From South Africa-A love letter to Trinidad

By Rushay Booysen

I recently had the privilege of visiting your beautiful island of Trinidad (Tobago, I will be back for you—I heard you have your own flavour). It was a whirlwind visit, and I know I will have to return to explore more. I look forward to that.

I want to share a glimpse of my visit with you. My journey was long; I travelled nearly 32 hours to reach your shores. The Atlantic Ocean connects us on your East Coast; by sea, it would take two to three weeks to get here.

Travel can offer escape and adventure, but it can also keep you in a bubble if you are only looking for comfort. On this trip, I found something much deeper—a real sense of connection shaped by the warmth of the people and the stories in their daily lives.

I have visited many countries, but the friendliness here is unmatched. I arrived with no expectations, except for our Commonwealth connection and our shared cricket victories—and some losses on your end!

What stood out to me most was the richness of your culture. It comes from generations of ancestors who travelled from distant places and from indigenous people who managed to survive from Spanish to British colonialism.

The conversations I had gave me real insight into the people and I often saw reflections of my own homeland, South Africa. The blending of cultures here was shaped by migration, often forced, leaving people with questions about belonging. These histories do not run separately; instead, they come together in ways that feel both natural and intentional.

You can hear it in the music, taste it in the food, and see it in celebrations that unite communities. This mix does not erase where people come from but honours those roots, creating something new and proud.

The word that seems to touch nations everywhere is ‘migration’. We should remember that, in some way, we are all migrants. Seeing young Venezuelans selling packaged fried plantain along the Churchill–Roosevelt Highway reminded me of Zimbabweans in my country. They are trying to support families back home, affected by political instability they have no control over.

Spending time with locals felt like a guided tour into your society. Conversations came easily, often starting with simple curiosity and growing into talks about identity, heritage, and belonging.

I was introduced to doubles, bake and shark, plenty of Carib and the likes of puncheon—it’s true, ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. There was a shared sense that diversity is not just a fact of life here, but a strength to be celebrated.

I found joy in the easy laughter, the quiet resilience that supports daily life, and the way people carry their histories with both respect and a sense of ease.

I left Trinidad and Tobago with a full heart and deep admiration for its people and their story. I also left behind new family and elders that embraced me as their own. The island is not only stunning in its natural beauty but also rich in culture. We live in a world that often feels divided, but this small nation is a strong reminder that diversity, when respected and welcomed, can create something wonderful.

Of course, there are challenges and no place is perfect but we won’t reflect on that because our newspapers highlight it daily. We share similar high crime rates, and embassy notices warn one on the ‘dangers’ of visiting…perhaps both our countries could have benefitted from better leadership through the years.

I hope others will seek out experiences like mine—not just to enjoy your beautiful beaches and friendly people, but to understand how humanity grows through connection.

Now I understand why Desmond Tutu once called Trinidad and Tobago a “Rainbow Nation”, as it reflects my own society in many ways, with its people and its beauty.

May you always remember when you, the people of T and T, aspire together, through unity you will achieve.

Rushay Booysen lives in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A photojournalist, his work was exhibited in the first-ever African photographers’ exhibition in the Middle East and on CNN’s Inside Africa.

He has a keen interest in music and history and has presented at conferences in universities in the United States on Hip Hop and its social role. He was also a guest speaker at a symposium in Hanover, Germany on Hip Hop.

Booysen has also done work on Coloured identity in South Africa, as a Coloured himself with acute insight into the community and its history.