The Marriage Institution

The Marriage Instititution

All related to Pan and definitely worth mentioning

On Sunday July 21st my wife and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary … that’s right 40 years of marriage, indeed a milestone. This 40 year marriage was based on quite a few things of course Love ( we were both 21yrs), Faith , a Spiritual Belief, an Understanding , a sense of  Co operation and Patience .These were ( are ) some of the elements …but what a journey .It was (is) …. Not an easy ride. Lots of turbulence along the way, ups and downs,   lows and highs ..but through it all those six elements of Love, Faith Spiritual Belief  Understanding, Cooperation and Patience also exercising humility and a cool head in extenuating circumstances prevailed where situations would have had disastrous results. Along the way we were blessed with six healthy children and presently there are five grand children (and counting).

 

Pan was an important part of this journey as it was the main and primary source of income. From 1973 being married in Trinidad and migrating to Canada with my wife and Pan was a memorable journey. It was also a time when there were no precedence of people making a true living out of Pan (very few were doing so). Yet this young couple was determined (correction .not so much the wife at that time) She would have preferred the much easier and natural way of getting a regular job and living like ‘ordinary people’.( which young woman would not).  Bur fate had another plan for us which of course I was a major initiator. Through our faith, belief and hard work of continually trying to make something happen in this profession and career of the Steelpan business, we survived and overcame the challenges and thereby set our own course for ourselves and the Pan. Today the entire family is involved with the Pan in some aspect of playing, teaching, arranging music, learning to tune pans, writing books, booking bands, teaching pan in schools, teaching in a university, furthering education at the university level with the Pan as principal instruments. One of the grand kids is a Steelpan soloists and the journey continues.

 

I would like to take the time to thank my dear wife Adiylah for putting up with me and my escapades on this journey. I don’t think that another woman would have gone through this. I am grateful. I also want to thank my kids for their continued involvement because everyone is now grown up and have a life and family of their own and they still continue to build this institution and are passing it on to their kids in turn.

 

We ( the family) with our Steelpan Academy have just won the Montreal Panorama competition at the Montreal International Steelpan Festival for the seventh (7th,) consecutive time and are busy preparing for the Toronto Pan Alive Panorama competition on August 2nd where we will be competing against 13 other bands. It is always a fun field trip for our students and friends  going from Montreal to Toronto….  win, loose or draw …. It is always an annual journey that we participate in because of the theme of keeping Pan Alive. This year ‘Salah’s Steelpan Academy’ is ;like an extension of our family and  all we are going to do is give them ‘More Love’

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  • Salah , The Lord has truly blessed you as every one can attest there is no straight road in marriage , there are always bends and bumps in the road . You are a true example to the younger generation that you too can make it work if you persevere , stick with your marriage vows "For Better or Worse ". The Lord willing I will be celebrating my 38th wedding anniversary this September , which was not always easy . There is a song by Andre Crouch that always ministered to me , it's called Through it All , Once again congratulations to you and your First Lady and the rest of your family . Blessings Winston ( Gons)
    • Thank you Winston and my family and I also wish you the very best with your up coming 38th ... that's a very big number also my friend

      best regards

      Salah

  • Congrats to you and your family, Salah!
    My wife and I will have our 40th wedding anniversary next spring and I've been doing music for all my life, pan since 1999, so I do understand what you are talking about.

    All the best to you, WerNer

    • Thanks Werner and early best wishes to you and your wife on your upcoming 40th  ..it is indeed a big number

      Congrats to both of you.

      salah

  • Congrats  on your 40 years of marriage.Especially to pan men. I hear many times that people talk to us and say "Why you do not get a REEAAAL JOB. So congratulations. I am right behind you Salah. My wife and I are 38yrs together. From Scratcherman Courtney Leiba

    • Thanks Courtney ... reading about the Pan stuff going on in Australia  ...keep it going man

  • Sincerest congratulations. Here's to many more.

  • Congrats from me too man!....It was really great hearing your story....I must say,  I was wondering if anyone else was similar to me...Now I know: I am almost looking at myself in reading what you have been through and have achieved, You just got married 2 years before me. That's when I just began Playing pan, the year you got married. I am not playing Pan anymore, but I am still a working musician with a Panist.

    Congratulations again on a great example for your family and the World of music.

  • I love your story. Thank you for persevering through such adversity ; Now we can see wayposts.

    May God continue to bless you and Family.

    Congrats !!!

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