Annual Publication 1st Issue 2011 www.diatonicpan.org Siparia Featuring The Baron La Divina Pastora Ellis Knights Diatonic Pan on the move Master Tuner Oliver Hospedales Under the Patronage of the MP for Siparia and the Prime Minister What’s Inside Message - Manager Diatonic Diatonic - “Pan on The Move” Message – Chairman SRC Bands selected and their tune of choice Feature Artricles Meet the Committees La Divina Pastora Question and Answers - Quiz Ellis Knights Acknowledgements Baron Oliver Hospedales rehabilitation and civic welfare for the great multi- GREETINGS CHAIRMAN SIPARIA tude of our people. REGIONAL CORPORATION To this end, Diatonic has identied ve key areas: It is indeed my pleasure to be Steelband; Events; Educa- involved in this historic publica- tion; Marketing and Sports. tion, in my capacity as Chairman of I am extremely pleased to the Siparia Regional Corporation, inform that three of these and Councillor for the Region of areas, Steelband, Events Siparia East/San Francique South. Let me rst assure you that my and Education have been Leo Doodnath established and are fully loyalty and allegiance does not lie only with the residents of my Keith Byer functional. They have Electoral District, but to ALL of the We, at the Siparia Regional Corpo- From the embarked on a number of 82,000 odd burgesses residing ration have a resolute, unwavering projects like Siparia Pan on within the Region of Siparia, and commitment to improving every Manager’s Desk the Move, a conference on secondly, permit me to share some facet of the lives of all our people, crime and poverty allevia- of my thoughts with you: and we intend to use every Since the launch of our tion, and a magazine to medium at our disposal to achieve operation in November mark the occasion of The Siparia Regional Corporation’s this; be it through social develop- 2010 the Diatonic Pan Siparia Fete 2011, to name Mission Statement is bi-lateral; ment programmes, cultural Institute, has started work- a few. The Siparia Regional Corporation is activities which promote a sense of ing assiduously to achieve committed to providing a clean, community and ‘togetherness’, We at Diatonic, hope to be sporting programmes or making its overall objective of safe and progressive environment, a model for similar organi- and promoting the development improvements to the physical ensuring that the people of sations and communities to of sustainable communities. infrastructure of our communities, Siparia and environs do likewise for the better- the Siparia Regional Corporation is capitalize on the indig- ment of our citizens in As a Corporation, we intend to here to serve you. enous invention of the Trinidad and Tobago. partner wholeheartedly with the steelpan, in a meaningful I would like to thank the Non-Governmental Organisations Special kudos must be given to the way. chairmen and members of and Community Based Organisa- Diatonic Pan Institute. They are We recognize that the these committees for the tions within the region, with this still in their infancy stages, and yet steelpan is being used as a mission being our ultimate goal. has achieved so much as an work they have done so far Organisation, in such little time. major economic and social and urged them to Social and cultural activities are This group of persons is an tool internationally, while continue serving Siparia in too often regarded as events excellent example of the master- crime, destitution and a positive manner. I would which bring no real tangible piece which can be created when poverty continue to be a also like to take this oppor- benet to the community at large; commitment, dedication, a seless challenge in the land of its tunity to thank my fellow far too frequently we view the nature, and lastly a deep rooted birth. Diatonic intends to directors for all the support nancial prot margin as the sole sense of community nd their ensure that the steelpan is given during this exercise. indicator of the viability of an place on one canvas. not considered only a tool Let me take this opportu- activity. for entertainment and In closing, I, Leo Doodnath, nity to wish all the people Chairman of the Siparia Regional amusement by capturing As a society, this is possibly one of of Siparia Fete a happy and our greatest blunders. Social and Corporation take this opportunity its full potential for the joyous Siparia Fete 2011 as Cultural activities are powerful to wish the Diatonic Pan Institute benet of the people of we strive to make a more tools which can be used to combat all the best in the future, and I Siparia and environs. We socially acceptable and the many social ills which plague hope to partner with each one of intend to trigger economic economically prosperous our communities today; crime, you, as we work towards making and industrial transforma- Siparia. indiscipline, truancy, substance Siparia “clean, safe and progres- tion, along with social abuse, and the list can go on. sive.” Diatonic Pan Institute - 2011 1 The Oracle La Divina Jets Pastora ELECTRICAL The statue of Our Lady, La Divina Pastora stands in a small chapel at the Siparia SALES & Catholic Church. The small wooden statue depicts A Black Madonna, dressed in royal SERVICES robes betting the Mother of Our Lord. LTD. Electrical Sales, Domestic, Commercial La Divina Pastora is the subject Two distinct festivals in honour of La of devotion not just of Catholics, but also Divina Pastora are celebrated here. & Industrial Wiring of Protestants, Hindus and some Muslims. The statue, believed to be an The older, Catholic Festival, is the Feast of Amerindian sculpture, was brought to La Divina Pastora or Siparia Fete, Siparia during the 18th century and celebrated on the third Sunday after placed in the church, probably by the Easter Sunday. It features a mid-morning founding missionaries, as that of their Mass, followed by a procession with the patroness, Mary, Holy Shepherdess. statue through the streets. Thousands Soon, reports of prayers being answered attend, and cultural activities take up the due to her intercession began to rest of the day. Suparee Mai Ki Mela is circulate, and the church became a place observed Holy Thursday and Good of popular pilgrimage. Friday; the Hindus come then to oer their thanks. The streets around the By the 1850s, the newly-arrived East church compound take on the appear- Indian population also began visiting this ance of an oriental bazaar, and crowds church to pray for the help of ‘Suparee converge to observe the ceremonies, and Mai’ (Mother of Siparia) as they called her, to shop. in solving their problems. This also became popular custom and remains so The statue of La Divina Pastora under- today. went minute examination and refurbish- ment in 2010, ordered by Parish Priest, Fr. Devotion for Our Lady, La Divina Pastora, Martin Sirju. One of the ndings was that has become so embedded in the hearts the statue was, at that time, at least 350 of our people that every day, groups of years old. #45#45 DaisyDaisy VoisienVoison St.St. people of all walks of life visit this church Siparia Trinidad W.I. to pray and to oer thanks. A body of Tel: 868 649-1335 legends has sprung up surrounding this Theresa Noel mobile statue. 868 750-3116 868 461-6128 2 Diatonic Pan Institute - 2011 Ellis Knights Pan Icon of Siparia Ellis next joined Atomic Steelband which was housed on High Street, Siparia. There he met Herman Mannette, the brother of Ellie Mannette, whom he knew while living in Port-of-Spain. His rst big break came when he repre- sented the steelband in a competition in Fyzabad, placing rst in the tenor pan category. In 1960 Ellis joined Torrid Zone steelband and subse- quently became captain. Later on he joined forces with Terry Wallace, John Alcala, David Carter, Cecil Charles, Fitzroy Fox, Andre Gonzales, Curtis Lloyd, Basdeo “Soul” Mahatoo, Leslie Reefer, Errol Regis and Elvin Telesford in the Band named Angel Harps where he was made captain. This steelband would later be renamed Deltones Steel Orchestra in 1966. Here is where Ellis spends the rest of his life as captain and tuning the background pans. In 1968 Deltones made its rst appearance at panaroma, playing Sparrow’s “Carnival in 68”. In 1970 Deltones got sponsorship from Texaco and thus became Texaco Mr. Ellis Knights aka “lively” was born October 4, 1928, at Deltones. Today the band is known as Petrotrin Deltones. Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain and receive his early school- Under his leadership the band made its rst zonal nal, in ing at Nelson Street Boys’. 1979 its rst National Semi-nal, in 1980 its rst National Final and South Champions in 1982/87/88. At age eight Ellis became involved with All Stars Steelband, Ellis Knights is credited as the person responsible for the and later Tokyo. Some of the people he associated with development of pan in Siparia, and was honoured by the were names like Foots, Blacks, James, Coker and Zoozie. community in 2001. He held the distinction of being the only Steelpan legend to have a statue erected in his In 1946, at about age 18, Ellis journeyed to Siparia and honour while he was alive, and that statue remains up to stayed at Ma Fidel’s on Alexander Street. He soon found this time as the only statue erected in Siparia. employment at the Saney’s “Sweet Drink” factory and did Mr. Ellis Knights passed away on 25th November 2007 but other odd jobs before securing employment with TPD oil his name will always remain synonymous with Siparia and eld in Santa Flora.