Caribbean Beat — January/February 2017 (#143)

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edison boodoosingh 2017 Panorama highlights 30 January to 7 February preliminary judging in panyards and communities across Trinidad and Tobago 12 February National Panorama Semi-Finals, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain 23 February National Panorama Finals, small steelbands, Skinner Park, San Fernando 25 February National Panorama Finals, medium and large steelbands, Queen’s Park Savannah inspired by pan music. Shoes, then, become mandatory. Slippers may work, but if pedicures are important, sneakers are better. When you consider that the early Panorama preliminaries in the 1960s were judged “on the move” — with steelbands in racks being pushed on wheels by partisan supporters from the community — you may question whether we have gone backwards or away from our Caribbean instinct to move. Now we have bands being judged in static formation on a stage, facing one direction, orchestra-like, in defiance of the urge to jump up. What ends are we serving, a European ideal of conformity or a Caribbean reality of participation, joy, and movement? I guess the answer can be better considered depending on where you are seeing and hearing the Panorama. For we do have a couple of options: the drag or the stands. The real action takes place on the drag, a strip of tarmac that wends its way in and out of the Savannah, passing in front of the Grand Stand, an evolution of the old horse racing grandstand. (The original was demolished in 2006 to be rebuilt as a clone in 2011). That original pavilion for the Sport of Kings birthed a sister stand, the North Stand, which has become the playground of and a magnet for the imitative “mimic men” of the middle classes, pretenders looking to become one with the people. Between the drag and the North Stand, you can sense what an atmosphere of true liberation — and libation — the Panorama can be. The North Stand is the fun place to be if you’re liming in For me, Panorama is a rekindling of hope that we are masters of our domain the stands. A cacophony of rhythmic iron-clanging, handdrumming, and bottle-and-spoon-beating makes for a noisy air of communal spirit. Rum rules, and the idea of the primacy of music is slowly giving way to the idea of a new kind of hedonism that travel writers casually describe as a selling point for Caribbean people. All this pleasure becomes evident when you’re on the drag. From this vantage point, you can hear every band do a final practice performance of its competition tune, and it’s all free. Restriction and freedom are two opposites that have shaped Trinidad’s history. At Panorama, on the drag, they live side by side. Panorama, to some, is the apotheosis of the steelband. To others, it reflects a growing decay of the communal spirit associated with the movement and a movement. Commercialism and a kind of redundancy have eaten away at some of the appeal of Panorama. But for me, it is a rekindling of hope that we are masters of our domain, not necessarily conforming to the dictates of the gatekeepers who rule media and creative enterprises. It is our little rebellion. Our fantasy that for a day, after many days and nights in those panyards, those crucibles of creativity and sweat and fire, we as a nation can make something that will last the test of time. It is also our chaotic and fervent and rhythmic moment when time stands still, literally — when we can all move as one to the beat. n 66 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
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January/February 2017 FREE take-hom
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Distributed exclusively by Stechers
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Contents No. 143 January/February 2
Page 19 and 20: January/February 2017 Cover A young
Page 22 and 23: CARIBBEAN AIRLINES AT 10 A decade o
Page 24 and 25: Powered by people As head of corpor
Page 27 and 28: datebook Your guide to Caribbean ev
Page 29 and 30: Crafted Richer. Aged Deeper. theeld
Page 31 and 32: St Barth Fun Cup St Jean Beach, Sai
Page 33 and 34: Holetown Festival St James, Barbado
Page 36 and 37: Illustration by James Hackett It’
Page 38: the look Wood for life Jamaican fur
Page 41: Blind cricket was first played in 1
Page 45 and 46: No Safeguards, by H. Nigel Thomas (
Page 47 and 48: Single Spotlight What Can We Do Aga
Page 49 and 50: immerse edison boodoosingh 49 Snaps
Page 51 and 52: Carnival is mine There are as many
Page 53 and 54: At twenty-five years old, Khari Cod
Page 56 and 57: Before sunrise In the darkness befo
Page 58 and 59: “I never choose the mas” Tracy
Page 60: maria nunes I never choose the mas.
Page 63 and 64: “My Carnival no longer starts or
Page 65 and 66: ADVERTISEMENT
Page 67: Music in motion The steelpan is Tri
Page 71 and 72: Hayley Madden for The Poetry Societ
Page 73 and 74: months, this is not just a shutting
Page 75 and 76: Mrs Fanny Eaton (c.1859; chalk on p
Page 77 and 78: Fanny Eaton’s thick, kinky hair a
Page 79 and 80: ARRIVE PHB.cz (Richard Semik) / shu
Page 81 and 82: The serene bay at the fishing villa
Page 84 and 85: Under the water Altin Osmanaj / shu
Page 86 and 87: Martin Mecnarowski / shutterstock.c
Page 88: Fort King George is one of the best
Page 91 and 92: Streetscape French Creole influence
Page 93 and 94: ROUND TRIP T photography / Shutters
Page 96: MIC DAX Mindelo, Cape Verde Off the
Page 100 and 101: 98 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM Binche, B
Page 102 and 103: 100 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM Cape Tow
Page 104: gary yim / Shutterstock.com Oruro,
Page 108 and 109: LAYOVER Eric Baker / shutterstock.c
Page 110 and 111: THE DEAL Electric avenues Around th
Page 112 and 113: on this day The remains of the Dane
Page 114 and 115: puzzles Puzzle grid.pdf 1 11/15/16
Page 116 and 117: 81% (2016 year-to-date: 7 December)
Page 119:
737 onboard Entertainment — JANUA
Page 122:
parting shot This old house One of
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Caribbean Beat — January/February 2017 (#143)

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