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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/04/carnival-steel-pan-bands-trinidad-tobago>
"A crescent moon hung in the cloudless sky over Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), as
steel pan orchestras pushed through a throng of thousands of supporters who had
gathered to greet them outside the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain.
They were on their way to the final round of the Caribbean country’s national
steel band competition: the culmination of months of rehearsal.
The ‘steelpan finals’, which kick off four days of carnival revelry in T&T, is
a fierce competition, with the bar rising yearly. On stage on Saturday, rival
orchestras used drama, poetry and dance to introduce their musical arrangements
before exploding into an electrifying blend of rhythms that were greeted by the
crowd with giddy, unadulterated joy.
“Pan is a therapeutic instrument that keeps you calm. It’s happy music,” said
Beverley Ramsey-Moore, the president of Pan Trinbago – the self-described
“world governing body for the steelpan”. “It represents the tears, blood and
sweat of our ancestors, and it is important as a community building tool,” she
added.
“Pan is us, and we are pan!” said Ainsworth Mohammed, leader of the Exodus
orchestra, before their prize-winning set at Saturday’s finals.
“This is the mecca of carnival, and this is what we live for as pan men or as
musicians. This is the ultimate prize for us, just being here at the finals,”
said the Exodus tenor pan man Jamaal Lewis.
Stuart Young, who will become prime minister on March 16 when Keith Rowley
resigns, said pan had a unique power. “What you’re witnessing here is the
culmination of the greatness of our national instrument, the steel band.
Tonight is what it all comes down to. After months and months of preparation
and weeks of competition … What you’re going to listen to is going to blow your
mind. Because Pan is life, Pan is love, and Pan is what Trinidad and Tobago are
part of, what we are about.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
