Pan’s great hope

The recent Pan in the 21st Century/Pan Down Memory Lane competitions staged by Pan Trinbago helped reinforce the numerous features of pan as more than a versatile percussive instrument the world came to know in its current general manifestation almost 100 years ago.

The conduct of these concurrent competitions, featuring single pan and scaled-down conventional bands, was categorically dismissive of the unfortunate view that the steelband as a socio-cultural construct is not a powerfully instructive model for wider socio-economic/cultural development.

Only those who pay little attention to what has been happening over the years would deny such value. It however remains a state of ignorance from which key decision-makers in politics, business, industry, and education need to awaken.

Ironically, the staging of the event less than five months after a phenomenal Panorama competition also proved that competitions – important as they are – do not a steelband movement make.

Pan Trinbago is best placed as a facilitative organ of the movement. But its heartbeat emerges from a combination of geographical communities and communities of interest, and not from the bricks and mortar of a registered institution.

President Beverley Ramsey-Moore appears to understand some of this and, whatever the licks she can and will (justifiably) sustain on some matters of regulation and detail, she has proven capable of engaging such a dynamic.

For instance, there is scope for revisiting the Panorama model including some contentious rules. My QRC pal, Eric McAllister, is one of several pesky advocates for change. These people need to be heard. Even so, Panorama is, indeed, the authentic ‘greatest show’, even as there is much more to pan than competition.

The fact is the mobilisation required to execute the 21st Century and Memory Lane competitions could not have been conjured out of nowhere or nothing. There is something in this that’s far more valuable than even the contributions of more prominent social institutions.

The “big guns” did not even have to be there, for this is something greater even than they.

Had we been learning from this model of social organisation many national difficulties could now have been addressed as routine matters.

For starters, how do we square claims about a so-called “lost generation” when so many well-disciplined young people turned up at practice, learned their notes, followed instructions, pushed the pans, and performed with looks of joy and satisfaction on their faces?

Who are these young people? Where do they come from? What “hopelessness" are you talking about? Will I see you at the panyard? Have you been to the shows? Have you witnessed joy in the face of considerable pain? Is all this fiddling while the city burns or ramajaying to reinforce important foundations?

Pan Trinbago can indeed significantly address the problem of over-reliance on state largesse, especially if it follows through on Ramsey-Moore’s commitment to finally erect its headquarters through a diversity of funding mechanisms.

However, there is also the even more important job of constructing a real pan theatre, several versions of which have already been imagined and designed. This, to me, is a state imperative with important business and other commitments.

It will help strengthen T&T’s claim to be the global hub for pan music and performance – a claim that has more benefits than are often immediately recognisable.

I sat at the June 11 finals, even as the rains threatened, and at times was so moved by what was on display that I cursed the numerous times I have uncritically heeded notes of hopelessness and despair.

There is no denying we face rather bleak times – full of murderous violence, vulgar political hubris, official and private incompetence, and a sense of incapacity as new perils emerge.

The panyards provide inspiration and guidance we dare not ignore.

Today, I also pay special tribute to winners First Citizens Supernovas and to Chord Masters. Richard de Coteau and the hugely talented Andre White led Chord Masters, the reigning Panorama Single Pan champs, to victory at Pan Down Memory Lane.

I am totally biased when it comes to Pan in the 21st Century winners First Citizens Supernovas though. Their Lopinot panyard is the most beautiful panyard I have ever visited, its players mostly young and wonderful, and its arranger, Amrit Samaroo, establishing himself among the leading, in this field, in recent history.

Have a long look at these bands and tell me what you see. Go past the expressions of unbridled joy on the faces of the players. Note the dexterity and skill. Calculate an average age. Have a look. Now go talk about hope and hopelessness.