The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a country located at the southern tip of the Caribbean. It borders the countries of Grenada and Venezuela. It was the first Caribbean country to host the Summit of the Americas. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west. A treaty between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Republic of Venezuela on the delimitation of marine and submarine areas, 18 April 1990. The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometres (1,980 sq mi) and consists of two eponymous main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous smaller landforms. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total area and 4% of the entire population which is estimated at 1.3 million (2005). The nation lies outside the hurricane belt.



SLAVE CENSUS OF 1813
Number of slaves 25,696
Creole (i.e born in the West Indies) 11,633 (45% of total)
African 13,984 (54% of total)
African specified ethnically/regionally 13,391 (52% of total)

BREAKDOWN OF AFRICAN BORN SLAVES

Ibo (Nigeria) 2,861 – 21% of African specified
Congo (Congo) 2,449 – 18% of African specified
Moco (Nigeria/Cameroon) 2,234 – 17% of African specified

The 1813 slave census of Trinidad is probably the most detailed and also providing the biggest coverage of African ethnic roots existing for Afro-diasporeans anywhere in the Americas! Quite possibly the census describes the African ethnic origins for about 40% of the population at that time, 13,391 persons out of a total population (incl. free persons) of 35,270. Trinidad had one of the largest African-born percentages in the Americas at that time (54% of total slave population) and slaves were a big majority of total population (75%) (Higman 1984). Also the total number of people included in the census provides one of the highest sample size of Slave Ethnicity Data anywhere (Nunn 2004). Which is simply amazing given the lack of such ethnically detailed information in this format and such numbers for many other Afro-descended populations! At times these ethnic origins are being described by proxy, using only geographical designations but at times also very specificly based on replies of the slaves themselves. Some ethnonyms have not yet been identified even! In total 115 ethnic/regional names were mentioned.

This 1813 census is of course first of all of the highest importance for those who want to explore the African ethnic origins of Trinidadians. However also for other Afro-diasporeans this census can be very relevant and helpful! It can be valuable in showing the possible ethnic backgrounds hiding behind any regional breakdown according to slave trade statistics. Plus it will also provide a useful example of the relative frequencies of particular ethnic groups. Given the very large sample size and the fact that most of these slaves were brought to Trinidad by English slave traders it could very well be representative to some degree for African Americans and Jamaicans as well. Of course keeping in mind its inherent limitations, firstmost being that it can only be reflective of slave trade patterns in the relatively late period 1790’s-1810’s.

N.B. these charts below are adaptations from the original census charts in Higman 1984. There’s some differences in the regional breakdown given as well as how some ethnic groups have been identified (see Paul Lovejoy 2003).

[img]http://tracingafricanroots.files./2015/01/paul-lovejoy-ethnic-origins-of-slaves-1813-part21.jpg[/img]

SUMMARY:

1) For the Senegambia region the Mandingo are shown as absolutely dominant. However it is known that this term could yet be hiding much underlying ethnic diversity as it was often used as a lumping category. Strictly Senegalese ethnic groups (Wolof, Senegal, Diola, Gorée) are very minor in comparison.The Fula (“Fulbe”) are shown in notable numbers, however many could have been from Guinea Conakry (Futa Jallon) instead. Indeed in Higman 1984 they were assigned to the “Sierra Leone” region.

2) For the Sierra Leone region the smallest overall % is given, but a remarkable number of specified ethnicities is given. Again many of the Fula and also some of the Mandingo assigned to Senegambia (by Paul Lovejoy) could have been from Guinea/Sierra Leone instead. Otherwise almost equal presence of the Susu and Temne. The Mende from southern Sierra Leone being quite minor, it is known they would get caught up in the slave trade to a greater degree in later periods of illegal slave trade.

3) For the Windward Coast aside from the generic Kwakwa designation almost equal shares for Cape Mesurado (which is in modernday Liberia) and Cape Lahou (located in the Ivory Coast). Overall a region of only minor importance.

4) For the Gold Coast a lower share is shown than would have been the case in earlier decades of UK slave trade. Ghana probably offers the least specific ethnic details as most names given only refer to slave ports. Only very few slaves mentioned as being Fanti, Abron, Akan etc.

5) The Bight of Benin shows a combination of explicit ethnic details (Adangme, Gbe, Hausa, Yoruba) and the more generic slave port references (Allada, Popo). The Chamba refer to Gur speakers from the interior and might as well have been transported via the Gold Coast/Ghana. Notice how the Yoruba presence at this time is quite minimal. This would change in later decades because of the collapse of the Oyo empire.

6) The Bight of Biafra is very clearly the most numerous region overall and showing an almost equal share of “Eboe” and “Moco”, also the Ibibio are quite significant. Highlighting how southeast Nigeria/west Cameroon was home to ethnically varied people and not just the modernday Igbo, although they very well could have been a plurality/majority and also culturally dominant. Only 4 persons from Gabon, indicative of this very thinly populated country playing a very minor role in the slave trade, relatively speaking.

7) Central Africa is the second most important region and in this overview only the Kongo are being shown as hailing from that area. In Higman 1984 actually some other groups are mentioned as well, incl. 59 “Angola’s” and 1 “Cabinda”, but indeed by far (2449/2555) most people from this area were labeled (or eventually selfidentified) as “Congo’s”. Many “Congos” perhaps even most could have been ethnically Bakongo but undoubtedly also other ethnic groups are hiding under this umbrella term (see the map section).

8.) Also free blacks were arriving and settling in their hundreds in Trinidad after 1813. They were mostly demobilized soldiers and their families sent to Trinidad for their retirement. They had served for the British either in the war of 1812 against the USA (the socalled Black Loyalists or Black Refugees) or were ex-members of the West-Indian regiments. In the first case they were often USA born and former slaves, otherwise they were often African born and according to Trotman (2003, p.233) “with the Igbo and Congo dominating numerically“.

https://tracingafricanroots./2015/01/26/trinidads-slave-census-of-1813-representative-of-african-ethnic-origins/

If only the real number of Igbo blood on planet earth could be accurately determined, one quarter of blacks have Igbo blood in them!