Via the Roundabout

Family histories are a genre of ethnohistory that at once educate and enthrall family and friends alike. Not all members of a clan care to know about their roots, often fearing that they'll discover phenomena and events they would rather leave buried. Yet, for those of us courageous enough to face and embrace the truth, even truth that hurts, excavating and exploring one's family tree is thrilling and fulfilling.

In Via the Roundabout, I trace my family's history from Tobago in 1819 to post-Independence Trinidad and Tobago. The fascinating story begins with Margaret the family matriarch, a 22-year-old female enslaved by Arthur Cordiner, a Scotsman. Joseph Arthur of Barbados, my great-grandfather, enters the picture post Emancipation as the island's economy collapsed, prompting an exodus of Tobagonians to Trinidad. The majority of migrants landed in northeast Trinidad, Toco to be exact, where the cocoa estates of Sans Souci were in desperate need of laborers. My forebears were among the deluge of Tobagonians who continued to flood the northeast corner of Trinidad well into the 20th century. My father, Alpheus Scobie, in escaping his roots, joined the Seventh-day Adventists in the 1930s, passing on a legacy of integrity and industry to his 8 children, who continue their contributions to society after careers of distinction and dedication.

I grew up a stone's throw away from the iconic Cunapo Roundabout, which marks the end of the Toco Main Road and the beginning of the Eastern Main Road, the gateway to other parts of the Island.

After reading the "work in progress," one reader commented. "Readers will find Via the Roundabout informative and instructive, and will deeply appreciate the fact that the story is grounded in its historical context. Beverly Scobie is eminently qualified to trace her family tree, given her legal mind and training. She writes with clarity and lucidity, weaving a compelling narrative that is sure to prompt readers to explore their own roots and to face the raw truth about themselves."