The Story of Steelbands and the Steelband Art Form in St. Lucia - UpClose!

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...The influence of pan spans a wide cross section of society quite apart from the class divisions, as pan was a stereotyped form in its early days. The steel pan and its music found work for idle hands which would otherwise be clawing at mischief at the Boys Club. This activity spearheaded under the tutorage of “Scrub”, can still be balled by testimony of person’s such as Victor Marquis who emerged from this effort. Much later his son, Ivan Smith was to mimic his level of social responsibility by doing the same at the Massade Boys’ Training Centre.

“Silver tones” - Saint Lucia’s first all-female steel pan group -- photo: Lucius Alexander


During the early prosperous years of the tourist industry in Saint Lucia, many steel orchestras took to the Hotels providing an inflow of cash from the highly foreign dominated industry. This practice continues today although on a smaller scale....



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