The Form 6 Communications Studies programme involves the evolution of language and learning about various influences which form our Caribbean dialects. This year’s class embarked on an adventure to Paramin Hills to investigate its strong patois heritage. This village is located on the mountainous Northern Range of Trinidad near the third highest peak in the island.
The Paramin Development committee was very eager to meet with our teachers and students and made arrangements for them to meet at the Paramin community hall with various members of the village for interviews and a plenary session.
The visit also included a trip to the main hill which can only be accessed by all-terrain vehicles commandeered by very experienced drivers. The view experienced was spectacular and breath-taking.
They were further immersed in the culture of Paramin as they visited a local bakery where an authentic dirt over was still in use.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and while they walked away with many patois phrases under their belt, they developed a strong valuing of patois itself, a sight of language as a living, changing agent of human intercourse, and an appreciation of the village of Paramin as a bastion of rich culture.