With 17 days to go before the Steelfestt Parade of Floats around the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, as part of celebrations to mark the country's golden jubilee of Independence, Pan Trinbago is still waiting for responses from the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism and the National Carnival Commission (NCC) as regards funding. The parade comes off on August 20 at 4 pm. President Keith Diaz told Pan Buzz he gave the Culture Ministry a proposal since last year but has heard nothing. He said he wrote the NCC, too, but no such luck. He said he has not given up hope, but thanks the Minister of Planning Bhoe Tewarie, and other sponsors who wasted no time in coming on board with the project. The initial project should have featured 25 floats, but was scaled back to 15. Several local designers have already started work on the project and showed their stunning designs last week at the John Donaldson campus, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain. The designs will feature aspects of life in T&T, including the flora and fauna, industrialisation and the steelpan. The Steelfestt Parade of floats was scheduled to take place in May as part of the Steelfestt programme, which included pan events with visiting artistes and a global conference, but was pushed back to August 20 at 4 pm. However, president Diaz assured that the Parade of Floats will come off as planned.
Make way for Jerome Matiyas and his Adventures of Mekonnen
Trinidadian-born but based in Baltimore, USA, Jerome Griffith, 37, is a superb graphic artist/illustrator with big ideas. He goes by the artistic name Jerome Matiyas, and is now on a whirlwind visit to his homeland. The former Arima Government Secondary student is basically a self-taught artist, but received some training at the John Donaldson Institute (now called Campus) and the Catonsville Community College. He now works as a graphic designer with T Rowe Price, but is also into web designing and photography. Matiyas is not short on ambition, he is an aspiring writer and one day hopes to publish nine graphic novels about a warrior in the Kingdom of Askum in Ethiopia. The series is called The Epic Adventures of Mekonnen and will culminate the several years of research into Ethiopian folklore, heroes, food and traditions. Matiyas said the historical fantasy adventures are drawn from real life, as Mekonnen-a force of good, faces all the struggles of life, emotional ones too.
Already he has completed a guidebook into the series and promises to have book one completed by December. Among his plans are a TV series and animated movie about the exploits of Mekonnen. Griffith is excited about his projects, coming off a recent successful Ethiopian Festival in Silver Spring, Maryland, where his work was well-received. He leaves these shores in a few days and is happy with some of the development he has seen in Port-of-Spain and the malls. "The vibe has not changed, it is still the same," Matiyas said about Trini warmth. So far he is soaking up all the vibes of his family and friends, and took part in Emancipation Day festivities at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, which he termed "enjoyable." If you wish to contact Griffith, email him at pinevergreenstudios@gmail.com or pinevergreen.com. For a peek at Mekonnen, visit www.MekonnenEpic.com.
August-busy month for pan people
A busy August month is ahead for Pan Trinbago officials, pannists and pan lovers.There are events galore to mark the month, the 20th anniversary of the steelpan being declared the national instrument, and the country's 50th anniversary of Independence. A church service will be held at a venue to be announced. Today at 2 pm there will be a visit to the Foundation Stone at St Paul's Street, Port-of-Spain, by officials of Pan Trinbago and well-wishers. The stone was laid by the first president of the Steelband Association. The action swings into the annual Laventille Steelband Parade on Sunday on the Eastern Main Road. The event starts at 4 pm, and is the 13th edition put on by the Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation (LSFF). The programme begins with the Emancipation Story. There will be steelbands like lentil peas, including traditional and conventional orchestras. The big bands will all be there, 2013 champs Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars, Witco Desperadoes, PCS Silver Stars, Caribbean Airlines Invaders, Solo Harmonites, Republic Bank Exodus, bpTT Renegades Steel orchestra, Petrotrin Phase Two Pan Groove, NLCB Fonclaire and Tobago's RBC Redemption Soundsetters.
Other events
August 8 9 am
Arrangers' Seminar, Community Development, La Fantasie Road, St Ann's.
August 10 8 pm
Pan Trinbago Awards, Festival Ballroom, Crowne Plaza, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.
August 10 and 11 8 pm
Len "Boogsie" Sharpe in Concert, Little Carib Theatre, White Street, Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain.
August 12 4 pm
Pan on the Boardwalk, Chaguaramas.
August 15 8 pm
Defenders of the Pan Day (Pioneers' Day). Renegades Pan Theatre, Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain.
August 18 10 am
Youth Rally featuring junior steelbands. The Paddock, Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
August 20 4 pm
Parade of Floats, around Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
August 25 5 pm
Woodbrook Centenary Parade (Pan on the Avenue)
August 30 Pan Night and Day
Pan in all regions in public spaces and places to mark the 20th anniversary of the declaration of pan as the national instrument.
August 31 (Independence Day)
Brunches at various panyards.
September 1
Carib Woodbrook Playboyz Independence Fiesta, Woodbrook Playboyz Panyard, Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain.