Obtained from the Nalis library website.
Origins
The origins and early
development of the Spiritual and
Shouter Baptist religion in
Trinidad are not well known but
the consensus is that the religion
developed among the people of
African descent during the
nineteenth century.
It can be found throughout the Caribbean
under various names but according to Gibbs
de Peza (10), the names Spiritual and
Shouter Baptist is specific to Trinidad. It is a
unique religion, comprising elements of both
Protestant Christianity and African doctrines
and rituals. It is also one of the few religions
indigenous to Trinidad. With the exception of
Orisha, all other religions were brought to
the country by either European colonisers or
Indian indentured labourers.
The term Shouter was given to the Baptists
because of their tendency to shout, clap and
sing loudly during their religious services. It
was a derogatory term imposed on them by
mainstream society. During their fight to
have the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance
repealed, the Baptists decided to use the
term Spiritual Baptists instead of Shouter
Baptists, in an effort to gain some
respectability for their religion.
There are four theories that place the roots
of the Spiritual and Shouter Baptist religion
in Africa, North America, St. Vincent and
Grenada.
The first theory suggests that certain
practices of the Spiritual and Shouter Baptist religion. It has managed to fuse the
faith can be traced directly to Africa. While
researchers agree on Africa, there is some
dispute as to where in Africa. Religious
practices from Dahomey, Kongo, West Africa expressive and dynamic.
and Yoruba have all been identified as being
similar to that of the Spiritual and Shouter
Baptists in Trinidad. The African theory is not
They were given freedom and grants of land
in south Trinidad. They formed “company
villages“ which were named after the military
companies in which they had served (Henry,
2003). For example, Fifth Company, Moruga.
These settlers brought their Baptist faith with
them.
This explains the four Baptist groups in
existence on the island - the London
Baptists, the Independent Baptists, the
Spiritual Baptists and the Fundamental
Baptists.
Yet another theory suggests that the roots of
the Spiritual and Shouter Baptists can be
found in the migration of fundamental
Protestants known as “Shakers“ from St.
Vincent to Trinidad during the early part of
the twentieth century. Viola Gopaul-
Whittington (12) in her book History of the
Spiritual Baptist & Writings.
In addition to the African influence, there
was also the Protestant Christian influence
on the Spiritual and Shouter Baptist religion.
Among the influx of settlers to Trinidad after
the island became a British colony were the
British themselves. They brought the
Anglican religion with them. This, together
with the African rituals and customs, greatly
influenced the direction of the Spiritual and
Shouter Baptist faith.
Although the origins of the Spiritual and
Shouter Baptist faith in Trinidad can be
traced to foreign countries, it has evolved
over time to become a unique, indigenous
spontaneity and rhythms of Africa with the
restrained, traditional tenets of Christianity
to produce a religion that is vibrant,
well documented.

When Trinidad became a British colony in

1797, there was a new influx of settlers. A
group of former American slaves who had
supported Britain during the War of
American Independence, were rewarded for
their loyalty.

RITUALS, BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

BELIEFS
The Spiritual Baptists believe that their religion comes from John the Baptist and
their name from the practice of immersing their practitioners in water as a means
of baptizing them into the faith (Henry 36-39). Rituals are characterized by bell
ringing, mourning, shouting and visits from the Holy Spirit.

The term “Spiritual” indicates that the Holy Spirit is actively involved in the lives
of the believers and in their religious service. According to Gibbs de Peza (1999) Spiritual
Baptists are defined by their belief in:

 The guidance of the Holy Spirit

 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Symbolism plays an important role in the Spiritual and Shouter Baptist faith. Pictures,
engravings and flags may contain symbols representing justice, righteous living, deliverance,
victory over death and the Holy Spirit.

The bell, sword, shepherd’s rod and flags play important parts in many of the rituals. Candles are
also important and the colour of the candle is significant. For example, a white candle
symbolizes purity, truth and righteousness.

PRACTICES
There are several practices that are important to the Baptists.

Baptism: Baptists believe that repentance and faith are essential and man must be born again of
water and the Holy Spirit in accordance with the teachings of the bible. Candidates are given
instruction over a period of time to prepare them for baptism. This preparation ends in a service
of praise and rejoicing, prior to the candidate’s acceptance of Jesus Christ, by immersing in
living water, that is, a stream, river or the sea.
Mourning: The mourning period can last for three to seven or more days. According to Gibbs de
Peza (64) , “Mourning is characterized by the denial to one’s self of the freedom to move about,
to speak, to eat, drink, bathe or any other comforts, and the acceptance of the naked earth for a
bed, a stone for a pillow” (1999). In addition, the church member prays, fasts and meditates day
and night. During the mourning period, the member receives spiritual instruction through visions
and dreams. Mourning is considered important for developing the soul, strengthening the spirit
and achieving spiritual knowledge, wisdom and understanding (Gibbs de Peza 64).

Pilgrimages: These are visits from one church to another in a different district. During the
journey there is much singing and praying.

Commemoration of the Dead: The Spiritual and Shouter Baptists believe that the death of a
loved one who lived a life of righteousness causes surviving friends and relatives to turn to God.
It is the duty of the minister therefore, to provide hope and comfort so they can realize that the
greatest solace comes from God.

Bands: These are pieces of cloth with seals on them. They are used in baptism and mourning to
cover the member’s eyes, so that he or she would not be distracted by his or her surroundings.

Doption: This word was derived from the English word adopt. It is a groaning sound made to
various rhythms while praying or while on a spiritual journey.

Speaking in Tongues: This is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit referred to in the Bible. It can
be described as a phenomenon during which the believer speaks in languages unknown to him or
her in his or her everyday life.
Roadside Preaching/Missions: Members of the faith are sent to villages to spread the messages
they received in their visions and dreams. They do this by preaching at street corners.

Praying Aloud: Individuals or groups pray aloud during the church service,
kneeling either in the center of the church or at the steps of the altar.

Mode of Dress: Members of the Baptist faith wear uniforms or spiritual clothes
in various designs and colours. The choice of colour is guided by the instructions
received during spiritual journeys. The uniforms define the office and function
the member has in the church. Women must cover their heads during worship
with large pieces of cloth called head-ties. Senior female members often wear
their head-ties at all times and not just during worship.
CELEBRATIONS
Like other religious groups, there are special days that are celebrated in the Spiritual/Shouter
Baptist faith. These include the following:

Christmas: This festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Passion Tide: This celebration begins with Palm Sunday. The Baptist church follows Jesus
Christ in his suffering, death and burial. The services of the Holy Week provide the members
with the opportunity to live again through the historic events of the Baptist Faith and relate these
experiences to their own lives. The week ends with the celebration of the Last Supper of Jesus
Christ on Holy Thursday night. On Good Friday, there are services to commemorate His death
and burial.

Easter: This celebrates Christ’s victory over death and is a joyous occasion.

Pentecost: This celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus Christ.
Pentecost is significant for Spiritual and Shouter Baptists because it serves to remind members of
the importance of unity and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church.

Church Anniversary: The establishment of a local church is a great achievement so, each year,
members come together to review the past year and give thanks to God for keeping the church
together. It is also an opportunity for them to reflect on their achievements, count their blessings
and make a commitment to serve God in the coming year.

Harvest: This celebration is held to recognize that God is responsible for the bounty of the land
and the achievements of members’ lives. It also recognizes God’s mercy towards mankind.

Thanksgiving: This is held at various times throughout the year. It is a means of expressing
gratitude to God for his blessings and is held after special occasions in members’ lives, such as
success in an undertaking, or recovery from an illness. It also recognizes God’s mercy.

Flower Service or Candle Light Service: This celebration represents a time for
reflecting on one’s life. According to Gibbs de Peza, “it is a time when man’s life
is compared to that of the flower whose beauty fades at the end of the day and the
candle whose light wanes as the wax is burnt out.” (1999). The flower and the
candle are meant to remind mankind of the frailty of human existence. They also
symbolize Jesus, without whose Light we would live in darkness.

Old Year/New Year: Members gather on Old Year’s night to give thanks and praise to God for
the passing year and expectantly await the new year.The new year is heralded with rejoicing,
greetings and new year’s resolutions.

Obtained from Wikipedia.org

History
Unconfirmed legend has it that one day thousands of years ago a man took a bath in a lovely
oasis in the middle of the desert. After drying himself with a towel he decided to overcome the
hot sun by wrapping the damp towel around his head to take advantage of the cool feeling it
provided. The local people adopted this method of fighting the heat and to this day variations of
this centuries old technique is still used.

Illustration of Arab men in the fourth to sixth century, wearing turbans and keffiyeh (middle)

People first began to wear Turbans in the Sudan according to Leo Frobenius a German historian.

 The ancient Persians wore a conical cap ( but it wasn't an actual turban) sometimes
encircled by bands of cloth.
 It is believed that the Arabs of the time of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet, wore
Amamah (Arabic: ‫)عمامة‬. They were very useful for fending off the desert sand and
protecting the head and face from very high temperatures and strong sunlight. When the
Islamic empires were established, under the first four caliphs, the Umayyads, and the
Abbasids, the new rulers wore Amamah. Head wraps then diffused to populations under
Islamic rule, even in countries where they were not previously worn.

 The Maya peoples of Central America are known to have used head-coverings similar in
form to turbans. This is especially evident in the iconography of the Classic Period (c.
600-900 A.D.), especially from the region around Copan, Honduras (see depictions on
Altar Q).
 Probably the largest-ever Turbans were worn by high-ranking Turks of the Ottoman
period, including soldiers. These were enormous round turbans, wrapped around a hollow
cone or framework, that often projected at the top. Hence they were called "Sarık",
meaning "wrapped". From the 19th century the Turks mostly gave up the turban for the
fez at the same time as they abandoned their kaftan tunics for more Western dress. Broad-
rimmed Western hats did not meet the Islamic requirement that the forehead touch the
ground during prayer and the Sultan issued a decree enforcing the wearing of the fez,
applicable to all religious groups. Suleiman the Magnificent was renowned for the size of
his turban.
 Men in Cyprus, an island with Arab and Ottoman influences, traditionally covered their
heads with either a headscarf (similar to a wrapped keffiyeh, "a form of turban"[4]) or a
fez. Turbans have been worn by Cypriot men since ancient times and were recorded by
Herodotus, during the Persian rule of the island, to demonstrate their "oriental" customs
compared to Greeks.[5]
 Many contemporary images show European men of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
wearing headgear that looks like turbans. These hats are actually chaperons, which could
look very similar.[6] Men in Europe were expected to take off their headgear in church,
and in the presence of a person of much higher rank, like a king. This is not easy with a
turban. Turbans also appear in European religious art, especially in scenes picturing the
 Holy Land, then inhabited by turban-wearers. Turbans did not become a regular part of
European headgear until the late 17th century. Men then shaved their heads and wore
heavy wigs; when relaxing at home, they removed the wigs and covered their heads with
caps or sometimes turbans.

 European women wore a wide variety of headdresses, some of which appear to be

wrapped scarves or occasionally turbans. In the late 18th century and early 19th, turbans
became fashionable headgear for women. The first recorded use of the English word
"turban" for a Western female headdress is in 1776 (OED). As with all styles, they have
waxed and waned in popularity. Later Victorians wore wrapped toques; turbans were
fashionable in the early 20th century. The French couturier Poiret was known for his
Orientalist designs featuring turbans. Turbans were fashionable in the 1940s and 1950s ;
one name given them was cache-misère (French, "hide misery"), a chic solution to a bad-
hair day.[7] Costumes worn by singer Carmen Miranda in several WWII-era Hollywood
films featured turbans, including increasingly outrageous and oversized piles of fruit-as-
headgear, supposedly modelled on those worn by Brasilian market ladies. After a
precipitous decline in hat-wearing during the 1960s, turbans are now rather rarely seen on
women in the Western World.