Steelpan
We’re in the middle of the Carnival season in Trinidad and Tobago, which means Steel Pan shares centre stage along with the many fetes around the island.
On August 9th, 2024, Trinidad and Tobago was granted the Geographical Indicator for Steelpan manufacturing. That’s a big deal! That means steelpan is to Trinidad and Tobago, what scotch whiskey is to Scotland, or what Swiss watches are to Switzerland.
The steelpan or pan, was invented in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930’s, converting old oil drums into musical instruments. The steelpan is a cultural mainstay. It reflects the story of Trinidad and Tobago’s people, their struggles, and their triumphs and joy.
Every Carnival thousands of Trinbagonians and visitors gather at pan yards (Pan Crawl) or at Panorama competition venues to take in pannists all outfitted in their band’s graphic t-shirts, going through their musical paces. Bands like Renegades, Exodus, Skiffle, and Phase II just to name a handful, have die-hard fans who would support their bands no matter what.
Pan is no longer just at the forefront during Trinidad and Tobago Carnival and Panorama competition though. (By now the 2025 Panorama finalists should be known!)
Wherever there is music, there is pan – Weddings, graduations, concerts, award ceremonies, resorts, cruise ships – the list is ever growing, and pan is being featured worldwide.
Just recently, one of T&T’s most gifted and energetic young pannists, Joshua Regrello, was featured playing pan on the Great Wall of China. Joshua, by the way, set a Guinness World Record on December 28, 2024, for longest pan playing marathon for 31 consecutive hours!
In 1969 Sesame Street featured the steel pan, teaching about the "rhythm of the world", and last year, Grover got a pan lesson too.
In 2004 on the hit sitcom Friends, steelpan was played as Phoebe walked down the aisle to marry Mike on the street in New York City. (Season 10, Ep 12)
In 2017, Pan was specifically requested as part of the musical score for the hit movie Star Wars The Last Jedi. (40 seconds in)
So, the next time you hear the sweet sounds of the steelpan, remember that you’re not just listening to music; you’re experiencing a living piece of Trinidad and Tobago’s history and soul.