Rio Claro, Trinidad and Tobago

Location of Rio Claro in Trinidad and Tobago.

Rio Claro is the largest town in southeastern Trinidad, in Trinidad and Tobago. Rio Claro lies east of Princes Town, west of Mayaro and northwest of Guayaguayare. It serves as the major commercial centre for southeastern Trinidad. It lies in a primarily agricultural area. It is the seat of the Rio Claro-Mayaro Regional Corporation.

History

The town was named for a small stream, which was named Rio Claro by Spanish surveyors in the 1770s. A "rest house" was built there in 1850 when a road was cut from Mission (now Princes Town) to Mayaro. As cacao planters settled the area, the village on the banks of the Rio Claro came to be called by that name. When the Trinidad Government Railway extended its line to this village in 1914, the name Rio Claro was formalised.

Schools

Rio Claro currently has two secondary schools and 9 primary schools.

Secondary Schools: Rio Claro West Secondary (formerly Rio Claro College) Rio Claro East Secondary (formerly Rio Claro High School)

Primary Schools: Rio Claro Hindu School, Rio Claro ASJA Primary, Navet Presbyterian School, Rio Claro Presbyterian School, Ecclesville Presbyterian School, Rio Claro APS Vidic School, Rio Claro Seventh Day Adventist, Rio Claro Roman Catholic School, Rio Claro Santa Rita Roman Catholic School.

The schools in this part of the country (generally encompassing the southern part of the isalnd as well) follow a more traditional colonial style of teaching yet many of the area's teachers have been trained in the island's university. The result is balance teaching style of the old and the new which allows for strict discipline in the schools yet flexibility in the subject matter that is taught. Competition is fierce among the various primary schools for passes in to the island's "prestige" schools - the creme de la creme of the island's student body.

Throughout the years the area has produced some of the country's most highly skilled doctors, engineers, technicians, farmers and businessmen - a testament to the strength of the school system in this part of the country.

Hunting and Outdoor Sports

The area is well known for its extensive yet accessible forests. The early lumber industry (circa 1930's) left many small trails, some of which were eventually paved over. This infrastructure development enabled not only the local farming populace but many avid hunters and fishermen access to these areas. Well into the 21st century the area is known throughout Trinidad as having exceptionally fruitful hunting (small game animals such as agouti, lappe and armadillo) and fishing grounds.

Farming and Cuisine

A large proportion of the area's resisdence still practice farming and hunting however this is not a subsistence lifestyle by any means. The resisdents have incorporated many of the modern goods and cooking styles with the more traditional methods and ingredients, resulting in a unique array of dishes that is regularly eaten in homes everyday.

Ground provisions, freshwater fish and small game animals (commonly referred to as "wild meat") are dominant in the cuisine in this area. Poultry, canned and other perserved goods are accompaniments to these meals. Food in this area is generally prepared with generous use of spices, seasonings and pepper - great pride is taken in ensuring that all ingredients (where possible) are cleaned. Cooking itself is a family affair, a group activity that allows for bonding and streghtening of relationships.

Overall this unique way of life, often viewed as being "hard" by outsiders is what makes the resisdents in the area enjoy a slightly higher standard of living than other communities, as the food expenditure is less here than in other towns and villages.

The area's farms are well suited to grow a wide range of crops - the many small streams, ponds, hills and trails allow this to be possible. Crop rotation is still popular among many of the traditional cocoa, citrus, banana and coffee farmers although within the last ten years there has been a heavy investment in "new" crops such as various ground provisions (e.g.: yams, tubers, cassava); seasonings and fruits. A proporation of the harvest is sold within the southeasten croner of the island but a larger proportion is sold to export firms which export the produce to majore West Indian centers in the North America.

Lumber

For many years the Rio Claro area sustained a profitable trade in Caribbean tropical hardwoods. The area is rich in natural growths of hardwoods mahogany, cedar, applematte, teak and mora - all of these are commercially harvested by the many small independent timberjacks in the area. Softer tropical timber is also harvested and sold to the many sawmills in the area (there are at least three fully operational mills) for use in the island's manufacturing and export industry.

The area is populated by many skilled carpenters and woodworkers who have learnt their trade from their forefathers. The result is some of the highest quality furniture, wood sculpting and displays of carpentry that can be found not only in Trinidad but in the Caribbean region.

Starting from the early 1990's many of the stakeholders began a grassroots movement to conserve their forests (without governmental assistance). Harvested growths were replanted with new saplings (usually cedar, mahogany and teak) with the result that the industry is very much alive and strong in this part of the island.

Bars

Rio Claro is known for the many bars/rumshops - an offshoot of having been one of the last towns before reaching the oil rich fields of Guayaguayare in the 1970's. There are more bars in this little town than in any other. In one square kilometer off the center of Rio Claro there are 26 bars, and all of them are patronized. Popular bars are Tage Bar, Sherry's bar, Tyron Bar (red lion), lum su bar, Compare bar, Clear Water Recreation Club, Wahida bar.

Many of the bars are integrated into the communities theselves. They act as meeting places for the strong village councils in the area as well as hosts for the many small club teams. Weekends usually see an eruption of various village cricket, football and card tournaments, often with major money prizes at stake.

The bars also function in the capacity of meeting areas during weddings, funerals and general holiday gatherings; indeed the high population density of these establishments makes them a convienent and affordable manner for local (and traditional) entertainment.

References

• Anthony, Michael (2001). Historical Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago. Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, Md., and London. ISBN 0-8108-3173-2. 

See also

• Railway stations in Trinidad and Tobago