FEEL THE
ISLAND
VYBE

 

Pan sweet pan and yes, we are talking about the steelpan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. The steelpan is a unique musical instrument that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s. Originally, it was made from discarded oil drums that are hammered and tuned to produce different notes. The steelpan is widely regarded as a symbol of Caribbean culture and innovation, and has been adopted by musicians and bands around the world.

 

We never seem to catch a break and the following should be noted: the steelpan also faces challenges in terms of intellectual property protection and recognition. Despite its popularity and significance, the steelpan has not been patented or registered as a national instrument by the government of Trinidad and Tobago. This has allowed other countries and individuals to claim ownership and innovation over various aspects of the steelpan design and tuning processes, and to profit from its commercialization.

 

As an example, in 2001, two US academics were granted a patent for a method of producing a Caribbean steelpan using hydroforming, a technique that was already used by local steelpan makers in the 1970s. The patent was contested by the Trinidad and Tobago government, but the case is still pending. Another example is the E-Pan, an electronic version of the steelpan that was invented by a Trinidadian engineer, but has not been officially recognized or supported by the government.

 

These cases illustrate the need for more awareness and action on the part of the steelpan community and the government of Trinidad and Tobago to protect and promote the steelpan as a national and cultural asset. The steelpan deserves respect and recognition as an original and innovative invention that reflects the history and identity of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Our mission is to advance music producers, performers, and Caribbean culture. Take up the role of the cultural vulture and disseminate this article among your acquaintances and on all social media channels. We are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud. All our posts are available on  FeedSpot/RSS Feed, Innoreader/RSS Feed, Threads, Bluesky, and via Email Subscription. Thank you in advance.

 

Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). No copyright infringement is intended! We don't own the rights to this music; it is presented here for promotional use only. We encourage you to promote the artists and their music; please don't download and share them and rob the artists of needed income! I, nor this blog, make any claims of ownership over any of the videos, songs, photos, or graphics used for this post because they all belong to their respective owners.

 

What happened to Fantastic Friday in Trinidad and Tobago? Fantastic Friday featured the "Play Whe International Soca Monarch" competition, with artists from the Caribbean basin and North America competing to win this prestigious title. As mentioned by Fan Ann Lyons, this competition was 'our Grammys'. It may not be a simple reason for the demise of the show, but there is a void that needs to be filled. The rest of the Caribbean region—Grenada, Saint Vincent, Antigua, and Saint Lucia—all have a Soca Monarch Competition. Trinidad got rid of the International Soca Monarch and did not even replace it with a local Soca Monarch competition. Is this a lack of vision or just a lack of will?

 

Our mission is to advance music producers, performers, and Caribbean culture. Take up the role of the cultural vulture and disseminate this article among your acquaintances and on all social media channels. We are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud. All our posts are available on  FeedSpot/RSS Feed, Innoreader/RSS Feed, Threads, Bluesky, and via Email Subscription. Thank you in advance.

 

Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). No copyright infringement is intended! We don't own the rights to this music; it is presented here for promotional use only. We encourage you to promote the artists and their music; please don't download and share them and rob the artists of needed income! I, nor this blog, make any claims of ownership over any of the videos, songs, photos, or graphics used for this post because they all belong to their respective owners.

 

Our mission is to advance music producers, performers, and Caribbean culture. Take up the role of the cultural vulture and disseminate this article among your acquaintances and on all social media channels. We are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud. All our posts are available on  FeedSpot/RSS Feed, Innoreader/RSS Feed, Threads, Bluesky, and via Email Subscription. Thank you in advance.

 

Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). No copyright infringement is intended! We don't own the rights to this music; it is presented here for promotional use only. We encourage you to promote the artists and their music; please don't download and share them and rob the artists of needed income! I, nor this blog, make any claims of ownership over any of the videos, songs, photos, or graphics used for this post because they all belong to their respective owners.

 

The carnival is over, but we just can't get enough of Trinidad and Tobago's carnival culture. Now is the time to celebrate the champs and savor the success of another successful carnival. So here we are, once again: are you ready for a night of pure magic from the Mecca of Steelpan and Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago? If so, you won’t want to miss the Carnival Lagniappe 2024, a spectacular show featuring the reigning champions of various Carnival categories, such as Steelpan, Mas, Soca, Calypso, Chutney, Chutney Soca, Extempo, Brass, and then some...

Our mission is to advance music producers, performers, and Caribbean culture. Take up the role of the cultural vulture and disseminate this article among your acquaintances and on all social media channels. We are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud. All our posts are available on  FeedSpot/RSS Feed, Innoreader/RSS Feed, Threads, Bluesky, and via Email Subscription. Thank you in advance.

 

Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). No copyright infringement is intended! We don't own the rights to this music; it is presented here for promotional use only. We encourage you to promote the artists and their music; please don't download and share them and rob the artists of needed income! I, nor this blog, make any claims of ownership over any of the videos, songs, photos, or graphics used for this post because they all belong to their respective owners.