Toronto’s Afropan Steelband helps Bermuda Celebrate 400^th Anniversary

Hamilton, Bermuda - Very much in the belief that “you have to know where you come from in order to know where you are going,” as Bermuda celebrates its 400^th Anniversary, they have chosen to include African traditions during the Bermuda Day Parade on Monday May 25, according to the Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.  In this vein, the island welcomes stilt-walkers/Mocko Jumbies from Africa and St. Kitts, and Toronto’s very own Afropan Steelband as the country seeks the fabled advantage to “look into the future.”

In the old days, the “Mocko Jumbie” danced on stilts to the exotic rhythm of the old-fashioned tambourine band, which had its origin in West Africa.  As a result of slavery and the passing on of traditions, the “Mocko Jumbie” dancer/stilt walker became a part of folklore in the Caribbean.  “This art of dancing on stilts is said to allow the individual to be the mediator between the living and their ancestors.  His height, it is believed, gives him the power to overlook the community and see both the present and the future,” says Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation, the Hon. Dale D. Butler, JP, MP.  This tall character is a folk traditional act especially seen at Christmas and during Carnival celebrations in the Caribbean, and it is a joy to see the long legs striding into the City of Hamilton, Bermuda.

The Afropan Steelband is Toronto’s oldest community steel band and by far the most successful; in the summer of 2008 they celebrated their 35^th anniversary.  Afropan has won the best-playing steel band competition at the annual Caribana Parade in Toronto twenty-three out of the twenty-nine occasions that this competition has been held, and has placed second on the six other occasions.

The Afropan Community Campus Group (Afropan Steelband) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the music of the steelband in the City of Toronto.  Afropan is a musical orchestra of which the primary instrument is the steelpan.  It (the pan) is a percussion musical instrument generally made from a steel drum.  The family of steelpan instruments can be divided into four basic sections; soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

Afropan’s founder and arranger is Earl La Pierre, Sr. who returns to Toronto each year from his home in the Cayman islands with a new tune for the group.  His son Earl La Pierre, Jr. has now taken over the management of the group.  Earl Jr. likes being called E-S-P:  ‘Extraordinary-Steel-Pannist.’

The two Earls’ musical careers have largely been distinguished by teaching youth.  Afropan is mostly made up of youth of both sexes learning who they are through the discipline and hard work necessary to create the sweet rhythms from steel.  Today there are many graduates of Afropan who have themselves taken up the challenge of mentoring.  Most of the steel pan instructors in the school system have passed through the Afropan program at one time. 

Bermuda welcomes both the Mocko Jumbies and Afropan for Bermuda Day 2009 - the latter upon their arrival on May 21.  Joining other celebrants, the steelband plays on the road for Bermuda’s Heritage Day on Monday, before returning to Toronto, Canada on May 26. 

Visit Afropan Steelband: www.afropan.ca/

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Contact: Robin Holder, Department of Communication and Information, Bermuda
Tel:  1 (441) 292-6474 ext: 1867                         email:  rjholder@gov.bm