A quick history lesson
Tobago, like most West Indian territories, was home to the indigenous tribes of the Arawaks and Caribs – but throughout the colonization period, our island’s development was very different from many of its regional counterparts. Tobago was a point of contention between the French, Dutch and British for many years and the island changed hands more often than any other Caribbean territory, finally ceding to Great Britain in 1814. Trinidad and Tobago then became a single colony in 1888. In 1962, T&T was granted its independence and remained part of the British Commonwealth, eventually becoming a twin island republic in 1976.

Get into our culture!
Because our history has been so different from Trinidad’s, the cultural influences that have shaped each island are also different. Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is perhaps the most widely recognized manifestation of a culture centuries in the making and is something not to be missed in either island – but the most unique elements of Tobago’s culture are on display at the Tobago Heritage Festival, the highlight of which is the Old Time Wedding. Participants don 18th and 19th century outfits and parade through the streets of Moriah, dancing the wedding jig as onlookers (the wedding “guests”) offer them food and drink.