De Savannah Food

The Queen's Park Savannah, or "de savannah" as it is very commonly known, is recorded as Port of Spain's largest open space - and is home to the largest roundabout in the world, occupying 260km2 of land. The savannah is definitely an area that belongs solely to Trinidad and Tobago. The savannah has been around for many many years and is something Trinidadians take pride in and take very good care of (one of the few things.) Very recently, The Savannah - a true open, public space - is being utilised for food and "hanging" out purposes. Anyone, at almost anytime is able to visit the savannah, grab a coconut water, take a job (great exercise arena) without being restricted. 

The Savannah is seen as a focal point of a budding business arena as well. The Northern End of the savannah you will find the Royal Botanical Gardens The Emperor Valley Zoo, The official residences of the President and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the renowned Queen's Hall (used for many performances and shows.) On the Southern Side lies the grand stand used mainly for cultural events notably Carnival.  On a Saturday or Sunday evening, many young folks flock to the green grasses of the savannah to indulge in many different sporting activities; football, cricket, track and field etc. This vast urban structure has many many purposes.  

There are so many different things offered at the savannah. "Savannah Food" as we call it is one restaurant with a very extensive menu! And did I mention at great prices? One could pick up a tall glass of all natural juice ranging in many flavours, a gyro, a burger, some doubles, a delicious cup of homemade souse (a local dish), boiled corn, corn soup, bar-be-que wings and fries and this list literally goes on and on. 

When thinking of the savannah and most of the actives that take place during the night, one theory comes to mind; The Informal Economy. The informal economy is that part of the economy that is not taxed or heavily monitored by any form of government and or is not included in the GNP. It is used to describe employment or livelihood generation primarily within the developing world. The informal sector constitutes a significant component of the urban economy and employment market (Hall and Barrett 2012, 93). This is said to be prevalent in countries that have undergone a recent shift in political and economic structures. 

For Trinidadians, it means being able to showcase a skill, while being flexible at doing your job. Two main sub-sectors involved in the informal economy in Trinidad and Tobago are the subsistence sector, which deals with consumption for self and family and small scale producers who are involved in small arts and crafts or the retail of goods and services (Potter and Llyod-Evans, 1998). This sector of the economy is just a way for honest, maybe lower class individuals to make an honest dollar without being involved in anything underhand, while providing a good or service that is clearly needed by the public. 

The picture highlights the strip where most of the food is sold around the savannah. Apparently I went at a bad time because there are usually hundreds of people at a time gathered around for some personal time. 

Mumford (1938) said that the city is primarily a social emergent. The mark of the city is it purposive social complexity. It represents the maximum possibility of humanising the natural environment and of naturalising the human heritage: it gives a cultural shape to the first, and it externalises, in permanent collective forms, the second."

Jane Jacobs once said "cities love the capability of providing something for everyone, only because and only when they are created by everyone."

Tim Hall and Heather Barrett, Urban Geography, 4^th ed. (Abingdon: Routledge 2012) 93 - 94. 

Potter, Robert B., and Sally LLoyd-Evans. The City in a Developing World. Harlow, Essex, United Kingdom: Longman, 1998. Print.

Lewis Mumford. The Culture of Cities. 1938.