T&T Chinese Steel Ensemble - Nah Going Home - Videos

1. Then if they are "Trinis", why the "Chinese"? This is what I mean by the double-standards; when I refer to African and East Indian descendants, I am admonished that there are "no Africans or Indians". Then you present a "Chinese" group from "T&T". Can you produce an all "Chinese", all "East Indian" or all (say) "Syrian" steel band of the late 1930s to mid-1940s? That, I would LOVE to see, for certainly, though not called "T&T African Steel Ensembles" (note the more "European" use of "ensemble", as opposed to the ex-slave original name of "band"), the make-up of the early "ensembles" of steel drums or "pans", were distinctly Black/African. As I think of Blakie's calypso, even by 1950, I sincerely doubt that the steelband membership of even "Tokyo", represented the racial makeup of the population of Trinidad & Tobago.

2. I applaud them for both their love of their national culture ( as "Trinis"), and for their love of their ethnic heritage (as "Chinese"). And certainly, I would hope that we come just as comfortable with someone of African descent calling themselves "T&T Africans".

3.The fact that ALL "races" and peoples from different parts of the world now play pan, does NOT take away from the historical fact that, pan is a "T&T African" contribution to the arts and culture of our twin island nation, and gift to the entire Universe, and we should be as thankful and attentive to that fact, as we are to the fact that "we all love the Pan". Including, "T&T Chinese". Thanks for proving my point; that your nationality, does NOT trump NOR take away your ethnicity/race. and that Africans/Blacks are the ONLY ones required to disconnect with their ancestral heritage. That is the "Black experience", and the biased environment that in which we, those who know ourselves, have to maneuver, on a day-to-day basis.

In Ma'at. (Truth. Justice. Reciprocity.)

GHOST - Who Talks, Knowing Who He Is. A "T&T African". Love to my "T&T Chinese" country-peeps.

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Comments

Pan'tum - The Ghost Who Talks June 3, 2012 at 2:52pm

1. Then if they are "Trinis", why the "Chinese"? This is what I mean by the double-standards; when I refer to African and East Indian descendants, I am admonished that there are "no Africans or Indians". Then you present a "Chinese" group from "T&T". Can you produce an all "Chinese", all "East Indian" or all (say) "Syrian" steel band of the late 1930s to mid-1940s? That, I would LOVE to see, for certainly, though not called "T&T African Steel Ensembles" (note the more "European" use of "ensemble", as opposed to the ex-slave original name of "band"), the make-up of the early "ensembles" of steel drums or "pans", were distinctly Black/African. As I think of Blakie's calypso, even by 1950, I sincerely doubt that the steelband membership of even "Tokyo", represented the racial makeup of the population of Trinidad & Tobago.

2. I applaud them for both their love of their national culture ( as "Trinis"), and for their love of their ethnic heritage (as "Chinese"). And certainly, I would hope that we come just as comfortable with someone of African descent calling themselves "T&T Africans".

3.The fact that ALL "races" and peoples from different parts of the world now play pan, does NOT take away from the historical fact that, pan is a "T&T African" contribution to the arts and culture of our twin island nation, and gift to the entire Universe, and we should be as thankful and attentive to that fact, as we are to the fact that "we all love the Pan". Including, "T&T Chinese". Thanks for proving my point; that your nationality, does NOT trump NOR take away your ethnicity/race. and that Africans/Blacks are the ONLY ones required to disconnect with their ancestral heritage. That is the "Black experience", and the biased environment that in which we, those who know ourselves, have to maneuver, on a day-to-day basis.

In Ma'at. (Truth. Justice. Reciprocity.)

GHOST - Who Talks, Knowing Who He Is. A "T&T African". Love to my "T&T Chinese" country-peeps.
Cecil hinkson June 3, 2012 at 11:45am

We have all kind ah Trinis and we all love the Pan.
victor quail May 31, 2012 at 9:57am

I would like to see Kim Loy Wong pan pioneer tuning pans for this org.
Reynold Peters May 30, 2012 at 12:58pm

Amazing!

This reply was deleted.