Steelbands on Lakeshore Carnival

Steelbands on Lakeshore Carnival Route, A Must

By William Doyle-Marshall

The 2012 edition of Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival is on the way and the city is poised to welcome thousands from around the world with steelband, calypso and masquerade.

   The Caribana Arts Group jumped the gun and launched its Caribana Children Carnival in the Jane and Finch community after the Festival Management Committee shifted its junior carnival to nearby Downsview Park.

   Despite its small showing of 200 children participating in a carnival parade in their neighbourhood compared to the promised 2,000 on Saturday by the FMC organizers, there is much to celebrate. But on the other hand one new FMC venture is creating some heat. FMC’s Chief Administrative Officer Chris Alexander calls it a Pan J’Ouvert to be staged on the morning of August 4 on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. Starting time is 6 o’clock.  

  Alexander disclosed there’s always been a contention in terms of the pan being involved and mixed with the bands because the bands have these boom boxes and steelbands are just acoustic music which is difficult. To remedy the situation Alexander said the FMC has agreed for this year is to segwey into a ‘Pan J’Ouvert’.

   Pan J’Ouvert is really a pan J’Ouvert. We will be doing that from 5:00 to 9:00a.m. just before we start at 9:30 with the main parade. We have a route that we scheduled and worked out for them so it doesn’t impact what’s happening on the road,” Alexander said confidently

   “We’ve given them their own space so pan can literally showcase what they do. But it is not during the regular time. It’s a little bit earlier which they love and they want to do that.

   But within the steelband fraternity the feeling is mixed. The majority seems to favour steelbands participating in J’Ouvert and the Caribana parade as well. Delano Thomas, chairman of the Ontario Steelpan Association said steelbands have been trying to get this for years and the main obstacle has been the lack of understanding of the culture by the Toronto Police who are more receptive to the idea now.

   “Traditionally J’Ouvert that’s steelband time and you have your Bomb competition. You drop your bomb. That is traditional, it goes far back as pan itself.”

   “Steelband for Pan J’Ouvert and no steelband for parade of the bands: “That is unfortunate. I understand some of the logistics but I think there has to be a solution,” said Dr. Ralph Agard, a cultural observer and former community advocate. “You can’t have a parade without pan. True enough, we have deejays and whoever else but pan essentially is what mas’ is about,” he stressed.

    Al Foster an experienced steelbands man on the Canadian scene who operates his own music school in the City of Toronto admitted that steelbands often feel neglected. On the road a steelband with 40 50 players could be out shone by a mas’ band with 500 people especially where the music is concerned; where the deejays play extremely loud  music for the masqueraders and spectators to hear. It’s a real disadvantage for the steelband players, Foster noted.

  With respect to steelbands not being on the road the Carnival would suffer, he predicted. The challenge exists because a lot of people do line the parade route with high expectations of seeing the steelband. Everyone agreed unanimously that the steelband is an integral part of this festival and particularly on the actual parade route.

   “ Personally I would not be too happy about not participating in the parade because that is a highlight of the summer especially for the youth contingent of my particular band. I like the interaction between the spectators and it is going to be a big loss for the entire festival. But change is a tough thing. When you can’t actually see it’s really hard to accept it. There has to be a lot of buy in from the community.”

    Delano Thomas, president of Ontario Steelpan Association reported that FMC has not told him that pan would not be allowed on the route. From his perspective members of OSA are determined to perform at J’Ouvert and on the parade route as well.

 “If it is something that they want to try and go in a different direction, I think we should at least try it because you never know. It might work out better, it might be an improvement, not that it needs an improvement but it might be something we can build on. I think including the steelband in the J’Ouvert is a brilliant idea.

    Dr. Agard, past Chairman of Caribbean Cultural Committee recalled his first J’Ouvert involved an overwhelming steelband presence when he walked out of his home at five o’clock that morning. Steelbands were coming out on the street at five o’clock in the morning and everybody was jumping up to pan,” the sociologist recalled. With that indelible memory, the social worker is confident there has to be a way to find a solution.

   “Let the bands, whatever it is, find some accommodation. Strategically placing steelbands at the end so they come later but it doesn’t make sense to me. I think it is an over simplistic problem,” Dr. Agard recommended.

   Ken Jeffers, a pannist, advocate for youth a former Chairman of the Caribbean Cultural Committee and an ardent supporter of Afropan said steelband has been seen as keeping back the parade in the past. However he believed there is always a degree of scepticism as to the rationale for making this year’s change.

   Freedom is about having a choice, he argued. So having the J’Ouvert is a very good idea however he insisted all bands should have the option of whether they want to go down the parade route or not because Carnival is a free spirited thing. “The streets are for the people and pan is of the people and if they want to go down: fine. If they want to play J’Ouvert and go down: fine. I don’t think they should be restricted or limited in that regard,” said Ken Jeffers..

  Despite the claim by Alexaner that the logistics prevent steelbands from entering the J’Ouvert and parading the Lakeshore in the flagship event – parade of the bands – there is unison that steelbands must be free to make their own decision and participate where they feel comfortable.

July 18, 2012