Maybe one of the best-known places in Trinidad, which at
one time was amongst the most remote, is Mayaro. But this, the largest village
in Trinidad, and so unusual, so different from all the rest, is hardly ever
seen on the map. A large county in southeast Trinidad that encompasses a
huge bay which is very visible on the map of the country as the southernmost
bay on the east coast and contains a group of villages in the interior. The
beaches of Mayaro are our hook to reel in individual from all over the country
to this relatively remote area for time of relaxation and enjoyment.
The abundance
of Arawakan mainstaple 'maya' was responsible for giving Mayaro its name. The
end of the word, 'ro' is the Arawak term meaning, "the place of,"
hence "the place of maya" or "Mayaro".
In 1973, French planters and the enslaved Africans
settled in Mayaro after accepting the grant of land offered by the Spanish
Governor, Don Jose Maria Chacon. Most of them had fled to Trinidad to escape
the unrest in the French islands including Guadeloupe and Martinique. Chacon
had embraced them to help develop the economic prospects of the island as well
as some of the isolated and untouched areas in the country. Although few
Republicans such as Hugues and Frontin were offered these land grants by
Chacon, land was mostly endowed to Royalists in an attempt to separate the two
warring groups and to avoid a carryover of the antagonisms that existed on the
French islands to Trinidad.
At the time and for quite a time onward there
were no roads leading to Mayaro, but thankfully there was the sea and
this was the means of transportation. Despite this fact, residents still
went on with their production in the 65 cotton estates, coffee and sugar
plantation. By 1818 the number grew giving the Governor an inspiration to
introduce a mode of transportation, a round island steamer. This was used on
the seas to transport all that was produced to the rest of the island.
After the emancipation of slavery in 1838, some land was
passed on from whites to the newly freed Africans. However, much of their lands
were confiscated because of their refusal to pay ward rates which was a system
implemented by Lord Harris in 1849. In the 1860's, upon request by Lord Harris, a new route
was created to connect Mayaro to other villages. A trace was cut but however to
curb unwanted elements a Police Station was built at the end of this trace.
Many people still used the round-island steamer for transportation.
At this point coconut plantation began to gain popularity
since the production of sugar cane began to decrease. Fishing also became
popular and to this day never loose its popularity as a major source of income
for families in and around Mayaro.
The 20th century was an era for great development in the
Mayaro village. There was the construction of our first post office together
with the extension of the railway to Rio Claro which changed the
delivery time for mails (from wekly to daily) and the communication and
interaction with people.
Mayaro is a place of such rich history which has
developed significantly and is still in the developmental process, roads can
now connect us to the rest of the country, an ever growing community, the
introduction of a variety of business as well as the enhancement and up
keeping of natural beauties continues to shape this community.
Mayaro still remains a haven away from the extremities of
town life and is still considered a gem of Trinidad and Tobago.
Source
