The Trinidad Guardian
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Police abruptly ended a scintillating performance from City Sun Valley at Friday’s staging of Sweet and Single, Come and Mingle held at the Duke Street, Port-of-Spain, panyard of Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra.
....Despite appeals from band officials for permission to play its Panorama 2012 selection titled Jump and Breakaway from Ronnie Mc Intosh, arranged by Dane Gulston, lawmen were not in a magnanimous mood and declined all requests for the band to play one more music item. This led to a clash of words between officials of the band, officers of the northern region of Pan Trinbago and police officers intent on executing the law.
read more
Replies
Was the term "ole n*******" really used? Can't comment on that. If the sched. called for a midnite shutdown, then the police were withi their rights. We must try to do the right thing, instead of always 'wanting a bligh'. In T&T we get confused with 'what is right' and 'what is wrong'.
I understand that this situation recently occurred at an event with the Witco Desperadoes, and although I'm a great lobbyist for the demand of respect for Pan (Players and the Artform), it is incumbent on organizers to ensure that all events do start at the designated time in order that it completes within the legal time limit.
I can attest to the fact it's not only here that this occurs. I recall back in 2009, I was on tour to Toronto, Canada with Silver Stars, and were the Guest Performance at the Toronto Panorama. We were about to render our winning Panorama Tune when the officials stepped in and stopped the show, informing us that time had expired and the Park had to to be vacated.
Pan Trinbago, PLEASE use your good Offices to ensure that no Pan Event ever faces this embarrassment again. Give us cause to demand respect for Pan and Pan Players, at Home and Internationally.
I am amazed (and proud) that so many posters saw the DISCIPLINE side of this equation. I think that the "Ole N" word will continue to flourish in T&T for decades to come. That is like a part of speech in our dialect.
And Ciaude I would not be surprised if the "Ole Nigger" adjective was hurled vice versa on both sides in the Panyard that night. This is so common when things get heated in Trini. As though all self respect is lost. I have seen this so many times recently.
Actually, The N word not really a big think in Trinidad, we just brush that aside as nothing, The word in my days was "haul yur mother C", when someone curse your mother that was fight, its only when I came to America I saw where the N word was a big thing, But I am not against the Blacks in America for feeling this way cause the things they went through was really unbelievable.
As I read this article, I thought at first, "This must be Brooklyn".
You could almost give NY city cops a pass, because for the most part, Pan is not their culture.
It is not in their DNA.
Note I said ".almost"
But to think that in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the police couldn't use their discretion and extend a little courtesy to a peaceful steel-band gathering?
By allowing them to end the festivities in an orderly manner?
And talking about "ole niggers"? (Yes- I said it, No "N word" for me).
My very first memory of a steel-band was around 1950 on Carnival day, and they were stopped by the police too.
In fact the band was broken up and chased.
They were probably also called "ole niggers" back then, and if anyone remembers what that expression meant in local dialect, some of them may have deserved it, based on their behavior at the time.
I'm being honest here. No revisionist history for me.
They were beating their drums( they weren't "playing") and chanting some very obscene lyrics.
But this is 2012, and such behavior by public officials is reprehensible, especially since the police can be the public face of the government.
The fact that anyone can refer to steel-band members of today, a membership that includes our youth, boys and girls, of all backgrounds, as "ole niggers" give an indication as to how far the steel-band has to go to gain full acceptance and recognition in the land of its creation.
I resent the old Niggers calling, but the fact is we have to be Punctual. Yesterday I went to a Steelband affair organized by Americans, I intentionally got there a half an hour late thinking it will start late, oh yea, I miss half an hour of the show, they did not do like we usually do and say, "ley we wait till we get more people then we go start". Start on time and we will over on time.
I agree I think the only way to get people to show up on time is to start on time, when they realize they will be missing out on the show bet they come on time. Just like the movies
You are right, if they are having a show in the future I will be there at least a quarter of, (and the event only had about 75 people of the expected 500 people.)
Dont get me wrong the police where wrong for the words used, at the same time if you have a permit saying your cut off time is what ever that is your cut off time we cant get upset with them for doing their job. Yes they could have allowed the band to play the last song but am sure if they did when others have an event pan or not people will all ask for one more.
I am sure many can say the same lots of these pan events never start on TIME! this summer 90% of the events I attended started about an hour late or more, the last one I attended said a start time of 5pm and didnt start until about 8 pm and it was to end at 9 pm.
If the cops came to stop them they would have come and say the police shut them down and there was no form of violence or anything.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next