WST - The History of SteelPan TimeLine

[Pan Times]

1783	Mass exodus from Haiti, Martinique & Guadeloupe to Trinidad White population grows from one hundred (100), to twenty-five hundred (2,500) Introduction of Mardi Gras (Christmas to Ash Wednesday) Slave & colored population mushrooms from five hundred (500), to sixteen thousand (16,000) On plantation festivals banned Enslaved Africans established own celebration - Cannes Brulees (Canboulay) Enslaved Africans introduced own dance (Calinda) & own songs to African drums
1838	Emancipation Canboulay celebrated yearly on August 1st, later moved to Sunday before Ash Wednesday Mardi Gras on Monday & Tuesday Now deemed ex-Slaves, this segment of the population replaces Mardi Gras with Canboulay Whites withdraw and denounce the festivities
1858	Sunday revelry is banned
1881	Canboulay riots
1884	Ordinance declared: the use of African drums outlawed in Canboulay celebrations Restrictions placed on size of bands - Yields sporadic & violent outbursts over the years
1900	Colonial government & business community take control of Canboulay Organized into disciplined parade of masquerade bands Bands vie for competitive prizes The “Upper class” return to festivities
1931	Outright banning of African drums by the British colonists Tamboo Bamboo replaces outlawed African drums as main musical medium “boom” for low tones “foule” or “buller” for mid-range “cutter” for counterpoint/lead
1935	Tamboo Bamboo banned Gonzales Tamboo-Bamboo Band introduces the first type of “bass pan”
1936	Alexander Ford establishes The Alexander Ragtime Band Sweet-oil pans, dust bins, biscuit pans: convex-shape Sticks without rubber
1937	Steelband competition held at Queen’s Park Oval Alexander Rag Time Band (winner) Hell Ward Second Eleven
1939	World War II (1939-1945) Carnival suspended Bands parade “illegally” 3 note ping-pong introduced  click for more

[Peter Gray]

Just a small historical note -- that Emancipation was actually 1834, while slavery itself was abolished in 1838, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Peter

 

[Glenroy R Joseph]

This is a quick read, everybody, and includes a lot of history that every pan lover should be aware of.

Please check it out, and as usual thank you, Pan Times