- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 23/Jul 06:13

Pan Trinbago launches Pan Month, relaunches Sydney Gollop Fund

Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore says World Steelpan Day was not just symbolic but a day of recognition and remembrance of the “pancestors.” She said the steelpan was the story of Trinidad and Tobago’s people. Having it enshrined as the country’s national musical instrument under Act No 13 of 2024 carried the weight of years of advocacy, cultural resilience and community unity. “This is not just a symbolic designation. It is a powerful recognition of a people’s invention, a community’s spirit and a nation’s sound. For decades our pan pioneers, musicians, builders, tuners, arrangers, educators and supporters have poured heart, skill and soul into shaping a global musical force that began right here on our soil. “From the oil drum to the orchestra, from behind the bridge to the world stage, the story of pan is one of transformation, resistance and genius. Born out of struggle, shaped in the crucible of culture and defiance, the steelpan is a living symbol of who we are – inventive, expressive, proud and unbreakable.” Ramsey-Moore was speaking at the first anniversary celebration of the Formal Designation of the Steelpan as the National Musical Instrument of TT and the official launch of Steelpan Month 2025 at Radisson Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain on July 19. In addition to the month of activities, Ramsey-Moore also relaunched the Sydney Gollop Fund. In 1950, Gollop became the first president of the National Association of TT Steelbandsmen. “Under his guidance, 76 steelbands came together in unity, forming a movement that could no longer be ignored. Sydney Gollop was not only a unifier and visionary, he was a protector. He stood beside panmen in the courts, advocated for their rights and insisted that they be seen not as outcasts, but as artisans. Patriots. “In 1951, he helped raise funds for the first overseas tour of TASPO, the moment when the steelpan crossed borders and echoed its message to the world. That tour was not just a performance, it was a declaration. And it bore the fingerprints of a leader whose strength was quiet but unshakable.” She said the fund would support young pannists through scholarships and mentorship, protect members of the pan fraternity through legal and welfare assistance, fund cultural research and uplift grassroots bands. She described the “pancestors” as visionaries, rebels, innovators and cultural warriors. She said when steelbands were vilified and criminalised, they held on to their instruments and their hope and eventually forged a movement. [caption id="attachment_1167995" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Pan Trinbago relaunched the Sydney Gollop Fund during the launch of Pan Month, on July 19.[/caption] “Their legacy gave birth to a national identity, one that now rings with official clarity and constitutional pride.” She thanked all who contributed to the success of Pan Trinbago and the movement including the government, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, its cultural collaborators and heritage institutions, the pan fraternity, corporate and community partners, and the international diaspora and steelpan ambassadors. In his address, on behalf of Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin, National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Peter Kanhai agreed with Ramsey-Moore saying Steelpan Month was more than commemoration. He said recognition was long overdue and deserved, and it was a national affirmation of the steelpan, which came from the heart of the people. He said it should move people to continue to invest in the instrument, champion youths and embed steelpan in the fabric of society, including in classrooms, the community and the fabric of society. “We are also proud to join the global family of steelpan lovers in acknowledging World Steelpan Day on August 11, an important marker that further elevates TT as the cradle of this beloved instrument and the artform that is the steelpan.” Kanhai said it was an important cultural milestone, an identity and a true celebration of who we were as a people, and a time to reflect on the generations of arrangers, players, tuners and builders who kept the pan alive. “As we formally celebrate steelpan as a national instrument, a title that carries the soul of our people, the creativity of our ancestors and the fire of our nation, let us do so with intent – intent to promote this artform as an avenue for economic and social development for the country, intent to be recognised as the be-all and end-all of all things steelpan.”   The post Pan Trinbago launches Pan Month, relaunches Sydney Gollop Fund appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.