Antigua & Barbuda,
W.I. - One year ago November 13, Antigua and Barbuda national cultural
icon and Harmonites pan player Leroy “Jughead” Gordon made his transition and passed on.
And exactly two weeks later on November 27, a defiantly beautiful
and sunny afternoon served as the backdrop for the home-going service and
celebration of his life. And before the actual church service at St. John’s
Cathedral in the country’s capital of the same name, Harmonites International
Steel Orchestra - whose very “blood” coursed through the veins of Gordon -
accompanied his casket (riding in a pan rack sporting three pans atop front, and
tastefully draped with the colors of Antigua & Barbuda's national flag) on its journey via Long Street to the cathedral, joyously and unceasingly stirring up
emotions with their heartfelt delivery of the Beatles classic, Yesterday.
Several players with obviously
reddened eyes gave it their all, in honor of “Jughead.”
No obstacle would inhibit the approximately
25 to 30 Harmonites International musicians atop the long flatbed being pulled
through Long Street
by tractor - not even the vehicles choking the route by parking on both sides of
the road. That final journey of Gordon’s casket rolling up to the cathedral
included some of Gordon’s closest family, friends, fellow musicians and more.
Before the cortège got to St. John’s Cathedral, however, several of the vehicles
would - literally - be bodily ‘heaved’
(pictured) and lifted marginally out of the way by a small but
dedicated legion of people, allowing the tractor towing the flatbed of
Harmonites musicians to barely squeak by
in each case. From the impromptu legion of ‘movers’
or ‘strategists’ would be heard several calls of “Hold it!” as they quickly
surveyed; and shortly after ‘making the clearance,’ those would be followed by
yells of “OK!” A series of deft and swift plans facilitated a pass by of each offending
vehicle. Crowds thronged the route, some taking in the superb and unending
rendition of Yesterday by the steel orchestra, others going about their own business - but all pausing
and collectively holding their breaths just before the ritual of getting past each parked vehicle was
completed.
Incidentally, the song Yesterday was to have been Harmonites International’s tune of choice for what was subsequently officially
billed “The Cool & Smooth Gemonites
Moods of Pan 2008 Leroy “Jughead” Gordon
25-A-Side Steelband
competition in honor of the national cultural icon. As it turned out, the
crowds lining the streets had ‘front row seats’ to what would be the only public
showing/performance of the song - as Harmonites would not participate the
following night [Friday] for the competition.
Moving uphill via Long Street, the procession included
several Antigua & Barbuda pan notables, led by Harmonites’ captain Simon
Toulon, and past band captain and also past Antigua & Barbuda Pan Association
president - Leon Kuma Rodney, who both pulled the casket of “Jughead” all the way up to the
beautiful and venerable St. John’s Cathedral, which contrasted a mainly wooden
but attractive and very detailed interior - with its stone exterior.
Mainly due to the recurrent challenges
of getting past vehicles along the route, the
cortège arrived at the church after the scheduled
service start time of 1:00 p.m.
A small representative contingent of Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra had been
playing on the church grounds
(pictured) as people entered the church. The service got
underway as arriving Harmonites players and others outside found seats inside
the practically full church, which, with the very warm weather, found attendees
alternately seeking seating close to the several fans, or had them fanning away
in an effort to remain cool. Wooden columns inside the church all featured
colored images of Leroy “Jughead” Gordon positioned
benevolently above the
congregation.
During the proceedings, and attempting to slip
in as inconspicuously as possible, was a constant stream of people, many coming
from what appeared to be their jobs, others - students in school uniform; all
obviously had ‘gotten away’ whenever possible to make an appearance for the
funeral service. As the number grew, so did the overflow just outside of
the cathedral’s entrances.
Several tributes were paid by peers, friends,
family, and government officials,
including Antigua & Barbuda
Prime Minister, the Honourable
Baldwin Spencer, who as a panman himself, remains affiliated with his former
band Halcyon Steel Orchestra. The Prime Minister
(pictured)
is also a past president of the country’s steelband association, and overall
maintains a close relationship with the steelband fraternity of which “Jughead” was a highly regarded member.
During the celebration of his
life, a choir, calypso group and, of course, panists and more - all paid homage
in performance to “Jughead.” Of
the orators, one in particular was quite blunt in noting that it was common
knowledge that many people had profited and received accolades based on
“Jughead’s” initiative, achievements and dedication, with the
icon himself being conveniently passed over
when, with regard to his output, there was a metamorphosis from the “voluntary” into
the “income-generating” phase.
A particularly touching,
sometimes hilarious yet poignant tribute was delivered
by his daughter Dali, in the format of a “Note from Daddy” - which verbalized what
the family believed would be “Jughead’s” ‘take’ with reference to those gathered, and on
the scene unfolding there and then as he and his legacy were remembered.
With the tributes and
performances, the November 27 service was more than three hours - but there could probably be
a consensus that still, there was a lot
left unsaid when reflecting on the life of a man such as Leroy “Jughead” Gordon
who, in the opinion of many, had an effect on much in Antigua & Barbuda - not
only on the pan scene, but also on the fabric of the country’s cultural front. One year has
gone by since his own passing - but the impact of cultural and
pan icon Leroy “Jughead” Gordon on this twin-island nation is one that has been
apparently historic.
And exactly two weeks later on November 27, a defiantly beautiful
and sunny afternoon served as the backdrop for the home-going service and
celebration of his life. And before the actual church service at St. John’s
Cathedral in the country’s capital of the same name, Harmonites International
Steel Orchestra - whose very “blood” coursed through the veins of Gordon -
accompanied his casket (riding in a pan rack sporting three pans atop front, and
tastefully draped with the colors of Antigua & Barbuda's national flag) on its journey via Long Street to the cathedral, joyously and unceasingly stirring up
emotions with their heartfelt delivery of the Beatles classic, Yesterday.
Several players with obviously
reddened eyes gave it their all, in honor of “Jughead.”
musicians atop the long flatbed being pulled
through Long Street
by tractor - not even the vehicles choking the route by parking on both sides of
the road. That final journey of Gordon’s casket rolling up to the cathedral
included some of Gordon’s closest family, friends, fellow musicians and more.
Before the cortège got to St. John’s Cathedral, however, several of the vehicles
would - literally - be bodily ‘heaved’
(pictured) and lifted marginally out of the way by a small but
dedicated legion of people, allowing the tractor towing the flatbed of
Harmonites musicians to barely squeak by
in each case. From the impromptu legion of ‘movers’
or ‘strategists’ would be heard several calls of “Hold it!” as they quickly
surveyed; and shortly after ‘making the clearance,’ those would be followed by
yells of “OK!” A series of deft and swift plans facilitated a pass by of each offending
vehicle. Crowds thronged the route, some taking in the superb and unending
rendition of Yesterday by the steel orchestra, others going about their own business - but all pausing
and collectively holding their breaths just before the ritual of getting past each parked vehicle was
completed.
owing/performance of the song - as Harmonites would not participate the
following night [Friday] for the competition. 
A small representative contingent of Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra had been
playing on the church grounds
(pictured) as people entered the church. The service got
underway as arriving Harmonites players and others outside found seats inside
the practically full church, which, with the very warm weather, found attendees
alternately seeking seating close to the several fans, or had them fanning away
in an effort to remain cool. Wooden columns inside the church all featured
colored images of Leroy “Jughead” Gordon positioned
benevolently above the
congregation.
Several tributes were paid by peers, friends,
family, and government officials,
including Antigua & Barbuda
a consensus that still, there was a lot
left unsaid when reflecting on the life of a man such as Leroy “Jughead” Gordon
who, in the opinion of many, had an effect on much in Antigua & Barbuda - not
only on the pan scene, but also on the fabric of the country’s cultural front. One year has
gone by since his own passing - but the impact of cultural and
pan icon Leroy “Jughead” Gordon on this twin-island nation is one that has been
apparently historic.
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