Historian Dr Jerome Teelucksingh thinks some of the societal problems Trinidad and Tobago faces are because local history is unknown or muddled.
Teelucksingh, a Newsday columnist, spoke to Newsday as the annual World History Day on June 24 drew near. This year’s theme was Cinematic Historians and History Preservation.
Worldhistory.org says, “World History Day is an international observance day to be celebrated globally to re-record the history of the nations of the world and preserve it for the next generations through the media platforms available.”
Teelucksingh believes digital technologies like TikTok, podcasts, 3D and AI should be used to tell, reconstruct and make indigenous history attractive to younger audiences.
[caption id="attachment_1092508" align="alignnone" width="573"] Professor of History at UWI Jerome Teelucksingh. -[/caption]
“Many of TT’s students and adults are ignorant of our local history. They don’t seem bothered that they lack this knowledge. They don’t see it as a loss, they don’t feel deprived and that is frightening.”
He saw a multi-stakeholder group, passionate about history and geared toward ensuring historical accuracy, as a possible solution to this problem.
Although figures were not immediately available for the Caribbean and TT, the UK’s Royal Historical Society said there has been an increase in the number of students sitting A-Levels (CAPE is the Caribbean equivalent) in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Teelucksingh believes the historical deficit comes from the societal belief that “whatever foreign is good.”
Another stumbling block to people knowing their history was the deliberate attempt by some to distort it.
“When people ask me to speak about local history, they usually just call me to speak about slavery and indentureship. They are so negative.”
Teelucksingh said he would tell people there were positive historical accounts like the quest for independence and/or becoming a republic, and TT’s involvement in major world changes, particularly during the 1970s and through the Black Power Revolution.
[caption id="attachment_1092506" align="alignnone" width="1024"] March 4, 1970, Black Power demonstration South Quay, Port of Spain. "There are positive historical accounts like TT's involvement in major world changes, particularly through the Black Power Revolution," says Dr Jerome Teelucksingh. - Photo courtesy Infomation Division[/caption]
But these were less focused-on than negative historical accounts, he said.
“You see this debate about if to remove the Columbus statue – that is colonial history. That is negative history, and about changing street names.
“We like our local history, but it is mainly changing a street sign and a statue. But that would not make the majority appreciate local history.”
[caption id="attachment_1092502" align="alignnone" width="683"] "You see this debate about if to remove the Columbus statue – that is colonial history. That is negative history, and about changing street names," says Dr Jerome Teelucksingh. -
