Matelot Fishing Village, North Coast, Trinidad
Matelot is the last village accessible by the Toco Main Road and is located on the north coast of Trinidad. The village has traditionally been seen as one of the most remote places on the island. The Matelot area was inhabited by Amerindian groups until 1760 when the population was resettled at the Spanish mission at Toco. Matelot was thought to have been named by the British in 1868 – it is French for sailor.
By 1873 there were forty families in the village and in 1887 the population was reported to be about 280, most descended from the Estrada and Salvary families. In the early days of development, the village’s economy was fueled by cocoa production until around 1920 when prices collapsed forcing many farmers into bankruptcy.
Matelot today, while still a remote part of Trinidad, has become known fishing village.