I was ah mere child when de PAN JUMBY jumped meh! But now, when ah tink back, wha wud one expect coming out of de Land of Calypso, Steelband and Limbo. Yes, sweet Trinidad & Tobago!
I remember my early childhood years in Trinidad as if it was just yesterday. Mammy, my grandmother, would put us to bed. My sister Pat and I shared a bedroom and in no time Pat would be in dreamland and I, once again, as what seem like ah ritual with me, lay in bed in de darkness tinking, tinking, tinking...tinking ‘bout PAN till I, too, eventually drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly! Out ah de clear blue I’m awakened by the sweet strains of steelband music ringing [in meh head] like it right in meh bedroom. Ah jump out meh bed in ah frenzy. De sweet rhy-dum ah de PAN music setting meh off like ah catch ah kal-keh-tey© in de blackness ah de nite. Starry-eyed ah dash over to de living room which was just outside meh bedroom to take ah look out de window onto Carib Street in San’do. Ah keep looking and looking expecting to see de steelband right in front de house. Ah looking up and ah looking down de road expecting to see it any minute, but there was never nothing in sight!
Maybe, ah tell mehself, it coming from Coffee Street side — meanwhile, de music only intensifying [in meh head] — so ah rush over to de kitchen window which gave view to Coffee Street to see if de steelband coming down [in meh head]. Like it right in front de house [in meh head]. But ah really hearing it [in meh head]. Ah can hear it coming [in meh head]. Ah know it coming and it really drawing nearer and nearer [in meh head]. Something like: ah ping-ah-ling...ah-ping-ah-ling...ling...ling...ling...ah-ping-ah- ling...ah-ping-ah-ling beating [in meh head]. Like it right in de room but it really [in meh head] and ah looking to see de band but no band in sight!
Is de PAN JUMBY dat really hit meh [in meh head], and SHADOW’s “Bass Man In Meh Head” really brought dat all home to me yes when ah heard it. Ah know to mehself cause ah wud really hear de PAN self and wud get up looking out de window to look for de band coming down de road. Back then ah couldn’t ah comprehend it all eh cause it was all [in meh head] but ah know it really occurred eh!
Now de PAN JUMBY stay and stay with meh. Ah move to and fro in PAN circles. Ah cah beat ah note but ah really love meh PAN eh! Ah even winded up having a Panist and moved on Woodruff Avenue to be near to de PAN Yard there. Ah realize too dat de PAN JUMBY it all over de world eh and ah believe its de same PAN JUMBY dat have meh right here on Woodruff—in de heart and home of T&T—and dat all yuh too is ah set ah PAN JUMBIES! When ah dead dey better put meh in ah PAN coffin like Rudolph Charles wee, so ah could come back ah PAN JUMBY and jump some bodies! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
by: Hazel John © Pan Jumby 8/2/97
Hazel John is a free-lance writer and poet. She has five children, three girls, ages 28, 21 and 8 and two boys ages 23 and 18. Her parents and grandparents (The Johns) owned and operated Circle Inn Restaurant and Bar which were at two locations on Coffee Street in San Fernando, Trinidad. They migrated to the United States when she was just a teenager. Hazel has been residing in the U.S. for 35-plus years.
Replies
Hello again, Claude. Your suggestion is so profound, my book lists is enormous. I am really trying to get to it by bringing my work schedule to a reasonable level as I am a workaholic, and I enjoy what I do. It's called "Ler's Make It Real" which I really have to live up to. My sister currently lives in T&T -- fulfilling a pipe dream, i.e., experiencing actually living there since we left at such young ages. We both shared a good life in the U.S. but always maintained our Trini foundation which never left us, that is, "good manners" - "respect for elders" - being polite in general. As the saying goes what you were brought up with stays with you and for that I again, thank my Grandmother, Mammy. Her teachings were also passed on to our children. Thank you for the added inspiration.
Hazel
Claude, as you said, maintaining and loving one's culture to the point of understanding what's in our hands! That love comes with passion, education and dedication which I have witnessed to a point. The sacrifices made must show evidences of appreciation where millenials and visitors alike, can witness and enjoy. Our Calypsonians, Steelband owners/Steel Pan Arrangers/Steel Pan Crack-shots who should not die in vain. What are we leaving for posterity? I recall at the time promoting our calypso tents with Partner, Bo-dell, fellow Trinis would say: "You all want to be martyrs for the culture?" Of course, being a lover of our culture, I would always research its long history and the art-form and would add historical facts to the Agenda on the day of the show, informing audiences that they can learn and be forever proud of the richness of our culture and heritage -- it is not all jump up and dance, it's a business and others are seeing it, and are aggressively doing something about it, but we have not yet learn how to work together to grasp and see the importance of that bigger picture and the great value of what we have in our hands!
Hazel
VERY INTERESTING USE OF THE DIALECT, HAZEL JOHN!!!
I GOT THE MESSAGE!!!
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Gonzales. I was really moved back in 1997 to write this poem in the typical Trinidadian colloquial tongue. My love for our culture has never left me especially since I have spent many years projecting our culture through calypso tents as Co-Founder of the West Indian-American Calypso Association and working with steel band groups as Co-Founder of J'Ouvert City International, Inc. On a business level I assist pan organizations to be legally registered.
Our musicians have to learn to read a PASSAGE LIKE THIS and get the JUMBY (the emotional appeal of your moments) and express it MUSICALLY if they want to capture WORLD AUDIENCES.
Yuh know what ah mean, yuh talking about the THE ESSENCE of the CULTURE which manifests in so many facets of everyday life in the MECCA of the STEELBAND and the home of the CALYPSO!!!
I did an interview with SHADOW at his home around the CARIB FACTORY back in the EIGHTIES and we discussed the FRUSTRATION that led him to WRITE "BASS MAN" -- a memorable experience.
Put some short stories together and write yourself a nice little book!!!
Claude
She is also the co-founder of J'ouvert City International, Inc. in Brooklyn. New York with Mr. Danvile Williamson and Earl "Brain" King, RIP. Who say so? Iz Bodell say so!