Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian : Ask Biography

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Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian (or just Afro-Trinidadian) people are people of Trinidad and Tobagonian descent who are largely of African descent. Black, Negro or Creole are common terms used to describe Afro-Trinidadians. Social interpretations of race in Trinidad and Tobago is often used to dictate who is of African descent, e.g. a person might appear "white" in appearance but may still be considered "black" based upon significant African ancestry. Mulatto, Zambo, Quadroon, or Octoroon were all racial terms used to measure the amount of African ancestry someone possessed in Trinidad and throughout Latin American and Caribbean history.

Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonians account for 39.5% of the population of Trinidad and Tobago as of 2000. However the classification is primarily a superficial description based on phenotypical (physical) description opposed to genotypical (genetic) classification. It is not uncommon for a dark complected Trinidadian of Indian descent to be considered Afro-Trinidadian solely based on skin color. An additional 18.4% of Trinidadians described themselves as being Multiracial (Dougla), although most multiracial Trinidadians are of African descent.

Contrary to the implications of the term Afro-Trinidadian and Tobagonian, it is somewhat too general considering the ethnic and racial diversity of the group which includes ancestry from Africa (primarily West Africa), Europe and South Asia.

The islands of Trinidad and Tobago (united in 1888) have a different racial history. The island of Trinidad is mainly multiracial and the population of Tobago is primarily what is considered Afro-Tobagonian which is synonymous with Afro-Trinidadian, with the exception that the people of Tobago are almost exclusively of direct African ancestry. In an effort to unite the cultural and ethnic divide between the two islands many people choose to be called Trinbagonians as a sign of unity.