Dedicate Panorama 2011 to Those Lives Lost

Steelpan Music Community in Crisis

Posted by Kenneth Headley

Trinidad & Tobago

Kenneth Headley

To When Steel Talks, the Steelpan Community, and PanTrinbago, The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has definitely hit a low point when innocent pan men are afraid to go to their rehearsals with the fear of being shot and killed by those people in the country who are not living a traditional or true Trini way of life.

Pan-men Henry Cyrus and Wendell Joseph (RIP) were both killed in their perspective panyards over the last week or so. Beyond that, others were injured including a young schoolboy and an up and coming arranger, composer, panist, wife and mother, Ms. Avis Bruce. It would be very fitting for Pan Trinbago to dedicate Panorama 2011 to these two pan men and their families. This is ought to be Pan Trinbago’s overture on behalf of the Steel pan community to recognize the dedication love and most of all the unselfishness of these two pan men. Beyond that, it would show those vagabonds completing these horrendous crimes that panmen do not condone any form of violence.

Pan-men have always been revolutionaries changing the stigma and ideologies of people on a constant basis. When we all cross the stage this year, we should play “the Beautiful Music” for these beautiful souls as they would have done in their perspective bands.

I hope Pan Trinbago can seize upon this opportunity to undertake this protocol to give the assurance that despite all the obstacles our pan men face, that pan music is the source of our survival. This is not a petition but a request!

Kenrick Headley

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