In 2014 Bequia Community High School started a music and arts education program to teach traditional steel pan drumming to children on Bequia. At that point, only one child on the small island had knowledge of the steel pan tradition. Cost was a barrier for some, instruction was as well.
To say that Kids on Pan was a success is an understatement. From then until now the program has trained more than 70 students, taking them from root beginnings to performing within a group at local and regional events. The best outcomes, though, are the ones you can’t quantify. Kids on Pan got kids excited about their cultural heritage, sharing something of themselves, and having fun. They learned about music, and they learned about themselves. Standing on stage at events on Bequia and on the mainland in their matching t-shirts, they experienced being a part of something larger than themselves.
Culturally, the Kids on Pan program brought sights and sounds, once common, back to the island. As such, it’s been a source of pride for the participants, their families, and the community at large. If you’ve ever been in the neighbourhood when they are practicing—Kids on Pan ultimately occupied a facility in Port Elizabeth just adjacent to the Anglican Primary School—you’ve no doubt been entirely charmed. Pan is just one of those things—the sound, the rhythm, the joy—that inevitably brings a smile to your face.
The opportunity
Kids on Pan was begun and lead by Mr. Levi Walker. It was funded in part by LEAF Global Arts and in part by donations from those who wished to support the cause. When it came time for Mr. Walker to pass the torch, he turned to the Hub.
And that’s where the program stands now. The Hub is in the final stages of working through this transition, with the continued support from Mr. Levi Walker and LEAF Global Arts. To their great credit, the leadership team at the Hub has put their energy behind finding a way forward. They enlisted Akeam Hannaway to instruct. Akeam is a pannist, teacher, and arranger who describes his love of steel pan as being “a part of me.” He adds that “When I was a kid, the panyard was like my playground.”
And they’ve reached out to potential funding bodies, and very happily we’d like to find ways of reaching the funding goals. If this is something you feel you’d like to see flourish and can help us raise the funds needed please reach out to me glen.herbert@grenadinesinitiative.org.
grenadinesinitiative.ca 