Trinidad & Tobago - Hello to everyone in When Steel Talks,
Ok folks, here's
another update. Driving is a scary
ordeal, as driving under the
influence is not as big of a concern
in Trinidad (apparently). I am
trying to secure transportation that
is a little more safe, but until
then, I am not comfortable with my
situation....
I have to be honest,
I starting to question some of my
perceptions of different things in
the pan world. Firstly, most people
in Trinidad seem very very negative
about pan's present and future. Pan
Trinbago doesn't do anything beside
Panorama, Panorama is killing pan,
nobody creates anything worth while
anymore, pan is not being handled
correctly, etc. I came down thinking
Panorama is a wonderful culminating
event for pan, in which bands put
their best foot forward with
arrangements that are thrilling. It
brings in tourists and pan lovers
from abroad (like me), and is the
world wide Super Bowl of Pan. Yet
talking with different people, and
admittedly many of them are of an
older generation, the common opinion
is the competition of Panorama has
served it's purpose of getting bands
off the streets and stopping the
riot era, but has done nothing
worthwhile for the instrument
besides.
I
also recognize that Boogsie is
WIDELY regarded as a saint in pan.
One man declared that Samaroo wrote
the same arrangement for 30 years,
and essentially no band or arranger
has done anything worthwhile except
Boogsie. Liam Teague was written off
by this man because, although he
plays pan, he is more focused on
non-Trini music. Boogsie has done
some great arrangements, is a
PHENOMINALLY fast and talented
player, and has been a great voice
in the steelband movement. I am not
sure I would put Boogsie outside the
zone of criticism though... that's
all I'm going to say on that one!
(No disrespect meant for Boogsie, I
just don't think he is the perfect
and all mighty pan god some make him
out to be.)
I have noticed that
my skin color and nationality have
put me in a place of prejudice in
some places and situations. Not
unexpected, but I wish it were not
the case. Things as simple as the
initial assumption that I don't know
much about the history and culture
are easily broken. The looks I
get in certain areas though... I'm
still getting the looks that imply
"you don't belong" sometimes.
HOWEVER, I have been very warmly
accepted by a lot of the people I've
met, and the more they knew about me
before hand, the quicker I've felt
accepted. I don't want to give the
impression that Trinidad is this
hostile place, certainly I am in the
minority here, but it is not an
issue in most cases I've been in so
far.
Lastly, I will say
though Santa Cruz is beautiful, I do
wish I were closer to town and could
experience things easier (ie.
without a taxi/ driver into town.) I
will be making more attempts at
getting to town during the day to
get more experiences. I've been
getting more and more history,
meeting people like Simeon Sandiford
at Sanch Electronics (checking out
Pan in Education) and Patrick
Arnold. The pan talks I've had have
been enriching, educational, and
really really refreshing! (Back home
they just call me a nerd and walk
away...)
That's it for me
today, more later on! (I'll wait
until I have some more compelling
experiences to share with you.)