Bare Essentials of the Stealth Assault on Pan
by Les Slater
Chairman, T & T Folk Arts Institute
A When Steel Talks Exclusive
“... Today, when successive governments and tertiary institutions are throwing millions of dollars and other resources to promote innovation and to stimulate the capacity for critical thinking and problem-solving, the steelpan stands as testimony to our capacity to innovate, to think critically and to solve one problem after another, and to do so with nothing but the power of our minds and the commitment of our passion. ”
— Sunity Maharaj is the editor of the T&T Review and Director of the Lloyd Best Institute of the West Indies
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Global - About two months ago Sunity Maharaj wrote with characteristic eloquence in the Trinidad Express about the retrogressive decision announced by the government of Trinidad and Tobago, to have the Pan in the Schools program subsumed by an entity purportedly more all-embracing and with a “multicultural” face. Maharaj said a mouthful when she wrote: “There is a worrying sub-text to the government’s argument for elbowing aside the Pan-in-the-Classroom Unit in making room for the new and expanded Multicultural Music Programme Unit.” A compelling need exists, I believe, to address that “worrying sub-text” in head-on fashion, which some, for what they probably think to be pragmatic reasons, have been loath to do.
We might begin with this obsession with the “multicultural” thing that the government seems to have had since assuming office two years ago. In a move that was at once illustrative of a misread of the multiculturalism concept while also hinting at some darker intent, “culture” was dispensed with as a ministerial portfolio in favor of “multicultural affairs.” Ministries or departments of culture abound the world over, always with the broad-spectrum responsibility for matters cultural that the name implies. Suddenly in Trinidad and Tobago came this new enlightenment to the shortcomings of “culture.” As subterfuge attempts go, this didn’t offer much in the way of bafflement. It wasn’t difficult to deduce that the hands of race-baiting puppet masters were all over this. As with the steelpan itself which, as Maharaj pointed out, certain folk have seen fit to pigeonhole as an African rather than Trinidadian creation and interest, a ministry of culture had apparently come to be perceived as likewise having Afrocentric parameters. What else to do, with the opportunity now presented, but make good and solid distinction from the pre-existing “African” variant?
No political operative worth his salt would acknowledge being party to such calculation, even including, in this instance, a few practitioners known not to be shy about giving voice to unabashedly racist sentiments. On the pan, there has never been any attempt to mask a profound disdain. The recent brouhaha over no pan in Maha Sabha schools was only the latest reload and volley in the pan’s direction. When the steelpan was declared (even if just symbolically, in our view) the country’s national instrument, one of the premier stalwart defenders of God-only-knows what, steeped in xenophobic bile, dared to question why this honor had been given to the pan, why not the sitar. That anyone, of any stripe, in Trinidad and Tobago could display such callous indifference to what is undeniably the most powerful symbol of national pride and achievement the country can boast, only meant there could be no illusions, going forward, as to the level of denigration this provocateur and his ilk had reserved for the pan. Witness also the caustic putdown that found its way into the country’s political interplay, about black children “beating pan” while Indian children were “beating book.”
If today, agents of not only unyielding division but disparagement of the other, enjoy puppet master status, we oughtn’t be surprised that pan in the schools would be a target, never mind the serpentine apparatus of a multicultural whatever, in which it comes disguised. Look, let’s cut the b.s. Apart from a rudimentary awareness of their existence, what across-the-board collection of youngsters in Trinidad and Tobago would be likely to develop an intense interest in musical instruments native to China or Syria? Throwing up this red herring as justification for nudging the pan from the position of special anointing it should always occupy in its birthplace is grossly insulting. It only compounds the disgrace that a black-skinned buffoon, supposedly in charge of this sphere of governmental endeavor, stands in silence and pitiful acquiescence as the orchestrated deviousness has its day.
Even if this stealth assault on the pan holds, there should be no letup in the drumbeat of contempt leveled at perpetrators of the mischief. The political correctness game, too, should by now be no longer in play. Not speaking truth to the power of the moment should be rejected as an option. Fixated on considerations of race evidently to the exclusion of all else, the anti-pan insurgency, if that’s what it is, may think to keep its collective head buried in the sand as far as the steelpan’s impressive reach into the world of musical culture. Such attempts at denial of course alter nothing. Universal affirmation of the steelpan as Trinidad and Tobago’s singularly astounding artistic contribution to mankind has long since been the stuff of legend. It’s a bit late in the game for the stigmatizing on which some warped minds seem resolutely determined.
So what if the steelpan were indeed properly characterized as “African” stuff? Would it somehow have rationalized this offensive behavior toward those who love the pan, appreciate its beauty and stand in awe of its still untapped potential? Sunity Maharaj was absolutely correct, though. The pan owes its appearance amongst us to Afro-Trinidadian progenitors. But it would be an unfortunate distortion to put an “African” label on the pan story in Trinidad and Tobago. No self-respecting contributor to the country’s pan lore would disavow the heavy-duty role of the late Junior Pouchet, for instance. Or later, Jit Samaroo and any number of others. Despite spirited efforts over time to do some revisionist tinkering with its origins and development, the pan, to our undying honor, is abundantly Trinidadian, as Maharaj stoutly asserts.
If a stultifying sectarianism prohibits an embrace of it by some in our midst, the shame is altogether theirs. But erecting barriers seemingly for the sect’s protection from pan’s perceived contaminating ways is one thing. Brazenly seeking to short-circuit pan’s forward movement elsewhere should be roundly condemned as these sad sacks’ bridge too far. For this infamy they should be brought to heel, with commensurate rage not only from acknowledged lovers of pan, but everyone of fair and open mind.
Tichard Chapmen directs one of the New York's Meyer Levin's public school steelbands
Replies
I like the article, but I still have an issue with the reference to African descendants as "black" (lower case "b"), as opposed to the reference to East Indian descendants as "Indian". I also find it a slight to refer to an African contribution as "stuff". I also hope that people come to understand that, accurately acknowledging the steel drum or pan, as an Afro-Trinbagonian "invention", does not posit that ONLY "Africans" should be on pan's "label". The "label" extends racial and geographic boundaries, for certainly, even non-Trinidadians, like Mr. Andy Narrell, deserves to be on the "label". I don't agree with pan being classified as "African stuff", but I also do not agree, nor find it necessary, in distorting history, in order to prove pan's "universal label", any more than it is when it comes to American Blues and Jazz, which EVERYONE accepts as both "universally labelled", and a distinct African American contribution to civilization. Shem Em Hotep (May you go in peace.)
GHOST
Do Americans, including White Americans, see Blues and Jazz as American, or specifically African-American? When the history of blues and jazz is told, do they feel the need to hide the fact of the race and class of the "inventors"? Unlike Trinidad & Tobago, it is NOT racist to give credit to African descendants for their contributions to American society, and NO ONE is offended by the FACT that they are DISTINCT African-American inventions! Hopefully, we, as a country, can move beyond this false sense, that discussing race, and giving credit where it is due, somehow threatens our ability to still see ourselves as "all ah we is one family". Thing is, we are asked to accept the Cinderella role, and that is not the path to solving our race relations issues, which, up until I last checked, still does exist, regardless of how one would like the world to see us. We are FAR from a Utopian society!
GHOST
Good point, Ghost ...no American has any problem recognising the truthful "ethnic"origin of jazz, and that does not in any way make America less of a "melting pot", as they like to say. The truth does not detract from notions of social cohesion.
Peter
Hotep, Peter, however, isn't it obvious that "good points" are not what those offended by "obscenities" are not what they EVER respond to? Especially when it has a "Black reality". They sit and make all kinds of excuses, when the reality is they have their own issues when it comes to race, class, and skin color. I grew up in Trinidad & Tobago, and I live among "T&T Indians" here in South Florida, and I can testify that:
Denial of our issues will not make them go away, and we will NEVER live up to our ideals of "every creed and race find an equal place", for, historically, every race did (and still does not) find equality. When I see the racial makeup of areas like Beetham Estate resemble that of society, or when I see the distribution of power equally divided "by race", then I will be convinced of the Utopian "racist free" society, that many believe we have. Of course, NONE of them lives in Beetham or Bagatelle or Sea Lots, for their views may be different. (Compare to Barbara Bush's statements about the conditions in the New Orleans stadium during Hurricane Katrina.) As Bob said: WHO FEELS IT, KNOWS IT. And obviously, life is GREAT for most WST members, for they certainly don't "feel it". Neither, do they "know it".
GHOST
Indeed, Ghost ... although I have no beef with Indians, per se, or any ethnic group in T&T or elsewhere, historical truth is paramount if you are to preserve the cultural identity of any group, be it in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, or anywhere else.
Cheers, Peter
Pan in schools. Everywhere but in Trinidad and Tobago!
Clear and Magnificent Steel-Pan Sound!!!
The identity of the pan is Trinidad and Tobago. It is a tribute to the whole country. Not blacks or Indian or Portuguese, Lebanese but all race of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a disgrace to see that The Maha Sabha School has banned a musical Instrument in the schools. Are we becoming a race hate Country ? A South Africa? How could I boast about an invention of my Country when such a situation is happening. At This moment Australia is about to have its first Steel band Festival, how could i boast of my Country achievements.
Courtney, quick questions re your comment. " Not blacks or Indian or Portuguese, Lebanese but all race...". We ALL know that places like India (Indian), Portugal (Portuguese), and Lebanon (Lebanese) exist; please direct me to the map that shows Blackland or Blackia (blacks). NOTE: "blacks" in lower-case (common) letters, with NO reference to a landmass. Also note: these "blacks" had a country- Africa - and NEVER called themselves "black" or "Negro" (Spanish for black), for those terms relate to a condition (slavery) and not a people with a history prior to slavery. Finally, isn't it a fact that "blacks", came here because of "race hate", and Trinidad & Tobago, as a country and society, was built on "race hate", or was Chattel Slavery "race love"? When looking at South Africa's Apartheid, were "blacks" the ones promoting that wicked system, or were they the ones fighting against the system? Why, then, was Nelson Mandela jailed for 25 years, was it not for his open, courageous stand against the system that divided South Africans? I wouldn't worry too much about being able to "boast" about your country; Australia does not have a great history to "boast" of either; remember they are descendants of convicts and criminals, and stole away the land from the "blacks" they met there, while almost wiping them out. Again, a common result, anywhere and everywhere you find Europeans "discovering" or "opening up". (Compare to South Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean.) Does that stop Europeans from being proud of Europe and the Unites States? In Ma'at.
GHOST
Courtney, no disrespect, but comments like the one you make, does a HUGE disservice to the Afro-Trinbognian community, and I GUARANTEE you if pan was an EAST INDIAN invention, we would not have heard the end of it. Just like ANY other Black contributions to society (past and present), there are always attempts to insert other "racial" influences. Then, who does American blues and jazz belong to? And who gave the US these two misic genres, granted ALL races now embrace and play them? That is the "lick-bottom African" mentality, that Cro-Cro referred to. Again, NO disrespect meant. I am sorry that you do not see the East Indian racism that exists in Trinidad & Tobago, but from ALL the reports I've been getting from relatives and friends, Trinidad & Tobago, for ALL practical purposes is now Little India. Why didn't you answer the question posed by a WST member, who asked why, if pan was an African contribution, ALL the emails provided to contact person, belonged to East Indians. Nothing in our society is represented according to the racial makeup of the population, and I'm sorry, but from my studies on race and racism, the most dangerous form exists in Trinidad & Tobago: INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM! That'a what the evidence and figures show. Hotep (Peace).
GHOST - Who Does Not Feel We Have To Sell Out To Prove We Are Not Racist. We Just Need To Know How To Identify Racism, Especially On The Institutionalized Level.
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