Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago Date in the current year: May 30, 2024

Indians arrived from the Indian subcontinent to Trinidad on May 30, 1845 on the ship Fatel Razack. Till the 19th century Trinidad and Tobago were Spanish colonies, later they were colonized by French, Dutch and British. The local slaves were used as a main labor force. After slavery abolition colonies lacked of labor force. The slaves were replaced by hired workers, who were coming to the islands from India, China and West Africa.

Since Indians are no more just immigrants, but a part of a nation, Indian Arrival Day is observed as a national holiday. The first celebration of the holiday (then it was Indian Emigration Day) took place in 1945 on the 100th anniversary of coming of Indians to Trinidad, but gradually it declined. The holiday was revived in 1978. The holiday was introduced to the House of Representatives in 1991 with the concept that Indian Arrival Day should be a national holiday. The 150th anniversary of arrival of Indians was celebrated as a public holiday.