P. T. Nash-lewis

Island Memories: My Life in Trinidad P. T. Nash-lewis

This book is about a young girl growing up in the country of the island of Trinidad. Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1498 and gave the name "Trinidad"-the island with three hills.

There is a diversity of religions in Trinidad which includes Christian churches; Hindu Temples and Muslim Mosques. The majority of the people on the island are Christians and about twenty-five percent other religions.

In Trinidad, there are two seasons. Rainy season and Dry Season. Dry season is called "Crop Time" by the locals. Rainy Season starts with a holiday on the island which is Corpus Christi, a time when the catholic church celebrates the Body of Christ. Rainy season is from around June to December and is also a time when farmers begin to plant their crops.

The book tells about Carnival, which is one of the island's greatest celebrations. The steelband music is one of the main attractions of the carnival. The calypso is also a special event, when children and adults compete for prizes by entering in different competition. The last two days of carnival is the greatest and the next day is ASH Wednesday, when mot of the people who are Christians go to get ashes on their forehead, "to wash away their sins".

The book also tells a brief history of the Author growing up with her older siblings, getting involved in sports and helping her father, who was a farmer in the cane fields and assisting with the animals.

Phyllis T. Nash-Lewis