Members of the Steelfestt Organising Committee, Officers of the Central Executive and staff of Pan Trinbago, members of the steelband fraternity, specially invited guests, ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of Pan Trinbago Inc., the officers and members, I take this opportunity to express sincere words of welcome.
We take great pleasure in asking you to give praise to the members of the Steelfestt Committee, which is chaired by Ms. Maureen Manchouk, whose love for the Pan and its music is overtaken only by her admiration for the steelband performers.
Permit me to let you know, that Maureen is valued to an extremely high degree by the association.
The members of this committee have all demonstrated a very keen interest in the development of the Pan and the performers.
It would be remiss of me were I to allow to pass this opportunity where I congratulate Dave Dedier for the concept, which gave birth to Steelfestt.
I am sure, very sure – ladies and gentlemen, that you have heard ad nauseum, how the Pan has gone to so many parts of the world and how Trinidad and Tobago was losing out on the commercialization of this great instrument.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am not too sure that very many people – locals I mean, really appreciate what the Pan means to the country, how useful the Pan is as a medium for teaching music.
Regrettably we had the very unfortunate development within our education system where the Pan was removed from its position of eminence and tossed down into the category of being just another instrument.
Tonight I stand before you to offer praise to the Pan, which was researched and developed by men whose only skill was that driven by a determination to produce an instrument out of discarded vessels and containers. Who was Victor Totee Wilson? - The man credited with putting the first notes on a metal container. He was a simple pan man who felt the spiritual urgings of an inspiration that was dynamic and far-reaching.
I feel compelled to share with you, our hurt and disappointment caused by the cavalier attitude towards this instrument, which has been demonstrated by those in authority.
The Pan is ours and we are proud to be steelband members.
We are also proud to be manufacturers of this indigenous National Musical Instrument – the Steelpan, which we intend to sell to the world market via our company – Trinidad and Tobago Pan Instruments Limited.
Long live the Pan!
Pan Trinbago at this time hosts musicians from Brazil, India, Cuba and China.
We say welcome. Come share with us. Our aim is to make you comfortable and may your stay be both enjoyable and information filled.
Thank you.
Replies
A follow up to this conference would be nice, just to prove we are not still blowing out hot air.
Cecil, SteelfesTT have been bill as an Annual Event.
Terry there is a good vibe in the air about things concerning Pan and Pan People, lets see, we had the government decision to finish PT headquarters, the about turn on Pan in the classroom and now a fruitful SteelfesTT, I hope this continues until the next SteelfesTT.
Congratulations, Mr. President, on a very educational and informative three day conference about pan. This may have been the start of national recognition of pan as our - Trinidad and Tobago's - national instrument.
Until such time that every creed and race (of every political persuasion) in Trinidad and Tobago accepts this musical instrument that evolved from the grassroots communities - in Trinidad and Tobago - into an internationally acceptable instrument, pan will not find its rightful place of pride and joy in the psyche of the vast majority of Trinbagonians.
T&T is a complex society. Almost half the population is Trinidadian while the other half is Indian. The leaders of the Indian communities see India as their motherland and seem bent on diluting whatever has evolved from the national community of Trinidad and Tobago. Pan is a victim of this dilution hence the comment from Pantrinbago's President - "Regretably we had the very unfortunate development in our education system where the pan was removed from its position of eminence and tossed down into the category of being just another instrument." This is a most unfortunate development which must be reversed immediately.
An interesting comment from one of the presenters at SteelFesTT was that once a drum is is made into a pan it becomes a musical instrument and is no longer a drum (sheet metal is also used to make pans)! PanTrinbago probably needs to emphasise this fact and to make the obvious known i.e. that unlike drums that provide rhythm, an orchestra made up of steel pans can play ALL varieties of music, including providing rhythm and beat!
The world knows about pan and sees value in it beyond its being a musical instrument. Isn't it about time that it finds its rightful place in Trinidad and Tobago? It is our gift to the musical world. Shouldn't we institutionalize it and capitalize on its international appeal while we still have time? I have never heard of any musical instrument creating such an impact on the world of music, hence SteelFesTT, an international conference (one of many planned) focusing on pan and the way forward. Have you?
Thank you PanTrinbago, NGC and UTT for SteelFestt 2012!
Steups!! If Pantrinbago was doing its duty there would have been no way that the Pan in the Classroom could have been terminated in the first place and now they want to go into the business of making pan.
Something is not right here
Good point...well said Wayne.
Why are you spreading false rumors - Pan in the Classroom was never terminated, will not be terminated.
PanTrinbago on a paradigm shift and the fight-down continue..
Pan in the Classroom will not now be terminated because the pan people and the population in general rose up in force. When the announcement was made even the date of its demise was announced. It was to be replaced by the Multicultural Music Program. They even had a name for it. Were it not for the people rising up and protesting and not just the pan players, but every expert in music education, it would have been the end of the program and Pan Trinbago would have kept quiet because they were bought off by the 25 mil to complete their headquarters.
Mr. Samuel, until such time that there is a clear understanding between the Pan in Schools and Pan in the Classroom projects then it may be premature to to state that the latter project has not been terminated.
Having been confronted with a barrage of objections, the Pan in the Classroom programme may now not be terminated. I fear however that it will be diluted.
John, that is the reasons we the members of WST cannot sleep on this ...we have the power to run things in the steelpan movement, the PM speak last week about this issue and we are all following this project every move.
I would be glad if every member of WST continuing posting this discussion on facebook, twitter, T&T Dailies it cannot be left for granted.
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