Patrick, to answer your question, DEFINITELY not anyone looking like these officers. Prior to steelbands, there were, of course, "bands" made up of ex-slaves, first using skin drums. When they resorted to bamboo, they became known as "tamboo bamboo bands", so naturally, when steel was introduced they became known by the name we know today. The earliest records of these groups being referred to as "steelbands", does not give any one person the credit, much like the instrument itself. What is interesting to note, is that in 1957, during my dad's first tenure as President of NATTS, one of the issues they had to deal with was the favoritism the US Navy Steelband received over local steelbands. In fact, while local pan concerts were poorly attended, the US Navy Steelband would wind up performing at the White House...(get this)...using "pans and other equipment...supplied by the Esso (Tripoli) Steelband". Why? I'll leave you all to use your consciences in answering that question. Me, I think it's because these White pan players, are "more attractive" to look at than our local (mainly Black) "steelbandsmen". (SOURCE: Trinidad Guardian, November 20, 1957, p.3) In the face of this environment of social ostracism and marginalization (based on race and class), George "Sonny" Goddard and his administration, would go on to give the association its first constitution, its first Panorama, its first Steelband Music Festival, it first National Steelband, and, tours to the MRA Conference and the Commonwealth Arts Festival in the UK, At the end of the day, it is EXACTLY people who look like the men in this photo, who will reap the rewards that pan has to offer, and not to those who do not look like them, nor come from where they come from, i.e. the Black, ex-slave descendant of Africa who invented the steel drum, or pan. Look at the latter's "Motherland" - Africa - and you will notice the same phenomena; those benefiting from the treasures of ALKEBULAN (Africa), also look like these uniformed men, and the ones suffering, look just like the "inventors" of the "singing drum" - the STEEL DRUM or PAN! (Is that "opinion" or "fact"?)
GHOST - Who Talks, not the "Ghost Who Walks". The latter has a WHITE stallion named HERO, and a BLACK wolf named...DEVIL! (Racism knows NO bounds!!!)
P.S. Nothing personal to my White American counterparts; just speaking the TRUTH, as I ALWAYS do. In Ma'at. Shem Em Hotep.
Comments
Patrick, to answer your question, DEFINITELY not anyone looking like these officers. Prior to steelbands, there were, of course, "bands" made up of ex-slaves, first using skin drums. When they resorted to bamboo, they became known as "tamboo bamboo bands", so naturally, when steel was introduced they became known by the name we know today. The earliest records of these groups being referred to as "steelbands", does not give any one person the credit, much like the instrument itself. What is interesting to note, is that in 1957, during my dad's first tenure as President of NATTS, one of the issues they had to deal with was the favoritism the US Navy Steelband received over local steelbands. In fact, while local pan concerts were poorly attended, the US Navy Steelband would wind up performing at the White House...(get this)...using "pans and other equipment...supplied by the Esso (Tripoli) Steelband". Why? I'll leave you all to use your consciences in answering that question. Me, I think it's because these White pan players, are "more attractive" to look at than our local (mainly Black) "steelbandsmen". (SOURCE: Trinidad Guardian, November 20, 1957, p.3) In the face of this environment of social ostracism and marginalization (based on race and class), George "Sonny" Goddard and his administration, would go on to give the association its first constitution, its first Panorama, its first Steelband Music Festival, it first National Steelband, and, tours to the MRA Conference and the Commonwealth Arts Festival in the UK, At the end of the day, it is EXACTLY people who look like the men in this photo, who will reap the rewards that pan has to offer, and not to those who do not look like them, nor come from where they come from, i.e. the Black, ex-slave descendant of Africa who invented the steel drum, or pan. Look at the latter's "Motherland" - Africa - and you will notice the same phenomena; those benefiting from the treasures of ALKEBULAN (Africa), also look like these uniformed men, and the ones suffering, look just like the "inventors" of the "singing drum" - the STEEL DRUM or PAN! (Is that "opinion" or "fact"?)
GHOST - Who Talks, not the "Ghost Who Walks". The latter has a WHITE stallion named HERO, and a BLACK wolf named...DEVIL! (Racism knows NO bounds!!!)
P.S. Nothing personal to my White American counterparts; just speaking the TRUTH, as I ALWAYS do. In Ma'at. Shem Em Hotep.
Who gets the credit for coining the word S T E E L B A N D ?