Features
Melissa Doughty
The month of Pan is celebrated every August. During that time, Pan Trinbago honors the instrument, its players and its achievements.
Over the past two years, Covid19 restrictions pushed celebrations online, but with their lifting, physical events have returned.
The month usually has a specific theme. This year each week has its own theme and they are reintroduction, reflection, renewal, reharmonization and renaming.
The month kicked off with Panternational, a virtual event showcasing regional and international groups, ensembles and soloists.
USA’s Northern Illinois University (NIU) appeared on August 1. From August 2-5, St Lucia, Belize, Grenada, Japan and International Panorama will be featured.
The month-long events will also include a church service, the return of Pan and Powder from City Hall to Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain. and World Steel Day on August 11.
For Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore, there is a sense of excitement as the physical events return.
One aspect of the celebrations is usually honoring the leaders and achievements of the pan. This year the organization will honor some of its leaders and youth, and especially groups that have operated continuously for 60 years or more.
“This year the focus is definitely on our leaders and their contribution to the development of their communities through pan,” she said.
This will be done through a pan leadership recognition function.
Ramsey-Moore said, “Youth are the future and so we will be honoring them at a youth gala and awards ceremony.
“As far as playing the instrument is concerned, it is the young people. When you also look at the new arrangers, tuners and pants makers that are coming up now, we are extremely proud of their contribution and want to motivate and encourage them to continue.
There is one more important point she wants to highlight during the month. Ramsey-Moore wants to formalize the declaration of pan as a national instrument.
In 1992, Prime Minister Patrick Manning declared the instrument national in an Independence Day speech. But this was not recorded in Hansard. Hansard is the official transcript of Parliament.
Ramsey-Moore said the body wanted Parliament to pass a law saying the pan is the national instrument. She added that Manning only stated this in his speech.
Discussions took place with Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Randall Mitchell to make this happen.
“We hope that for 2023, as we look forward to the mother of all carnivals, there can definitely be a parliamentary announcement. This would make those pioneers and seniors involved in the movement proud.
“Therefore, the whole Parliament says, ‘Yes, it is indeed the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.’
The call did not come from Pan Trinbago, but from the pioneers, she said.
Pan month also comes in at the bottom of the pan being celebrated through a Google Doodle. The doodle usually celebrates special events, holidays and/or historical events and happenings and was the top image on July 26.
When someone clicked on the doodle, it took them to an animated YouTube video. The video shows the pan moving from oil drums and images of gardens, double vendors and snow cones.
TT illustrator and graphic designer Nicholas Huggins illustrated the video, 3D artist and motion designer Mick Seegobin did the motion design. Jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe of Phase II Pan Groove, Josanne Francis, Jonathan Castro and Luke Walker also contributed.
Ramsey-Moore said she had fun with the doodle.
“I have to tell you that it was an important and significant day for TT. Being president at this time, I can tell you that it was one of the things I longed for, that worldwide recognition of pan.
“It was not just the recognition of pan, but also of TT as a pioneer.”
Ramsey-Moore said she was extremely grateful and hopes it will bring more awareness to what the organization does. She added that she was looking forward to more people calling Pan Trinbago for the music but also for the pants making.
As pan moves forward in a changing world, Ramsey-Moore wants to create more partnerships to ensure greater documentation of pan history.
“We have had a very piecemeal approach to history and documenting history. I think that’s something we need to look into so we can record all the things.”
