ABSTRACT
Pan1 and the steel band2 were created and developed by predominantly Afro-Trinidadian3 lower-class urban dwellers on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago during the early to mid-1930s. Since that time this ensemble and its primary instrument have achieved international recognition. However, pan and the steel band are only the most recent in a lengthy succession of similarly associated instruments and ensemble types with roots extending back over time and distance (from Trinidad and other New World territories) to portions of West and Central Africa. Although detailed historical and cultural analysis is beyond the scope of this article, it is essential to present an overview of Trinidad Carnival and prole pan’s most immediate precursors before proceeding to the current tradition and tuning techniques.
