Tunapuna

Tunapuna
Town
Tunapuna, with Trincity in the background
Tunapuna Location in Trinidad
Coordinates: 10°38′N 61°23′W
Country	Trinidad and Tobago
Region	Tunapuna–Piarco
Population  (2011)
• Total	26,829
Time zone	UTC-4 (UTC -4)

Tunapuna is a town in the East–West Corridor of the island of Trinidad, in Trinidad and Tobago.

Town

Tunapuna is located between St. Augustine, Tacarigua and Trincity. Tunapuna is the largest town between San Juan and Arima.^[1] It is an important market^[1] and commercial centre, and is the seat of the Tunapuna–Piarco Regional Corporation. The Tunapuna Parliamentary seat is a marginal, hence popular wisdom dictates: "If you win Tunapuna, you win the elections."^[1] The only gurdwara (Sikh temple) in Trinidad and Tobago is located in Tunapuna and dates back to some of the first Punjabi Indian immigrants in 1929.^[2][3]

Carnival

For more than one hundred years, Tunapuna has been a Carnival venue. Each year this regional carnival, which is a showcase for traditional and conventional mas, steel band, and stick fighting, is organised by the Tunapuna Carnival Committee.^[4]

Notable people

The renowned writer and scholar C. L. R. James was born and is buried here, and popular 1950s pianist Winifred Atwell was born here. The song Tuna Puna Trinidad was the B-side of a single released by Petula Clark in 1955.^[5] Songwriter, composer, writer and director Donald Heywood, best remembered for composing "I'm Coming Virginia" in 1926, which became a hit for Ethel Waters. was born in Tunapuna in 1896.^[6] Professional footballer Stern John was born in Tunapuna.

10°38′N 61°23′W

References

1. "Tunapuna". Retrieved 20 December 2010.
2. "Sikhism in Trinidad - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia".
3. Sikh Channel (5 March 2019). "Sikh Channel in Trinidad - Episode 01". YouTube.
4. "Tunapuna Carnival Committee". The National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago. 11 January 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
5. Parsons Zenobio, Laurie; Terry Young; Bonnie Miller. "Petula Clark On Vinyl - The Polygon Years 2011–2012". PetNet. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
6. "Donald Heywood". Radio Swiss Jazz. Retrieved 14 March 2017.