




































Malek Abdel-Shehid 
From Trinidad and Tobago to the World 

 

7 

From Trinidad and Tobago to the World: Determining the role of Calypso in 

a new Era  
Malek Abdel-Shehid 

 

Calypso is a popular Caribbean musical genre that originated in the island nation of Trinidad and 

Tobago. The genre was developed primarily by enslaved West Africans brought to the region via 

the transatlantic slave trade during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Although West-

African Kaiso music was a major influence, the genre has also been shaped by other African 

genres, and by Indian, British, French, and Spanish musical cultures. Emerging in the early 

twentieth century, Calypso became a tool of resistance by Afro-Caribbean working-class 

Trinbagonians. Calypso flourished in Trinidad due to a combination of factors—namely, the 

migration of Afro-Caribbean people from across the region in search of upward social mobility. 

These people sought to expose the injustices perpetrated by a foreign European and a domestic 

elite against labourers in industries such as petroleum extraction. The genre is heavily anti-

colonial, anti-imperial, and anti-elitist, and it advocated for regional integration. Although this 

did not occur immediately, Calypsonians sought to establish unity across the region regardless of 

race, nationality, and class through their songwriting and performing. Today, Calypso remains a 

unifying force and an important part of Caribbean culture. Considering Calypso's history and 

purpose, as well as its ever-changing creators and audiences, this essay will demonstrate that the 

goal of regional integration is not possible without cultural sovereignty. 

 

To begin, Calypso seeks to shed light on major social, economic, and political issues 

affecting people across the region, providing them with an alternative to narratives produced by 

the state and the elite. In the early twentieth century, the colony of Trinidad and Tobago was one 

of many British colonies in the Caribbean, collectively forming the British West Indies. Because 

of the colony’s proximity to oil fields, Trinidad became one of the British Empire’s oil hubs 

from 1909 until independence was achieved in 1962 (Holton 193). While Indian indentured 

workers were relegated to sugarcane plantations, Africans made up the majority of the labour 

force in the oil industry. It is in this context that Calypso emerged as a means for disenfranchised 

Afro-Caribbean labourers to protest the oppression they endured in the industry. The lyrics 

frequently make reference to segregation, racism, and exploitative working conditions. While the 

political Calypsonians of the Caribbean were critical of the foreign elite for exploiting local 

labour and natural resources; they were equally critical of local elite who pursued self-interest 

over collective progress.  

 

Clear commonalities between Calypsonians included critiquing the elite and arguing for 

regional integration. Politicians across the region believed that independence for their individual 

islands would better satisfy people’s needs while meeting their own interests. Regional 

integration across the British West Indies, albeit short-lived as the West Indies Federation (1958-

1962), or WIF, showed Caribbean people that unity was possible. An early example of both was 

Atilla’s “Expedite Federation” (1933), which makes a clear case for regional integration: “United 

we stand, divided we fall / We must succeed, yes, one and all” (Rohlehr 266). However, once 

Federation was achieved, the union was plagued by many issues such as finding a site for the 

capital city or local political unease regarding benefits for each colony. Lord Laro’s 



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“Referendum” (1961/1962) exemplifies Jamaican perception of the project, “If Jamaica join the 

Federation, / All the small islanders will come and flock up the land,” which led to the island’s 

referendum and decision to exit the union (Rohlehr 277). All member states were required to 

surrender some of their formal sovereignty in order to gain effective sovereignty. For various 

reasons, state leaders eventually rejected such a comprise; consequently, they achieved 

independence in name, but lacked control over economic decision-making.  

 

Since then, persistent issues have plagued the region, but solutions thus far have not been 

substantial enough to truly benefit local people. The exclusion of local working-class people 

from positions of power by the elite, whether foreign or domestic, has contributed to stagnation. 

David Rudder’s “One Caribbean” (1994) imagines a reformed region, one in which Caribbean 

nations have set aside their differences in favour of establishing unity: “One Caribbean, One 

Caribbean / One love, one heart, one soul / Reaching for a common goal” (Rohlehr 304). Despite 

a lack of meaningful action, Calypsonians remain hopeful that change is near.  

 

Calypso's transition to including people of all backgrounds from across the Caribbean has 

helped the genre to become a regional genre. As was previously mentioned, it was originally 

developed by working-class Afro-Trinidadians. Indo-Trinidadians were accepted within the 

genre in the 1970s (Holton 195). Indian migrants began arriving in the area as indentured 

labourers around the time of the abolition of slavery; large-scale immigration persisted until the 

late nineteenth century (Heuman 357). Indo-Trinidadian were classified above Afro-Trinidadians 

in the colony’s racial hierarchy, leading to conflict between the two groups.  Lamming cites a 

Calypso written sometime between 1946 and the early 1960s that exemplifies Indo-Trinidadian 

exclusion at the time: “What’s wrong with these Indian people / As though their intention is for 

trouble” (40). In the mid-twentieth century, the Afro-Trinidadian elite had nearly gained control 

of the government. They believed that they had minimal shared attributes with Indo-

Trinidadians.  

 

Sir Lancelot Pinard, an Indo-Trinidadian calypso artist active from the 1930s to the 1960s 

who helped popularize the genre around the world, was an unlikely icon (Funk 271). Early in his 

career as an American entertainer, his lyrics were not especially political. Later on, with the 

advent of McCarthyism, his left-leaning political affiliations resulted in his being banned from 

the US (Funk 282). Both in Trinidad and Tobago and across the rest of the Caribbean, it took 

time for other groups to be welcomed in the genre. 

 

Over the course of the twentieth century, the genre expanded beyond the borders of 

Trinidad and Tobago, eventually reaching communities throughout the region. Like reggae, the 

popularization of Calypso across the Caribbean has helped to further regional unity. The 

prevalence of Calypsonians originating from other islands, but who settled in Trinidad, is an 

important part of this history. Trinidad’s rise in status through profits from the petroleum 

industry encouraged people from across the region to migrate in hopes of realizing upward social 

mobility. A rather shameful case of Trinidadian xenophobia was when Grenadian migrants to 

Trinidad faced police brutality in the 1950s (Rohlehr 289). Foreign artists were drawn to the 

island because many of the most prominent Calypso tents were located in Trinidad. Some 

notable non-Trinidadian Calypsonians include Louise Bennett of Jamaica and Brother Valentino 

of Grenada.  



Malek Abdel-Shehid 
From Trinidad and Tobago to the World 

 

9 

 

Although there have been several prominent female Calypsonians, the genre has 

traditionally been dominated by men. Black Stalin’s “Caribbean Unity” (1979) urges the 

Caribbean man to strive “For a better life in the region / For we woman / For we children / Dat 

must be the ambition of the Caribbean Man / De Caribbean Man, De Caribbean Man;” it 

mentions Caribbean women and children, but not independent of a patriarchal figure (Rohlehr 

291). Black Stalin’s paternalism demonstrates an erasure of women’s agency in the collective 

struggle of working-class Caribbean people against an exploitative elite. Rohlehr’s article, which 

has substantiated much of my research, includes only one major female Calypsonian: Louise 

Bennett. Despite historical exclusions and present-day inclusivity, Calypsonians sought to 

eliminate oppression, gain cultural sovereignty, and strive for regional integration.  

 

Finally, Calypsonian engagement with the Caribbean diaspora offers a new field of 

possibilities in terms of starting an intergenerational conversation between artists and audiences 

of different eras. Using Calypso to continue discussions of regional integration and cultural 

sovereignty is a necessary conversation. In terms of the Caribbean diaspora, its population 

relative to the population of the region makes it one of the most notable groups of its kind in the 

world (Patterson 500). Caribbean migration out of the region has resulted in the creation of large 

overseas communities in cities around the Atlantic such as London, Toronto, and New York City 

(504). In the present-day, it is not longer possible to discuss Caribbean culture without 

mentioning the role played by diasporic communities.  

 

Consider the famous Trinidadian singer Machel Montano, whose music is more generally 

classified as Soca rather than Calypso. Whether his audience is 25,000 attendees of Trinidadian 

Carnival or Madison Square Gardens, Montano’s reach is transnational (Spotify). Although his 

Soca hit “Famalay,” featuring Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous, is heavily rooted in party 

culture, lyrics such as “We doh see skin / We doh see colour / We see strength / We see power” 

demonstrate his belief that judging people based on their bodily features is unproductive 

(Genius). This song features two Trinidadian artists and one Vincentian artist. Perhaps a 

seemingly apolitical decision, this collaboration demonstrates mutual admiration and reminds 

Caribbean people that their differences are not significant. In the region where race and 

capitalism as we know them were arguably created, works such as this are not without value. 

Colonial power structures are present in all aspects of society; their universal deconstruction is 

paramount.  

 

Furthermore, like many of the Calypsonians who came before him, Montano believes that 

Caribbean people should put their differences aside and strive for unity. He had the opportunity 

to work with one of the most famous Calypsonians, Trinidadian singer Calypso Rose. In the 

Calypso-Soca genre-crossing track “Leave Me Alone Remix,” featuring Montano and Manu 

Chao, the lyrics “If yuh 15 or 25 / If yuh 50 or 75 / Once yuh breathing and you alive / So we 

whining all day!” are rooted in party culture; nevertheless, they unify the fanbases of the 

“traditional” Calypso Rose and the “modern” Machel Montano (MetroLyrics). The lyrics seek to 

involve people from all age brackets in the festivities. Applying the teachings of the lyrics to 

wider society demonstrates the need for Caribbean youth to be involved in our rapidly changing 

world. Despite the multitude of changes since the early twentieth century, there are many 



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persisting issues such as corrupt elites, lack of educational and employment opportunities, lack 

of unity in the region, and a continued reliance on colonial institutions. As older generations 

have done before them, the youth needs to proactively mobilize against the present-day status 

quo. Historical exploitation of the region’s people and its resources ensures that this will not be a 

simple task. However, putting differences aside and working together will ultimately benefit the 

region as a whole.  

 

 The rise and development of Calypso has greatly contributed to the ongoing 

conversations of Caribbean regional integration and cultural sovereignty. The world, and the 

Caribbean more specifically, has undergone dramatic changes since the dawn of the twentieth 

century. Many of the issues plaguing the region have not changed much since then. The 

Caribbean environment and climate change are topics that have not historically received much 

attention from Calypsonians. Over the past few decades, it has become evident that climate 

change poses one of the greatest threats to humanity and our current way of life. While the 

Caribbean has been on the receiving end of many harmful policies and frameworks such as 

Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) and neoliberalism, the region is highly susceptible to 

changing weather patterns (Girvan 35). In recent years, the Caribbean has faced the onslaught of 

numerous devastating natural disasters, most notably tropical storms. This is particularly 

noticeable in two of the region’s largest industries: tourism and agriculture (Edmonds). Girvan’s 

assessment that “SIDS will cease to exist,” referring to Small Islands and Low-Lying Coastal 

Developing States, is increasingly resembling reality (23); the example of Dominica quickly 

comes to mind as the island was forced to totally evacuate during September 2017 (Elie). In the 

face of such an issue, Calypsonians would argue for regional cooperation and unity. 

  

While the region may have endured these past few decades without meaningful regional 

solidarity, climate change is a relatively new issue for modern society. This global phenomenon 

has alarmed people irrespective of social group. The Caribbean and its people are highly 

susceptible to rising sea levels and changing weather patterns. Without the ability to control their 

politics and economies, Caribbean people and the islands themselves may not survive the coming 

storm.  



Malek Abdel-Shehid 
From Trinidad and Tobago to the World 

 

11 

Works Cited  

 

“Calypso Rose - Leave Me Alone Lyrics.” 2019. MetroLyrics. CBS Interactive Inc. 2019. 

http://www.metrolyrics.com/leave-me-alone-lyrics-calypso-rose.html. 

 

Edmonds, Kevin. 2017. “After the Hurricanes.” NACLA Report on the Americas, September 15. 

https://nacla.org/news/2017/09/15/after-hurricanes.  

 

Elie, Janise. 2017. “'It Feels like Dominica Is Finished': Life amid the Ruins Left by Hurricane 

Maria | Janise Elie.” The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. November 1, 

2017. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/01/it-feels-like-

dominica-is-finished-life-amid-the-ruins-left-by-hurricane-maria.  

 

Funk, Ray. 2013. “Sir Lancelot: Taking Calypso from Carnival to Nightclubs, Hollywood, and 

the World.” In Carnival: Theory and Practice, edited by C. Innes, A. Rutherford, & B. 

Bogar., 271-286. Trenton: Africa World Press.  

 

Girvan, Norman. 2011. Existential Threats in the Caribbean: Democratising Politics, 

Regionalising Governance, CLR James Memorial Lecture, Valsayn, Trinidad and 

Tobago, May 12.  

 

Heuman, Gad. 2011. “Peasants, Immigrants, and Workers: The British and French Caribbean 

after Emancipation.” In The Caribbean: A History of the Region and Its Peoples, edited 

by S. Palmié & F. A. Scarano, 347-360. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.  

 

Holton, Graham E. L. 2012. “Oil, Race, and Calypso in Trinidad and Tobago, 1909-1990.” In 

Latin American Popular Culture Since Independence, edited by W. H. Beezley & L. A. 

Curcio-Nagy, 193-204. Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 

 

Lamming, George. 1995. “Coming, coming, coming home.” In Coming, Coming, Coming Home: 

Conversations II, 29-50. St. Martin, House of Nehesi Publishers. 

 

“Machel Montano (Ft. Bunji Garlin & Skinny Fabulous) – Famalay.” 2019. Genius. Genius 

Media Group Inc. January 4, 2019. https://genius.com/Machel-montano-famalay-lyrics. 

 

“Machel Montano.” n.d. Spotify. Spotify AB. Accessed April 12, 2019. 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6wxP7SSzfvi21Cnl8JicdQ/about.  

 

Patterson, O. 2000. “A Reflections on the Caribbean diaspora and its policy implications.” In 

Contending With Destiny: The Caribbean in the 21st Century, edited by Kenneth Hall 

and Dennis Benn, 500-510, Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers. 

 

Rohlehr, Gordon. 2004. “The Dream and Reality of Caribbean Unity in Poetry and Song.” In A 

Scuffling of Islands: Essays on Calypso, 265-305. San Juan: Lexicon Trinidad Ltd.  

http://www.metrolyrics.com/leave-me-alone-lyrics-calypso-rose.html
https://nacla.org/news/2017/09/15/after-hurricanes
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/01/it-feels-like-dominica-is-finished-life-amid-the-ruins-left-by-hurricane-maria
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/01/it-feels-like-dominica-is-finished-life-amid-the-ruins-left-by-hurricane-maria
https://genius.com/Machel-montano-famalay-lyrics
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6wxP7SSzfvi21Cnl8JicdQ/about

