History of Tobago and How It's Portrayed in Robinson

Crusoe and PantomimeBy: Allison Revel

Colonial History in Tobago

• Possession of Tobago has been fought over by numerous nations since it was first sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1498.

• Over the years the Dutch, English and French transformed Tobago into a battle zone and the island changed hands 31 times before it was finally ceded to the British in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris.

• From 1672 plantations were created and Africans were imported to work as slaves. In 1781 the French invaded and destroyed the plantations causing the country’s economy to suffer.

Colonial History in Tobago Cont.

• In1814 the British gained control of Tobago again and they were improving the sugar production but a severe hurricane in 1847 ended the sugar trade. Britain decided they no longer had use for Tobago without the highly profitable sugar and in 1889 the island was made a ward of Trinidad.

• In 1963 another hurricane hit Tobago destroying crops of limes, coconuts and cocoa. That’s when a tourist industry in Tobago began.

Tourism in Tobago

• Travel and tourism represents 57% of the islands employment and 96% of its export.

• Tourism is very important for Tobago’s economy.

• In 2001, the Tobago Tourism Industry marked its first serious crisis when the average occupancy level fell from over 60% to 17%

• From 2006 to 2011 international tourism dropped 44%. Domestic tourism has been the mainstay of the industry.

Differences Between Trinidad and Tobago

• Tobago was primarily a sugar island before becoming a tourist destination.

“Tobago is a village based society reliant on agriculture, the public sector, and,

increasingly, tourism” (Feldman 44).

• Trinidad has a more diversified economy and it is so much larger, wealthier and politically powerful.

“Trinidad’s economy developed around industry, manufacturing, and petroleum

exports, with many residents living in larger urban centers” (Feldman 44).

• Tobago has a mostly Afro-Caribbean population while Trinidad has very more diverse ethnicities.

“Afro-Tobagonians comprise over ninety percent of the island’s 55,000

residents” (Feldman 44).

Pantomime and Robinson Crusoe

• Pantomime was written in 1978 by Derek Walcott and Robinson Crusoe was written in 1719.

• Pantomime is based off of Robinson Crusoe and they both take place on the Caribbean island Tobago.

How Tobago is Portrayed in Robinson Crusoe

• “…to think that this was all my own, that I was king and lord of all this country indefeasibly, and had a right of possession; and if I could convey it, I might have it in inheritance as completely as any lord of a manor in England” (80)

• “I was lord of the whole manor; or, if I please, I might call myself king or emperor over the whole country which I had possession of…” (102-103).

• Significance of the single footprint found on the sand.

• Tobago is described as being a Garden of Eden.

How Tobago is Portrayed in Pantomime

• “Just picture a lonely island and a beach with its golden sand. There walks a single man in the beautiful West Indies” (93).

• “There’s no one here but I, just the sea and the lonely sky” (94).

• Takes place in a guest house in Tobago. This relates to how important tourism is to the country.

• Neither Trewe or Jackson are from Tobago but they decide to go to this lonely island.

How Tobago is Portrayed on Tourist Sites and Brochures • One brochure says “Once you behold her beauty, you will understand why Tobago

was Robinson Crusoe’s isle – and why our European settlers fought over her ownership more than any other Caribbean island”

• Tobago tourist sites portray a tourist as being the only one on the island. One site says “no other Caribbean island boasts quite the same range of largely deserted beaches, ranging from the pristine white coral sand of the Caribbean coast to the dark volcanic sands of the Atlantic Coast”. Another site says “Today's traveler will discover the untouched Caribbean, welcome to Tobago!”.

How Tobago is Portrayed on Tourist Sites and Brochures • “The Tobago Main Ridge Rainforest is virgin, unspoilt. The government and

Tobagonians fiercely protect this thriving eco-system; in fact, it has been legally protected since 1776 – making it the oldest legally protected rainforest in the world”. Tobago tourist sites portray Tobago like a Garden of Eden by talking about it’s rainforest. • “This rainforest is a birdwatcher’s paradise”.• “…dense lush tropical forest with vegetation teeming with life (diverse types of

mammals, 220 species of birds, 600 species of butterflies)”.

Outside sources

• “Beaches & Bays.” myTobago, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.

 http://www.mytobago.info/beaches.php

• Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Penguin, 2001. Print.

• Feldman, Joseph P. “Producing and Consuming Unspoilt Tobago: Paradise Discourse and Cultural Tourism

in the Caribbean.” The Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology 16.1 (2011): 43-45.

Web. 3 Feb. 2015.

file:///C:/Users/arevel/Downloads/producing%20and%20consuming%20unspoilt%20Tobago%20%20Feldman.pdf

• “History of Tobago.” myTobago. n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

 http://www.mytobago.info/history.php

• “Oldest Rain Forest in the World.” Tobago hot spots, 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.  

http://www.tobagohotspots.com/about/oldest-rain-forest-world

Outside Sources Cont.

• “Tobago Now Tourism Services Welcome you!.” Tobago Now, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.

http://www.tobagonow.com/

• “Tobago’s Tourism in  the National Development.” Trinindad and Tobago Chamber of Industry

           and Commerce, n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

  http://chamber.org.tt/articles/tobagos-tourism-in-the-national-development/

• “Trinidad & Tobago Destination Handbook.” gotrinidadandtobago, n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

http://www.gotrinidadandtobago.com/resources/documents/10/trinidadtobago.pdf

• Walcott, Derek. Pantomime, 1978.