigh Morris, said the vision is to create an interpretive heritage community where visitors can explore one of the Caribbean’s most significant archaeological sites—the place where the remains of what is widely regarded as the oldest known human remains discovered in the Caribbean were unearthed.
Already, visitors can walk among newly constructed Indigenous-style benabs (huts), view two old dugout canoes recovered from Balandra and Manzanilla, examine mock archaeological excavation pits and stand metres away from the protected mound that has fascinated archaeologists for more than half a century.
For many, it is a journey back some 7,000 years.
Morris said Banwari Trace is recognised as the oldest known archaeological site in the Caribbean. When its earliest inhabitants settled there, Trinidad was still connected to mainland South America, long before rising sea levels separated the island from the continent.
In 1969, excavations revealed the skeleton of an individual who lived around 3,400 BC. Nicknamed “Banwari Man”—although researchers have never conclusively determined the person’s sex—the remains were discovered buried in a tightly flexed position. The discovery cemented Banwari Trace’s place among the most important archaeological sites in the Americas.
Today, Morris said the National Trust hopes many more citizens will experience that history firsthand.
He revealed that work is progressing steadily to create an interpretive centre that will allow visitors to better understand not only Banwari Trace but also the wider story of archaeology throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
“We want to create this interpretive centre for archaeology here on the Banwari site. That will include mock pits, as we see behind us. It will include other exhibits, like these canoes that we have here. We’ll also be having interpretive signage, not just on the history of Banwari Trace, but on the history of archaeology throughout the entire country,” Morris said.
The large thatched benab overlooking the site was constructed with assistance from the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community, while additional benabs are nearing completion on the surrounding hillside and will eventually form part of the visitor experience.
Although plans for the site have evolved over several years, Morris said, the National Trust has had to balance development with preserving a location that continues to attract international academic interest.
Banwari Trace, Morris explained, remains one of the country’s most researched archaeological sites because of evidence of continuous occupation spanning thousands of years and the discovery of the Banwari remains.
Morris also paid tribute to volunteer custodian Hamlet Harripersad, who participated in some of the earliest excavations decades ago and spent years protecting the site. “I call him a guardian, a custodian. We’re really happy that he gave us so much of his time and his life to take care of this site,” Morris said.
Unlike later Indigenous settlements, Banwari Trace predates pottery.
“We’re looking mostly at stone tools and what we call the human economy—the shellfish, animal remains from food preparation and everyday living,” Morris explained.
Research conducted over the years has uncovered stone grinders, bone tools and shell middens that reveal how the site’s earliest inhabitants lived thousands of years ago. The shell deposits themselves tell the story of a changing landscape. Lower layers contain freshwater snail shells, while upper levels contain marine oyster shells, providing evidence of rising sea levels that eventually transformed Trinidad into an island.
National Trust zooarchaeologist Dr Shad Gobinsingh said the two dugout canoes on display help explain how early peoples travelled between South America and Trinidad.
“People would traverse from the South American mainland and come directly into our shores,” he said. “The currents would take them into Trinidad and Tobago and then they would basically just set up shop and live here.”
Gobinsingh said archaeology offers much more than ancient artefacts. Animal bones and other faunal remains help researchers reconstruct ancient diets, ecosystems and environments.
Gobinsingh believes Banwari Trace has the potential to become a catalyst for community tourism. He said heritage tourism can create opportunities for nearby communities while introducing schoolchildren and visitors to Trinidad and Tobago’s earliest history.
For Gobinsingh, however, public awareness remains one of archaeology’s greatest challenges.
“Archaeology is something that is growing,” he said. “We want the public to come and observe and see what we are doing. It’s not as though we are hiding from anybody. We want people to come and interact with us so they can understand and appreciate the cultural heritage we have in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Given sufficient resources, he hopes Banwari Trace will eventually become a fully developed ecotourism and heritage park, complete with interpretive displays explaining both the archaeological discoveries and the broader story of Trinidad’s earliest inhabitants.
Morris echoed that vision.
“Developing a site in a region like this, where you can get people from all over the country to come and experience history and heritage, is something we think is a great value, not just for the regional corporation but for the community at large,” he said.
Tours are already available for organised groups, even as work continues on interpretive signage and other visitor facilities.
Morris also encouraged corporate support through the National Trust’s Heritage Tax Allowance Programme.
To donate to the project or arrange a tour, visit the National Trust’s website at https://nationaltrust.tt/.
