Remembering Asami Nagakiya - The Death of a Panist

by WST

March 8, 2014 · Machida, Tokyo, Japan · facebook post Dear my friends living in Trinidad. I came home safely. In this journey, companion of many is waiting for me, and gave me a warm welcome.  I was able to meet new friends as well, and was able to get a great experience at the same time. I sincerely love Trinidad. even if I don't go to the beach, don't take a rest, I feel that I can play the steelpan is happiness above all. Especially to play the pan together with ull is the happiness of my best now. I was away from the irreplaceable friends, it is feeling like a hole in my heart empty. Parting of the third year is the most painful ever. Plz contact me at any time. I also. U r away, but U r my friends all the time. Love, Asami .

-- from Asami

 

This is normally the point in the year when When Steel Talks makes that transition from the all-encompassing Trinidad and Tobago (T&T)  Panorama to focusing on all things Pan all over the world for the rest of the year. Our normal final entry and musical summary of the T&T Panorama espousing the virtues, the excellence, the good, and the bad of this great event got knocked off the rails. Knocked off the rails by the unexpected evil and the ugly.


Asami Nagakiya

On Wednesday February 10, the worst nightmare of the global steelpan music community was realized. Panist Asami Nagakiya from Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, Japan was found murdered after taking part in the Trinidad and Tobago carnival celebrations and playing mas with the band Legacy.

On Saturday February 6 Asami performed with Silver Stars Steel Orchestra in the 2016 Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama finals. She has been a member of Silver Stars since 2012. Moreover, she has traveled from Japan to Trinidad every year to participate in Panorama. A trained musician by profession, she arrived in Trinidad on January 7, for the 2016 Panorama and Carnival-related season.

Asami was deeply in love with Pan the instrument, the music, the culture, the people and Trinidad. She lived the experience and embodied all that is great about Pan culture in spirit and actuality. At end of each season her major concern was raising enough funds to ensure she could return to Trinidad the following year.

As the tributes and remembrances pour in from all over the world - it is abundantly clear that Asami Nagakiya was loved by everyone and left an indelible impression on all she interacted with. The legendary Len "Boogsie" Sharpe said Asami "is my Japanese protégé and she was on a journey to greatness."  Marcus Ash -  friend, fellow band mate and drill master of  Silver Stars Steel Orchestra said "She greeted you with a warm embrace and smile every time like it was the first time she was greeting you."

In the wake of this heinous crime, there has been an international outcry for justice for Asami. In addition, there is an ongoing fueled call for the removal of the mayor of Port of Spain for the repulsive, callous and Taliban-like comments he made upon initially addressing her death. A mentality that predominates far too much in Trinidad society -- blaming the victim.

Hopefully, the pain and loss of this major talent will contribute significantly to the changing of attitudes in the Trinbago society that she loved so dearly - it cost Asami her life.

Met with disbelief, news of her death continues to rock the steelpan music world globally.  On social media, there is a continuous outpouring of condolences for her by musicians all over the world, many of whom share pictures and recount happy times with the ace musician. The death of Asami Nagakiya must not be in vain, even as it shines a light on some real issues and age-old attitudes that need to be addressed by the people who live in Trinidad 365 days a year.

- See more at: http://www.panonthenet.com/tnt/2016/news/asami-nagakiya-2016.htm#sthash.KLf7gWxJ.dpuf

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  • I try to refrain from reading about this because it reminds me of so many other issues we have'nt addressed. The promotion of pan in T&T remains stagnant compared to any other musical industry. Why? Trini mentality.  I see flashes of me entering the home of a relative to be greeted with a big picture of Bob Marley, the only entertainer with that exposure. No trinis on the wall..  Then I flash back to see a Japanese national promoting our steel pan culture in her country more than we do in ours and how do we reward her? We killed her..I cringe everytime I think of that, feeling betrayed by my fellow trinis and embarrassed among musicians.  Here's to Asami, a hero, a great pan enthusiast, a friend. On behalf of my country minus the very few obstinates we thank you for your service and devotion to our culture and we hope with time, this sorrow, this grief, this too shall pass..Bob Diaz..

  • The  sadness of unwanted death to those who took responsibility to contribute to humanity has no cure, Maybe if truth is released

  • So very sad to read this! Can't find words to express my feelings. What an awful way to die! May the person responsible for this crime be caught and punished just like he did to Asami!

    May she rest in Peace and join the Pan players in Heaven, there is a bigger band of them up there! Condolences to Silver Stars and her loved family and friends.

    Diane

  • 'kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya"...RIP our Japanese Princess
    • RIP little one. Justice will be served. Condolences to your family in Japan and Trinidad and the diaspora. All pan people is family.. I trust you will rest in peace in paradise knowing that those who hurt you will be swiftly punished. Hold tight Silver Stars. You lost one star on earth but gained an additional star in heaven.

  • People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you really care.

  • R.I.P Asami...this one really hurts she was resting on our rhythm trolley,Siparia Rhythm Posse's Trolley complaining of stomach problems so we let her relax there until we were ready to play again and i told her to move to the other side because she was sitting where i am going to play and i can see she's hurting but she went to the other side but up comes the traffic wardens and removed everyone who wasn't playing i saw her sitting on the sidewalk with her friend and this was down on southkey we then went on to another judging point on Piccadilly street and then headed back to Siparia, the next day someone said somebody from our band was found dead in the savannah after hearing the discription i said i hope it:s not the same girl that was on our float only to realize the next day that it was her everyone from our band felt very sad about the reality on behalf of our band please accept our condolences

    • I  do hope they find the animal that did this crime

  • Loved by everyone. Not loved by one. Ours is a sorry place today.
  • I know that scum of will be caught, and brought to severe justice, my condolences to her family, and friends.  VM

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