0:48AGood morning, good morning, buenos días, bonjour, kia ora, abarigani. Welcome to Steel Pan Vibes. It’s more than music. I’m your host Barbara Sealy Roden with Paul at the controls and our new intern Chastity. Good morning, Chastity.
1:42DGood morning, how are you?
1:43AI’m very good, very good. Well, We greet all our listeners locally in Brevard County, Florida, across the nation, and around the globe. Thanks for joining us for 60 minutes of the finest steel pan recordings and talk that inspires. It’s a new day and we are indeed thankful. How Great Thou Art is the title of our opening selection performed by UK-based Mighty Jammer and his son Jamani from the album The Voices of Pan: Steel Pan Gospel on the Hearts Aglow label.
2:23DThis selection of the show is brought to you by Thrifty Specialty Produce and Meats of Palm Bay. For the freshest fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, oxtail, pork, goat, and the widest variety of Caribbean and Asian foods, come shop at Thrifty Specialty Produce and Meats of Palm Bay. Our hot food and deli offers tasty dishes all at a reasonable price. Catering and wholesale also available. Visit us at 2135 Palm Bay Road or call [number removed]. Or 726-88 or 8007 at Thrifty Specialty Produce Freshest and guaranteed. You are listening to Steel Pan Vibes, It’s More Than Music radio show on 1510 AM, WWBC 94.7, 100.7 FM in Brevard County, streaming live around the globe at 1510wwbc.com. As well as on Steel Pan Vibes It’s More Than Music radio show Facebook page, simulcasting on theyardlinkradio.com, with Big D available on app WWBC for Android and iPhones. Thanks again for joining us.
7:55AOkay, thank you very much there. Pan is it. By the way, folks, we are in Brevard County, or Brevard County. Is that right, Paul?
8:07CYeah, that’s right. You know as well we’re on a new frequency starting today too, Barbara. Did you know that?
8:12AUm, I think I heard something about it, but tell the folks.
8:15CWe were the very first, first ones on it last Saturday. It’s 99.9. It’s right here in Cocoa, and it extends all the way up to Titusville, or just about, and then, uh, central Brevard County here. So now you can hear us here and all of our programming here on 99.9 FM.
8:33AWonderful. So we’ll add that and remind our listeners in this north part of Brevard County.
8:39CAnd we’re streaming on Facebook as well.
8:41AAbsolutely, absolutely. Okay folks, well, our theme, our musical theme this morning is Pan Is It. Why is Pan it? Well, I have to tell you when we come back from a word from our sponsors.
9:00BMy name is Shawn Ferguson. I’m running for Rockledge City Council Seat 2. Dick Blake, the incumbent, is retiring after 40 years of service to this great city, and as a long-standing City Council member, Mr. Blake has gladly endorsed me. I’m a lifelong resident of Rockledge and a proud graduate of Rockledge High School and the University of Florida. Being from Rockledge, I have very fond memories of this city, and I’m glad to call Rockledge my home. As your City Council member, I have 25 years of proven leadership and community involvement in the city of Rockledge. I’m proud to say, not only as a pastor, but as a volunteer chaplain with Rockledge Police Department, and as a board member with agencies like United Way, Salvation Army, and WUSTAF Board of Trustees, to name a few. As your City Council member, be assured that I’m committed to community and dedicated to progress. Know that I will work hard, aggressively, creatively, as my predecessors have, to advocate that taxes remain low, that our streets remain safe, and our city remains fiscally sound. A vote for me, Shawn Ferguson, on Tuesday, November 8th, is a vote in the right direction for Rockledge City Council Seat 2.
10:25EThe city of Palm Bay is a growing community that is finally moving in a positive direction, so it’s important that we support city council members that will continue this progress. Palm Bay professional firefighters have risked their lives to protect the families and property of Palm Bay for over 40 years and have always put the Citizens first. That’s why we’re supporting the reelection of Mayor William Capote for the City of Palm Bay, because firefighters know that character counts. Political advertisement paid for by Palm Bay Professional Firefighters PC and approved by Mayor William Capote, candidate for Palm Bay City Mayor.
10:56AOkay, well, last week Chastity suggested we keep our music upbeat and youthful, so folks, we’re gonna have you listen to some of our upbeat and youthful music. Beginning with Caterpillar. That was performed by Tokyo Steel Orchestra from Trinidad and Tobago. Okay, we just found out from one of our silent in-studio guests that that song, The Caterpillar, Pillar was performed by the band, the English rock band called The Cure. So we just learned something new. Well folks, this is the Steel Pan Vibes This Morning music radio show, and it’s brought to you by Brown’s Bakery and Restaurant for mouth-watering baked goods, soups, beverages, and meals.
15:22DFrom patties to rock cakes, chicken to goat head soup, juices to coconut water and West Indian style meals. From jerk chicken to oxtails and delicious roti, to all at Brown’s Bakery and Restaurant located at 1155 Malabar Road inside the Interchangeable Plaza. Call [number removed] or [number removed]. For catering also available, Brown’s Bakery and Restaurant. Tastes you can’t resist. and the Moore Cultural Complex. The Healthy Living Festival has been rescheduled to Saturday, November 12th, 9 to 1 at the Harry T. and Harriet V. Moore Memorial Park and Museum, 2180 Freedom Avenue in Mims. For healthy -- for health screenings, health safety information, live entertainment, bring the entire family. Call [number removed]. That’s the Healthy Living Festival empowering our community to live well. Check it out.
16:28AOkay folks, well this morning we’re listening to Why Pan Is It. We do have some very special guests. Coming up later in the spotlight is Dwayne Akio Wong Omowale. Yes, that’s one person with 4 names. He is an author. He’s written several books. And he teaches as well. Um, he’s not yet 25. I think he might be like 23.
16:56FHe’s 25, yes.
16:57AHe’s 25?
16:58FAs of June.
16:59AOh, okay. He did make it to 25, thank God. But, uh, he’s gonna be speaking with us later in the show about his new book. His new book, it’s a very interesting book, the new one. It’s called, um, The Intellectual and Political Legacy of Walter Rodney. It’s interesting because those of us from the Caribbean see Walter -- many of us see Walter Rodney as an icon, a political icon, a scholar, an intellectual. And this young man has taken the time to interpret some of his work. So really looking forward to that. In the meantime, Back-to-back tunes. First, Andre White, full of pan talent, doing his own composition accompanied by Pantonic Steel Orchestra. Fela is the title from the album Liberation Music, followed by the youthful Virginia-based Mosaic Steel Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Anthony Haley doing Maestro’s Fiery from the album Mosaic Steel Orchestra.
23:26DAll over the world, you are listening to Steel Pan Vibes, It’s More Than Music radio show. We’d love to hear from you, so send a comment to Steel Pan Vibes Radio Show Facebook page. Returning to the spotlight later is author and teacher Dwayne Akil Wong Omowale. Hi, I’m Dwayne Akil Wong Omowale. So keep it locked. Steel Pan Vibes is brought to you by --
23:48EMoving in a positive direction, so it’s important that we support city council members that will continue this progress. Palm Bay professional firefighters have risked their lives to protect the families and property of Palm Bay for over 40 years and have always put the citizens first. That’s why we’re supporting the reelection of Mayor William Capote for the city of Palm Bay. Because firefighters know that character counts. Political advertisement paid for by Palm Bay Professional Firefighters PC and approved by Mayor William Capote, candidate for Palm Bay City Mayor. The city of Palm Bay is a growing community that is finally moving in a positive direction, so it’s important that we support city council members that will continue this progress. Palm Bay Professional Firefighters have risked their lives to protect the families and property of Palm Bay for over 40 years and have always put the citizens first. That’s why we’re supporting the reelection of Mayor William Capote for the City of Palm Bay, because firefighters know that character counts. Political advertisement paid for by Palm Bay Professional Firefighters PC and approved by Mayor William Capote, candidate for Palm Bay City Mayor.
24:51BHi, my name is Sean Ferguson. I’m running for Rockledge City Council Seat 2. Dick Blake, the incumbent, is retiring after 40 years of service to this great city, and as a long-standing As a sitting city council member, Mr. Blake has gladly endorsed me. I’m a lifelong resident of Rockledge and a proud graduate of Rockledge High School and the University of Florida. Being from Rockledge, I have very fond memories of the city, and I’m glad to call Rockledge my home. As your city council member, I have 25 years of proven leadership and community involvement in the city of Rockledge. I’m proud to say, not only as a pastor, but as a volunteer chaplain with Rockledge Police Department, and as a board member with agencies like United Way, Salvation Army, and Woodstock Board of Trustees, to name a few. As your city council member, be assured that I’m committed to community and dedicated to progress. No, That I will work hard, aggressively, creatively, as my predecessors have, to advocate that taxes remain low, that our streets remain safe, and our city remains fiscally sound. A vote for me, Shawn Ferguson, on Tuesday, November 8th, is a vote in the right direction for Rockledge City Council Seat 2.
26:17DAnd the most -- The Healthy Living Festival has been rescheduled to Saturday, November 12th, 9 AM to 1 PM at the Harry T. and Harriet B. Moore Memorial Park and Museum, 2180 Freedom Avenue in Mims. For free health screenings, health safety information, live entertainment, bring the entire family. Call 321-264- That’s the Healthy Living Festival, empowering our community to live well. Check it out.
26:52ASo why is our musical theme today Panozy? Well, jazz pianist Leon Foster Thomas has a new album, Metamorphosis, which has been nominated for Grammy Awards in several categories. Hey, Leon! Listen to the track Dub Plate Swing, which is followed by a Latin gem, El Cumbanchero, covered by Manuel Silva. Let me tell you, folks, we’re jumping in the studio here. The music is good, the company is great, the weather is nice outside. Now I understand that, uh, Comancheros -- the Comancheros were a group of Mexican traders who came to the US, uh, the South US, Southwestern US, through Texas to trade and do business with Native Americans.
31:33Aback in the day. You know, I didn’t even know that. So that’s an -- I don’t know if they played that while they were trading, but it sounds good. Steel Pan Vibes is brought to you by Elect Randy Foster for Brevard County Commissioner District 3. Randy Foster is a veteran with a vision. Randy Foster has a record of service and a vision for county infrastructure jobs, the environment, uh, and protecting your tax dollars. Randy Foster is endorsed by the Sierra Club, Business Voice of Florida’s Space Coast, and Brevard County Professional Firefighters Local 2969. Brevard County needs a statesman, not another politician. Elect Randy Foster For Brevard County Commissioner District 3.
32:32AOkay folks, well, we’re coming close to our spotlight, but first we have some more Pan Is It music for you. Our next selection, and before our guests, we sending this one out to all our international listeners. It was a big hit in the UK, um, by -- and around the world. By Steel Pulse. That’s a reggae group from in the ’80s or ’90s. It’s arranged by Guy Magnus and performed by Jamaica’s UWI Panarhythm Steel Orchestra. This track is Stepping Out from the album Steel Pan Alley. Stepping Out. That’s, that’s great. That’s a lovely song. I remember it back in the day. Steel Pan Vibes is brought to you by Elect Randy Foster for Brevard County Commissioner District 3.
35:22ARandy Foster is a veteran with a vision. Randy Foster has a record of service and a vision for county infrastructure. Jobs, the environment, and protecting your tax dollars. Randy Foster is endorsed by the Sierra Club, Business Voice of Florida’s Space Coast, and Brevard County Professional Firefighters Local 2969. Brevard County needs a statesman, not another politician. Elect Randy Foster for Brevard County Commissioner District 3. Okay, you know, we haven’t -- Thanksgiving is coming up, and, um, you know, it’s a time sometimes people don’t have their family around them. But if you want to be with a very loving family, you should come to the Greater Palm Bay Church of God.
36:24Athey’re having a Thanksgiving dinner and it’s gonna be on, um, it’s 11 to 2 PM. Um, I’ll give you the date next week, the exact date it’s going to be on. But if you’re looking for a place to join a family for Thanksgiving dinner, it will be at the Greater Palm Bay Church of God. So it’s going to be from 11 to 2 But next week I’ll fill you in on, on more details. It may be on Thanksgiving Day, I’m not sure, but we’ll double-check and keep you abreast because it’s gonna be great. I know what hospice is.
37:03DI know families who have had a wonderful and caring hospice experience. I know my grandmother needs hospice, but what can I expect when I call a hospice?
37:12CWhen you call VITAS Healthcare, expect communication. VITAS includes the patient and family in the hospice care plan. Expect a complete assessment of the patient by a hospice nurse. Your VITAS team gets to know the patient and family. Expect a chaplain and social worker to assess emotional and spiritual pain. Expect a schedule of regular visits. Expect delivery of medical equipment. Expect any medications that are part of the plan of care. When someone you love When your loved one needs hospice, expect the best. Call VITAS Healthcare at 844-544-CARE or go to bringhospicehome.com. [number removed] or bringhospicehome.com. First licensed in Florida in 1980.
38:01EI know it.
38:03AOkay, well, we are in the Steel Pan Vibe Spotlight with our guest, Dwayne Akio Wong Omowale. Welcome back to the Steel Pan Vibes Spotlight.
38:14FI know you were --
38:15AI think you were here earlier this year around Black History Month.
38:19FYes, yeah, Black History Month.
38:20AOkay, well, you know, Dwayne is a young man. He’s an author, he is a teacher, he’s very bright, articulate, and quite informed, I must let you know. But he’s going to talk to us about his new book, share his views on voting, and the upcoming election and whatever else we have time for. We’re gonna ask him all those things. So thanks for coming into the Spotlight.
38:46FThanks for inviting me. Yes, always great to be here.
38:48AOh, good, good. Tell the listeners that again.
38:50FIt’s always great being here.
38:52AYeah, we like that. We like having you. Um, you’ve written more than 10 books, is that correct?
38:58FYes, working on 14 or 15.
39:00CWow.
39:02ANow they’re mostly African-American, African, and Caribbean issues.
39:06FYes.
39:08ANow, your latest is The Political and Intellectual Legacy of Walter Rodney. So before we get into the book, share some of the -- a few of the major aspects of Walter Rodney’s life so listeners could get a sense of who this iconic Caribbean intellectual was.
39:28FWell, the reason why I titled the book the way I did is because he was both a an intellectual, a scholar, and a political activist. So some of the important aspects of his life I think is that you should -- are worth knowing is that he was born in Guyana, where I’m from. But at the time he was born there, it was known as British Guiana, it was a British colony. And that really shaped a lot of his views later in his life and his activism, because at the time he was born, the country wasn’t free yet, it was still a British colony. So that struggle for independence really helped shape him. and his own struggles for justice.
40:03AWell, he’s been described as a prominent Guyanese, as you said, historian, political activist, and scholar. What do you think made him appealing to so many people in the Caribbean and around the world?
40:16FWell, I think one of the things that made him appealing wasn’t just the fact that he was an activist that stood for justice and the fight against oppression, but that he, he had a real genuine love for people. And one of the things that I mentioned in my book is his wife, Patricia Rodney, points this out, is that Walter, he didn’t drink, but he still used to go to bars just to be there to communicate with people. He wrote one of his books called The Groundings with My Brothers, which was written about his experience in Jamaica where he would just go out in Jamaica, meet with people, discuss issues with them. So I think one of the things that made him so appealing was that he had a genuine love for people.
40:52AMm-hmm. Another book that was quite well-read and quite popular, in fact, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. That’s considered as one of his seminal works along with the one you just mentioned, The Groundings. You’ve read it?
41:10FThe very first book by him I read, actually.
41:12AOh, okay, okay. Would you describe it as inspirational, and if so, why would you?
41:18FVery inspirational. I could speak from my experience reading it because I wasn’t really familiar with African history. before then. And one of the things he does in the book is there’s like a lot of myths and misconceptions about Africa. It was always depicted as, you know, the dark continent. So Africans were always depicted as savages, cannibals, and that kind of negative light. One of the things he does in that book is he shows, you know, the real Africa. He shows the greatness of our civilizations. And as the title suggests, he also discusses how Europe underdeveloped Africa. So he gives us the reason why Africa is the way it is today, because A lot of times people see the poverty and a lot of the problems that take place in Africa and they don’t necessarily understand origins. So he pointed out that, you know, the Europeans that went there claiming that they were going there to civilize Africa as their justification for colonization, but he points out that what they actually did was really underdevelop Africa.
42:07ANow that brings me to your book, The Political and Intellectual Legacy of Walter Rodney. What motivated you to write that?
42:18FWell, mostly because for such an important figure, not only in Guyana’s history but in the history of the Caribbean and even in the history of the African diaspora, there’s really not a -- wasn’t a whole lot of information out there about Walter Rodney. It was really a struggle for me to research him and find adequate information. So my main motivation was to just write a book so that it’s available so that anyone that finds out about Walter Rodney and wants to find that information would have books like mine readily available.
42:47AOkay, so you just want general readers? Who do you want that book to go to? Who do you want to pick up that book, buy that book? Would it be just a general reader? Would it be students of African history?
43:00FWell, Walter Rodney is a very interesting figure in the sense that his life spanned, um, many different areas. He’s both a scholar, which I think, you know, that would appeal to people that are into African history. He was a political activist, so people that are interested in activism would find his life interesting. And then, like I said, he was born in Guyana, but he was also -- he was off for a period of time. He’s a lecturer in Jamaica, and he ended up getting banned from the island. So he’s a prominent figure in Jamaica. He taught in Tanzania, and he’s still a very prominent figure there. So His life covered such a vast area and a vast scope that I think the book itself appeals to many different readers. So if you’re interested in Caribbean history, African history, there’s an appeal there, even African American history because he taught in the United States and he was involved in a lot of African American struggles as well.
43:48AVery good. Oh my goodness, it’s always so inspiring speaking to you. You’re an inspiration.
43:55FThank you.
43:55AOkay, let’s switch up a bit because apart from being an author, you’re also a teacher, substitute teacher. Tell us a little bit about that.
44:05FIt’s very challenging. My respect for teachers increased after working as a substitute teacher. It’s very challenging working with children.
44:15ARight. What are some of the things you learned that you didn’t know before about working with kids?
44:20FWell, aside from the challenging aspect, it’s also very rewarding and somewhat of a challenge because one of the things I realized as a teacher, when you’re teaching these children, you kind of have to do it in such a way that you reach them. So it’s always a challenge working with different students trying to figure out, well, how can I reach, you know, this class as opposed to this class, what interests them. So that’s one of the things that I’ve had to work through.
44:42AOkay, so you were pre-K to the 8th grade?
44:44FYeah, so I had to deal with all those different children, so I had to find, you know, what might necessarily appeal to a 3rd grade class wouldn’t appeal to middle school. So that was the challenge in general, being able to reach children.
44:54ASince we’re talking about writing, we gotta talk about reading.
44:58FYes.
44:58AWhat about reading readiness at those ages? Do you think they come to school prepared to read? They know how to read? What was the challenges there, if any?
45:10FIn terms of reading, no, I didn’t have any challenges at all. They came very ready.
45:14AThey came prepared.
45:14FYes. So yeah, that wasn’t so much the challenge. The challenge, I think, like I said, was just, you know, the aspect of trying to reach children, trying to get them interested in the material. That’s being taught in the classroom.
45:24AOkay, and what material was that? What subjects you taught?
45:27FI’ve taught many different subjects. Um, PE, I did middle school literature, middle school social studies, and science.
45:34AScience too?
45:36FScience, yes.
45:37AVery good. Well, is that part of the STEM program or it’s just part of the regular curriculum?
45:42FYeah, just regular curriculum.
45:43AOkay, all right. Okay, so let’s move into -- we’re touching a lot of stuff.
45:48FYes.
45:49ASo let’s move into the election mode now. I want you to talk to us about voting rights and the tradition of protest and resistance in the African American community in particular.
46:01FYes, and those things go together very well too because it’s that tradition of protest and resistance that got us the voting rights in the first place. And whenever I speak on African American voting rights in particular, one of the things I always like to mention is we think of the rights we have now, the voting rights we have now as, you know, something that we won during the 1960s with the civil rights struggle. But I point out that after slavery ended, during that Reconstruction period, we had voting rights and they were taken away. So the civil rights movement was actually a fight to regain rights they’d already taken from us. So I always encourage people to be very vigilant and very on top of the issue in terms of voting rights because, like I said, these are rights that we had before and were taken away. So I would encourage people to --
46:42AOkay. When you say they were taken away, you want to tell listeners what your research shows as to where and when they were taking away those rights that had been previously --
46:53FYeah, well, like I said, this is during the Reconstruction era, which is slavery was abolished in America in 1865, so Reconstruction took place shortly after that. So it was about 1877, I believe, is when Reconstruction ended, and then that’s when a lot of those rights that we gained were slowly stripped away, like voting rights.
47:11AIs that around -- that’s not Jim Crow time and all that?
47:15FWell, Jim Crow was the result of, you know, those rights being stripped away. So after Reconstruction, it, you know, came, came along to Jim Crow.
47:21AAll right, you see, this young man is well informed, folks. And tell us where we could get the book, when it will be available.
47:29FIt’s already available, uh, available online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
47:33AAnd the title?
47:35FThe Political and Intellectual Legacy of Walter Rodney.
47:39AAll right, okay, now, um, Just chat with us about your awareness, how you came to that awareness. Was it your parents that encouraged you to look into, you know, African history, African issues?
47:54FMany different things. I know my father, I’d have conversations with him. He’s the one that educated me in the civil rights movement on people like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. So, you know, part of it is my parents. Part of it is my experience in school too, because I went to school, we had a lot of, um, when we did world history, it was mainly European history. So I realized I graduated from high school and it was like one of those things, my whole experience in school that I went through, I didn’t have any real knowledge of my own history. And that’s why, um, one of the things I connect to with Walter Rodney is he had the same experience. He was educated in British Guiana, which at the time, you know, it was a British colony, so the education was kind of European-centered, and by the time he was finished with his education, he really didn’t have a whole lot of information on his own history, on African history.
48:42AWhat about your mom and your siblings? Are they as involved? Do you have those kind of discussions? Because people want to know, you know, and say, here’s this young man, he’s 25 years old, he’s written 10 books, more than 10 books, and, and, you know, what, what goes on behind the scenes?
49:00FWell, yeah, my mom too, I would say she’s also a part of that because I wrote about, um, Walter Rodney. She actually attended a couple of his rallies when she was a child. So not only did I, you know, have to -- when I wrote the book, not only did I research about him, but actually had firsthand experience from my mom who actually was there and witnessed some of his speeches. So it gives you a little bit more of an insight when you actually get to speak to someone. This is a person?
49:25AYes, I see. Okay, well, um, we still have a few minutes left. Um, what, what, what haven’t you mentioned that you think listeners should know, um, with any of those topics, whether it’s, uh, voting rights? You said there was a study as to early voting and African Americans.
49:42FOh yes, yeah, I saw earlier this week, um, African American turnout in early voting is down, um, this year from previous elections. So yeah, I thought that was, you know, somewhat interesting.
49:55AWhy do you think they didn’t vote as many or less people voted this time?
50:01FI think it’s a number of reasons because what I’ve noticed, especially this election, is people aren’t as enthusiastic to go out and vote because, you know, who the candidates are. So that’s an aspect of it. The other aspect is the last few years when Obama was running for president, that kind of energized the African American community and got them to come out and vote more so than you’d find now.
50:18ABut we have a woman running for president, so that’s going to be novel. If Hillary Clinton wins, that’s the first in the United States.
50:29FYes, but I’ve noticed even like among millennial women voters, they don’t seem to be as enthusiastic.
50:37EYeah.
50:38FRegardless, even though that, you know, there’s a potential. So I noticed all around with young people, there’s not as much enthusiasm this election as the other was.
50:47AWell, it is what it is. Once people exercise their right, that’ll be the good thing. So what do you want to tell listeners? We’re almost at the end. Is there anything, where to get the book, what to do?
50:58FWell, like I said, the book is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But one of the things I do want to mention is coming up November 19th, I’ll be giving a speech on the tradition of protest and resistance in African music. And that’ll be held at Three Masks in Orlando.
51:15AWhere is it? Give us the address or the number.
51:17FThat’s Three Masks. I actually have the address on me. Let me pull it up right here.
51:22AOkay, so we gotta go out to Orlando and support this young man.
51:27FYeah, the address is 1023 West Colonial Drive.
51:31AOkay, and the name of the place is?
51:33FThree Masks.
51:34AThree Masks.
51:34FYeah, that’s in Orlando. So the event will, uh, be from noon to 2.
51:38ANoon to 2. And the date? November 19th, noon to 2, 3 Mass in Orlando. Go and listen to this young man. But you know, I’m not going to let you go, Mr. Dwayne Akio Wong Omowale. Tell us about those names.
51:54FWell, Dwayne Wong is my legal name. The Akio is my middle name. Now, Omowale, that’s the name actually I gave to myself a couple years ago when I started studying African history. And the significance of that name is it’s a Yoruba name that means the son who returns home. It’s significant for me not only because I felt like in studying Africa and reconnecting with my roots, that was in a sense returning home, but also because a lot of the slaves that came to Guyana were the Yoruba people. So a lot of my ancestors were Yoruba people from Nigeria.
52:26AWonderful. I’m gonna get my Nigerian name, my Yoruba name. I’m claiming all the names. I don’t care the tribe. Yoruba, I’m that. What was some of the other tribes there?
52:39BAshanti.
52:39FAshanti, yeah, that was another one.
52:40AI’m that too. I’m that too. Oh my goodness.
52:43FAshanti and Yoruba, those I think were 2 of the largest, uh, groups that were brought over.
52:47AYeah, I’m from those troops. Yeah, I’m from those groups. I’m sure about it.
52:51FNo, if people ask me, I claim, uh, all of them. I’m Nigerian, I claim Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, because I mean slaves are taken from all those places.
52:58ASo that’s right, that’s so true.
53:00FAll of those are my motherlands.
53:01AOkay, but I’m gonna tell you, are you gonna tell us one more thing before you leave? Because we’re almost at the end. Um, something you learned recently about the steel pan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.
53:14FYeah, well, this is kind of interesting because it relates to the topic I’ll be speaking on too with, um, resistance, is that the steel pan actually represents the struggle and resistance of African people, um, especially when you look at the history of Trinidad, a lot of the instruments Africans there created were banned. So originally the drums were banned. There’s a stick fighting tradition called the kalenda that was banned too. They made an instrument out of bamboo.
53:41ATambu bamboo.
53:41FTambu bamboo, yeah, that was banned as well. So the most recent thing that they made during that period was the steel pan, and the colonial government tried to ban steel pan as well. So it was a struggle, you know, to keep that tradition alive. To me, the steel pan yard represents the struggle of African people and our resistance towards oppression. And that’s why I was reading, I found this quote by George Goddard, who was, I think, the president of the Steel Bands Association. He said, the sound of steel band is the sound of freedom.
54:09AWonderful. That’s excellent. That’s an excellent way to exit and segue. I just want to thank you so much, Dwayne, for coming into the studio today.
54:18FThank you for inviting me.
54:20AOh, I’d love to have you. I’d love to. And keep writing those books. We’ll try to make it out to, um, Three Masks on the 19th, um, come and hear you deliver some more information, enlighten us, enlighten us. We really do appreciate it. Thank you so much. Well, folks, um, that’s our show for today. We hope you enjoy the music, Pan Is It, as well as hearing the views of Dwayne Akio Wong Omowale. young author and teacher. God willing, we’ll be back next week at 11 AM Eastern Standard Time, streaming live at 1510wwbc.com and on the Steel Pan Vibes It’s More Than Music Facebook page.
55:08AWell, what’s the last word? What are you doing for others? That was Martin Luther King Jr. That was his theme of volunteerism. Let’s make our lives one of service. I think that’ll make a big difference if you’ll really just go out and help each other, help other people. It’s not all about you. Help somebody. Taking us home is Trinidad and Tobago’s Invaders Steel Orchestra doing Let’s Stay Together from the album Treasure the Pan. Until next time, this is Barbara. And I’m For Paul, Chastity, our quiet guests in the studio, and from Dwayne, we want you to be encouraged to stay focused. Have a wonderful eve -- weekend.
55:59AMay God bless you richly.
56:00CGrateful.
