November 13, 2016

Pan, as a young instrument well shy of 100 years old, has such a recent history that many of the early pioneers responsible for the development of the steelpan as we know it are still alive and well today. It was not long ago, before the reluctant acceptance of pan by the Trinidadian bourgeoisie that pannists were outlawed, ostracized, criminalized and imprisoned for their steelpan endeavors. A large part of these steelpan endeavors included public street performances.

The steelpan is an instrument that was born and raised in the ghetto, and those associated with it in the early days were branded as social pariahs as they already belonged to a marginalized social, economic and political class. Pioneering panmen not only had to endure the subjugation of their fellow establishment oriented Trinidadians, who were essentially local bootlickers of the colonial establishment, but also the ire and disdain of the colonial establishment itself. Bearing in mind that the colonial establishment in question was a co-conspirator in the mass genocide of 70-100 million negroes during the transatlantic slave trade, enduring the ire and disdain of such a blood thirsty colonial regime is not something to be taken lightly, ever. This is the milieu in which the steelpan was born.

Recently, the inherent dangers of busking while black were discussed on this blog as well as how being a Negro pannist busking on the streets of Europe and North America is likely to place one in direct conflict with the authorities and other hostile members of the public at regular intervals. Not only does busking carry a stigma, but being a negro busker playing an exotic instrument (pan), which was invented using discarded materials, carries multiple stigmas simultaneously. Bearing the burden of all of these negative stigmas in one ugly package represents a constant challenge to Caribbean pannists who employ their pans and skills for the purposes of busking. This is by no means an easy burden to carry and it is not an undertaking that is advised for weak individuals lacking conviction and fortitude.

Although the steelpan has earned the distinction of being called the ''National Instrument of Trinidad & Tobago'', the relationship between the instrument and the Trinidadian society at large is ambivalent to say the least. This is to say that the history of steelpan and the stigma it has historically carried is still currently greatly hindering the progress of the instrument, especially in the way of full scale, practical acceptance of the instrument on the part of the society as a whole for the 11 months out of the year when Panorama is not a consideration.

The steelpan will most likely forever carry the stigma of an instrument that was created from trash (discarded oil drums). Even today, when hearing lay persons attempt to describe the origins of the steelpan to others who have never seen the instrument, these lay persons will ignorantly claim that the steelpan is made from a ''trash can''. Ignorant as this may be, it is a further testament to the ugly reality of the wide scale stigmatization and stereotyping of the steelpan that still exists to this very day.

Despite this stigmatization, the steelpan has become somewhat of a novelty toy for elitists on different levels. Regarding one such level, the issue of how the pan was stolen by Swiss Vandals who substituted nitrided sheets for oil drums and called it a ''Hang'', while creating an elitist handpan cult comprised of wilingly misguided Europeans has been discussed in this blog previously. However, the topic of steelpan elitists in our midst has not been addressed until now.

Busking Pannists and the Double Bind of Carrying the Burden of Two Stigmas; Bum and Panhandler

Any pannist or self-proclaimed pan enthusiast who has a negative view of pannists who choose to perform on the streets and in public spaces is a hypocrite for the simple fact that the only stage early pannists had at their disposal were the streets and public spaces. This is not to say that pan should be limited exclusively to street performances, but instead, that this historical relationship between pan and street performance should be preserved.

Fast forward a few decades later to today, and the general consensus among many in the world of pan is that steelpan busking is taboo. One gets the impression that it is seriously frowned upon whenever the subject arises in pan discussions.

If Earl Rodney, who is one of the greatest pannists currently active today can busk proudly with dignity and class, this is unassailable evidence in itself of the legitimacy of the busking artform as it relates to the steelpan. Earl Rodney represents the true history of pan on so many levels.

However, due to a combination of ignorance and fear of being socially stigmatized along with an already heavily stigmatized instrument, many in the steelpan community do their best to downgrade pannists who busk while distancing themselves from busking altogether.

A case in point is as follows in the form of a YouTube comment published in response to the following brilliant video of Earl Rodney busking:

There is no other profession that comes to mind other than busking where the individual earns nothing more than what others are willing to pay. The exploitative, profit driven aspects of capitalism are removed from the equation and it is precisely this reason why busking is arguably the most honest, honorable profession that exists. If the entire world operated on the principles that define busking, there is no question that the world would be a better place in which to live.

A Few Out of Touch, Elitist, Pan Know-It-Alls From When Steel Talks Post Some Ill-Conceived Comments Regarding Busking and Pan

There is no question that When Steel Talks is no longer a reliable source when it comes to objective discussions about pan that are based firmly in history and the present reality. More proof of this fact lies in some disgusting comments that were published by some WST members earlier this month in response to an article about a Caribbean pannist whose freedom to busk was terminated in Canberra, Australia. The pannist in question, Courtney Leiba, is 79, married to a doctor, and has been busking in that location for more than 20 years as a member of the community.

Some of the distasteful WST comments in response that article are as follows:

Reply by Ajamu Nyomba on