It is said that knowledge is power and according to children’s author Mary Cuffy, equipping the nation’s youth with information on the national instrument will give them the ability to take the steel pan to the soaring heights it can reach.
During the launch of her book entitled Lola and the Magic Sticks at the National Library in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Cuffy said “we have a rich history and when I looked at the minister of education, he was talking about getting more expert pan players, he was going to introduce more pans in schools but I didn’t hear him mention anything about early childhood and that’s where I got the inspiration.”
According to Cuffy, the book Lola and the Magic Sticks is intended to get children excited about playing the steel pan.
Without letting too much out the bag, she explained that the character Lola, “was going on an adventure and discovers an object, the steel pan, before she didn’t know what it was and she asked her mother who also didn’t have much information on it, so she took it to her teacher who explained everything to her and it ends with her learning to play the instrument.”
During her book launch, Cuffy read excerpts before a packed children’s room in the library. The event was opened with a performance of the national anthem by preschoolers.
Parents who were also on hand applauded and supported Cuffy’s call to have the national instrument introduced at a kind kindergarten level.
Mieve Harewood, a mother of three stated “knowing that my daughter is playing the pan, I was certain this book would instill in children from a very tender age that the pan is essential to our culture and to the development of children in music generally.”
Earlier this year, Minister of Education Anthony Garcia announced plans to extend the pan in school projects to primary and secondary schools.
The minister said the pan project would be broadened to encompass all 455 primary schools and 125 secondary schools before he leaves office.
He expressed the view that pan in schools was part and parcel of building confidence in students.