Talk:Cedar Hill Village/Submitted content

Characteristics

Total population is seven hundred and fifty-six (756).Population density is one hundred and seventy-four (189) per square kilometre.There would be one hundred and seventy-four (174) people living in each square kilometre.

House # Females	Males	Total Indian African Other Christians Hindus Muslims
1	3	4	7	*				-	
2	0	2	2		*		-		
3	1	1	2	*			-		
4	2	3	5	*				-	
5	3	3	6	*				-	
6	2	2	4			*	-		
7	2	1	3		*		-		
8	1	1	2	*			-		
9	1	2	3	*			-		
10	1	2	3	*				-	
11	4	3	7	*				-	
12	2	1	3	*			-		
13	0	1	1	*			-		
14	1	1	2		*		-		
15	1	1	2	*				-	
16	1	2	3	*				-	
17	2	2	4	*			-		
18	1	3	4	*				-	
19	1	2	3	*				-	
20	2	1	3	*				-	
21	2	2	4	*					-
22	1	1	2	*			-		
23	1	1	2	*			-		
24	2	1	3	*			-		
25	3	5	8	*			-		
26	1	2	3	*				-	
27	2	2	4	*				-	
28	0	1	1	*				-	
29	2	0	2	*					-
30	2	2	4	*				-	
31	1	2	3	*				-	
32	1	1	2	*				-	
33	1	0	1	*			-		
34	3	2	5	*				-	
35	2	2	4	*				-	
36	1	1	2	*				-	
37	2	3	5	*					-
38	1	2	3	*				-	
39	2	1	3	*					-
40	0	1	1	*				-	
41	3	1	4	*				-	
42	3	0	3	*				-	
43	0	2	2	*				-	
44	1	1	2	*				-	
45	2	2	4	*					-
46	3	2	5	*				-	
47	1	2	3	*			-		
48	2	2	4	*				-	
49	1	1	2	*			-		
50	2	2	4	*				-	
51	2	3	5	*				-	
52	0	1	1	*				-	
53	2	2	4	*			-		
   82 (47%) 91 (53%) 173 (100%) 49 (92%) 3 (6 %) 1 (2%) 18 (33%) 30 (57%) 5 (10%)

History

This community had its origin in the late eighteenth century (1890s). At this time, a large group of ex-indentured labourers came to work on the sugar cane estates as part of the sugar welfare in the Cedar Hill Settlement. They had worked hard on the sugar estates. They were given land within the area for their work and used their previous skills on the sugar estates to cultivate their own sugarcane. More and more people populated the area during the 19th. century whether it was to work on the sugar cane fields owned by the independent settlers as sugar workers, buy their own land and plant sugar cane where they also resided or because of the road made to get from Princes Town to San Fernando, passing through the Cedar Hill Village. The first group of settlers noticed that they were a great amount of Cedar trees in the area (which is still common nowadays) and that part of the area was situated mainly on a small hill. For this reason, the area is named Cedar Hill.

Employment patterns

In the community of Cedar Hill Village, the people find employment in all three (3) categories:• Primary workers: Farmers Agricultural workers Grocery attendants Store clerks• Secondary workers: Tailors, Taxi drivers, Mechanics, Carpenters, Police Officers• Tertiary workers: Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Bank clerks, Businessmen.

Pattern of settlement

Most people in the community have constructed their homes on both sides of Cedar Hill Village. This pattern of settlement is described as linear.LAND USECedar Hill’s population utilises the land in many different ways:• Housing• Agriculture• Business places• Recreational and Public Services An immense fraction of the land is used for Housing purposes (50%). A fairly sized portion of the land was used for the production of sugar cane (25%), and although the sugar cane industry remains closed, the sugar cane remains there. A relatively small piece of the land is used for the production of local vegetables and fruit (15%) for instance ochroes, cucumbers, melongene, bodi, pumpkin, peppers, several root crops and watermelon. The same persons who cultivate the land for fruit and vegetable crops also use the same land to rear animals. A small fraction of the land is used for recreational and public facilities (5%) which are cherished mainly by the youth while only a slight amount of unoccupied land (5%) exists.

Population

Cedar Hill Village is optimum populated. The area has an average density of population, one hundred and ninety-two (192) per square kilometre. • About five (5) percent of the land is not used. This can be used to rear supplementary animals, grow more crops or construct additional houses.• There are no slums in the village. • Poverty and sickness are not common.• The unemployment level is quite small.• Most people in the community have a high standard of living. • The majority of villagers are educated, up to secondary level; only a few have not acquired a proper education.

Institutions

The family

The most prevailing institution in my community is the family. Long ago, most households consisted of an extended family. Parents, children, uncles, aunts and grandparents lived together under one roof. There, in each home, was a quantity of love and care for one another which is lacking in some families at present. Children were displayed love and care from everyone living in the community, not only their family members, and were exposed to religious teachings from an early age. In this environment, children were trained to be polite, considerate and diligent. Social problems in the community were considerably low and nearly entirely nonexistent. Nowadays, conversely, the nuclear family, which encompasses parents and children only, has become the common type of family in the village currently. Everyone’s life now is hectic and demanding and the comfortable upbringing as would be in the extended family of the past is no longer the custom.

"The Panchayat"

This consisted of a group of cherished, privileged and reliable elders who were needed to settle disagreements among villagers in Cedar Hill long ago. Controversy arising out of fights, use of obscene language, arguments over owner of land or other issues troubling the village life was assigned to this group. The group operated as a village court. The judgment made by the ‘panchayat’ was compulsory for all sides.

The "Paree" System

This was a helpful and valuable system where a small group of villagers collected their efforts to assist whoever was building or renovating their homes in the community. They worked hard to assist one member at any particular time and when the work was completed they would move on to another member of the village who needed help. They weren’t given money but as a compensation for their service, but food and drink were given to them. The same principle of this of system was used in the reaping and cultivating of crops long ago in the village.

Communications

During the early days of Cedar Hill Village, the area was not supplied with electricity. There were no telephones, television sets or radios for the community to communicate with the outside world. Villagers who were critically sick were taken by animal-drawn carts or walked to Princes Town, where motor vehicle transport was available to carry them to the San Fernando General Hospital. During this particular time, the villagers created many ways of passing on messages amongst themselves. Invitations to special events such as community functions, religious gatherings and marriage ceremonies were given to villagers by a person who was paid to would walk around the entire village, passing by each and every house to distribute the invitation. With the expansion of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC), most people in Cedar Hill Village own the basic household appliances, radios, telephones, television sets and even computers. Only a small fraction of the villagers who have a computer have connected to the Internet. Those who did, however, use it to its full capabilities by means of doing research, sending E-mail to friends and family and by using its other applications. House to house delivery of mail started around the late 1990’s.Announcements were made within the village by a person walking about to all the various areas in the village and ringing a large bronze bell, at the same time screamed at the top of his/her voice the information to the fellow villagers. They told announcements related to the community such as requests to public observances, religious events and the stoppage of water or electricity supply. At present Time, vehicles drive throughout the village, blaring announcements using large speakers placed at the hood of the car which notifies residents of the village of village proceedings and occurrences such as the death of local resident, religious and social gatherings and public ceremonies and functions. ==Public services==

Electricity

Electricity service was first introduced around the year 1951. Only a few villagers could have afforded this service at that particular time. With the growth of development within the community and the affordability of the average man’s lifestyle, the electricity commission increased the service to the entire village.

Health

They are currently no health centres in the village. One existed long ago during the indentured laborers time but that was destroyed by a fire. Villagers have to go to areas as Princes Town, Ste. Madleine and San Fernando to acquire such services.

Water

Pipe borne water, that supplied individual houses first came to Cedar Hill Village supposedly around the 1965. During that time water services only served a fraction of the village. Other villagers who did not have the services received their water from standpipes, barrels that collected rainwater at their respective homes and small streams. Water reached the entire village during the 1980’s although there are many villagers who still complain of problems when receiving the water. ===Mail===Residents of the village, during earlier times, retrieved mail services at the post office at Princes Town. House to house delivery of mail began in the late 1980’s.

Garbage collection

The Princes Town Regional Corporation started garbage collection in the early 1990’s. This service is presently provided to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Economic activity

In Cedar Hill these activities fall into two categories: • Forward linkages• Backward linkages.

Forward linkages

The small farmers who rear sheep and goats sell the meat of these animals to the meat retailers in Princes Town and the nearby villages.• Some producers wholesale their products at the Princes Town Market and also to other vendors who would then retail the same produce (melons, peppers, melongene, pumpkin, ochroes, etc.)

Backward linkages

The Cedar Hill Agricultural Shop has recently been opened to provide local farmers with their many needs. Fertilizers, herbicides, nurseries, pesticides, plant seeds and a number of different foods for the rearing of animals can now be bought easily from the agricultural shop.• A few restaurants have also been recently opened such as Rong Li’s Chinese Restaurant, which provide the villagers with food made from ingredients from outside the community. People enjoy the convenience of having such fast food outlets a short walking distance between them. • Local shops or establishments provide the villagers day to day needs such as butter, salt, flour, rice and toilet paper which are not produced within the community.

Educational services

There are no educational services within the community of Cedar Hill. Children must obtain their education from other institutions in the surrounding districts. Most children in the village go to the Jordan Hill Presbyterian School which is located in the surrounding area of Churkoo Village which is just a fair walk away. Those who do not attend that school go to the one of the many institutions found in Princes Town and San Fernando.After Primary School, the children go to secondary schools in Princes Town, Ste. Madleine, Barrackpore and San Fernando.

Recreational activities

Independence Day celebrations

The villagers of Cedar Hill Village arrange a series of fun events for the pleasure of everyone who choose to take part. Prizes are awarded to the proud winners of each game. The most anticipated event is the traditional football match between members of the youth in the community. The villagers enjoy the excitement brought about by the matches.The cricket match is played with a softball and empired by the village elders. Each side is given 10 overs to bat and the team with the most runs win. The football match is played with a normal football and the entire game is sixty (60) minutes. The game is also refereed by the elders. The side with the most goals at the end of the match is the winner. The teams of both the football and cricket who have won are given one hundred dollars ($100.00) each. Another event of the day is the ever amusing ‘ham pole ‘. The pole is nearly eight (8) metres tall and is heavily smothered with grease. Regularly, a participant comes gliding downwards along the pole in anguish as he was just a few inches away from claiming his prize of a ham. This event usually brings out laughter and delight from the on looking crowd which also makes it the most popular. When it all comes to an end of the celebrations, the residents of the village go back to their respected homes, having had their fulfilment of a little amusement, joy and relaxation. They all wait anxiously for next year’s celebrations and activities.

Cedar Hill Recreational Park

The village is fortunate to have many recreational sites and facilities. One of them is the Cedar Hill Recreational Park. It is located in Solomon Street, next to the Ramleela Ground (another site commonly used by villagers). It was the first park in the village, specially allocated to the use of young children. It was first under construction, by the Princes Town Regional Corporation, in January two thousand and eight (2008) and was done and ready for use in September of that very same year.The park offers parents the safety of their children and a lot of fun to the children and parents alike. It is used almost every evening and thanks to lights put up at all corners within the park, villagers may well enjoy their play, even during the dark hours of the night.The park is of great interest of the villagers and they plan to keep it in good condition for a long time to come.

Other recreational activities

Many other members of the community spend their extra time fishing at the many small ponds located at the dirt tracks at the back of the village, viewing the drag racing which also occurs at the dirt tracks, playing sports with their friends or family and just relaxing at home watching television together with their loved ones.

Social and religious events

Ramleela

The Ramleela celebrations in Cedar Hill are one of the oldest and grandest of the religious events in the village. It is usually held annually in the Ramleela Ground and is organised by the youths of the community. The entire event is a play which was taken from the ‘Ramayan’ and lasts for just about two (2) weeks. Although no one actually knows when the celebrations had first began it is said by the elder members of the community that it began with the first settlers of the village. They acted out the identical play which is seen today.During the past few years they were many problems facing the Ramleela Committee. For four (4) particular years they was no Ramleela. Several rumours indicated they was a deceitful member who was stealing the financial sponsorship given by the generous villagers. The committee said, however, it was due to a lack of funding. These problems are now of no occurrence because of the new and trustworthy members of the Ramleela Committee.Even though, there wouldn’t be much persons attending the play for most of the two (2) weeks, everyone seems to find themselves there for the last day. There, the area is full and the most anticipated piece of the play takes place, the burning of ‘Rawan’. Most children enjoy this attribute to the play.Rameela, at present has continued to an important part of the community’s development as a whole as it brings everyone together with its combinations of joy, unity and love.

Divali

Divali is the festival of lights. It symbolises light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, generosity over greed, kindness over hatred and good over evil.Most residents of Cedar Hill Village are Hindus. They commemorate the festival of Divali with the most solemnity and radiance. This marks a chance for the entire village to get together, observe, pray and light up the whole village with deyas made of clay. Most deyas are traditionally filled with oil with a wick and then lit. Other people choose to break that tradition and use deyas with a wax filling. This doesn’t bother me because they still manage to illuminate the village with great brilliance. Divali brings together each and everyone in the community whether you’re black, white, Indian, Chinese, Muslim, Christian or Hindu you would still find yourself with some friends or family celebrating that festival of happiness and peace.Days before Divali is even celebrated preparation takes place. People begin to clean and decorate their houses in hope that Mother Lakshmi, the Goddess of Light would visit their homes. They put up bamboo and wood arches made to hold the deyas.On the actual night of Divali, prayers are given to the Goddess of Light then the deyas are lit and are kept lit by continuously filling it with oil. After, families partake of the meals they have specially prepared for them and their friends and relatives.Divali offers a powerful message to the community. It denotes the triumph of good over evil, peace and unity. These qualities of Divali should not only be applied during the festival but also in everyday community life.

People

P.T. CHARLIE He is seventy (70) years of age. His parents were labourers at the Cedar Hill Sugar Estate. He was educated at the Jordan Hill Presbyterian School and Aquinas College, San Fernando. He furthered his studies at Cambridge University in England. He began his teaching career and operating a school of taxation and accountancy. He played a major part in the community. He was the past president of the Cedar Hill Youth Group, Cedar Hill Ramleela Committee and the Cedar Hill Village Council. He was instrumental inn promoting Best Village in the community. He also served as an empire for quite a number of years in the cricket field. He entered the life of politics in the 1980’s and was contested in the General Elections (San Fernando East) but was not successful. He still teaches to this day and is always willing to assist anyone in need.DR. CHARLE BRIDGELAL Dr. Charlie Bridgelal was born in the year 1958 at Cedar Hill Village, Princes Town. He was the last of three children in his family. His father was a foreman in the Cedar Hill Sugar Estate and mother, a housewife. He attended the Jordan Hill Presbyterian Primary School, then St. Stephens College. He wrote the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels exams and was granted an island-wide scholarship to study medicine at Mona Campus (Jamaica) and returned to Trinidad where he completed his internship at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He further advanced his studies and attended Universities in England and India where the specialised practice of anaesthetics and is currently the senior anaesthetist at the San Fernando General Hospital and also works at several other Private medical institutions. He is a certainly well-respected member of the community, a devoted Hindu and vegetarian and one who donates quite charitably to the community’s organisations. LIVINGSTON PRESCOTT Livingston Prescott was in the year of 1943. He was the son of a migrant from Barbados. His mother was a Trinidadian housewife of East Indian descent. He came from humble beginnings. He attended the Princes Town Methodist Primary School but never did he obtain a secondary school education. He began working as a taxi-driver in the 1970’s. He then started a small business (dry goods/spiritual liquors) in the year 1975 and served the community to that capacity. He also later worked for several years as a truck driver, transporting sugar cane for Caroni, 1975, Limited. He was influential in introducing the art of stick fighting in the village during the 1980’s. He created a tradition which is still carried out nowadays in Prescott’s own business place and entertains all villagers who come to witness such interesting activitiesHe still operates his business today. One can still see him quite early in the morning working at his business outlet. Because of the success of his business, he donates to charitable organizations within the village, giving back to the community.

Problems in the community

Murder

There was only one murder for the past two (2) years, committed within the community. Andy was murdered at his shed where he sold produce. They shot him and took away his money.

Drug abuse

This problem is not rampant but there has been increased abuse of drugs in young teenagers and adults in the village. More recreational facilities have since been built during the last half decade to deal with the current situation.

Burglary

Several shops and business places have been robbed throughout the present year. The Owners of Flare’s Bar, Presscott’s Bar, Robin’s Bar and Indie’s Barbeque Hut are all victims of theft. Improvements have been made to these establishments prior to the thefts.ARSON People’s agricultural lands have been set on fire by arsonists. These incidents also occurred when the sugar cane industry was still under operations. However, arsons only occur from time to time and all that have transpired recently have not been successful.

Praedial larceny

Fruit and vegetable producers in the village have had their crops stolen to thieves a few times this year. There were a large number of animals stolen by their rearers. One instance over thirty (30) goats were stolen. People continue to steal crops and animals in the community.

Lack of educational institutions

There are currently no educational institutions in the village. Children have to go to attain their education from schools in the surrounding villages, Princes Town and San Fernando.

Problems accessing health services

There are no health services that can be obtained in the community. The closest health centre is in Ste. Madleine and the closest hospital is in Princes Town. Ambulance services usually arrive on time in an emergency. However, it is inconvenient and difficult for the elder members of the community to receive simple health services in another district, a reasonable distance away.

Changes in the community

FIFTY(50) YEARS AGO • Sugar cane was the main crop cultivated.• The main road was paved out of oil-sand but the other roads were dirt tracks. • Houses were constructed with carrot top roofs and mud walls.• Transportation was mainly on foot and by animal (oxen, mule, horse) drawn carts.• Simple services such as water, electricity and mail were nearly completely absent.• There were no homes in the village with radios.• Animal drawn carts transported crops as sugar cane.• The village consisted mainly of extended families than nuclear families.• Well-to-do families sent their children to secondary school.• Population grew through internal migration.• Cooking was done in the Chula (fireside). PRESENT• Sugar cane is no longer cultivated.• All roads in the village are paved with asphalt.• Houses are constructed with steel or galvanize roofs and brick walls.• The main mode of transport is now motor vehicles (cars, vans, trucks, buses).• Most members of the community have the services of water, electricity and mail. • Television, radios and even computers are part of almost every household. • Wheel Tractors mainly transport crops. • There are more nuclear families than nuclear families. • Most families can now afford to send their children to secondary school.• The village loses members through international migration.• Food is now cooked by stoves powered by gas and electricity.

Done By: Aleem Mahabir,Member of thos Community and Student of Naparima College.

Sources

I received the information from the following sources: • Community members which included: Allan Mahabir, Haimatee Mahabir, Ruby Mohammed, Jeanette Mohammed, Livingston Prescott among others.• Community elders• Observation• Interviews• Surveys• Cedar Hill Ramleela Committee • Cedar Hill Village Council• Princes Town Regional Corporation• Personal knowledge