St Francois Girls' College Orchestra leads cultural exchange in Panama

In a groundbreaking celebration of Caribbean heritage, the St Francois Girls' College Steelpan Orchestra has been invited by the Center for Arts and Culture in Colón to lead a series of steelpan workshops and performances in honour of Panama’s National Day of Calypso, which is celebrated on October 17.

A media release said, the orchestra will conduct hands-on workshops for secondary school students across the province of Colón, culminating in a vibrant concert that pays tribute to the region’s rich Caribbean musical legacy. This initiative marks a historic moment for the community of Colón, which will for the first time reconnect with its West Indian roots through the resonant rhythms of steelpan music.

The cultural exchange was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Selvia Miller, Afro-cultural activist ; Ernesto Polanco, director of the Institute of Art & Folklore and Aleah Guitan of Trinitica International, a cultural diplomacy organisation.

Steelpan and calypso are not just art forms; they are vessels of memory and pride for the Afro-Caribbean diaspora as the community of Colón.The province Colon is home to descendants of labourers from Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados who migrated to Panama during the construction of the Panama Canal, the release said.

Calypso music has been embraced by the community of Colon and with the introduction of the steelpan, a melodic bridge between generations and cultures will be created through the workshops and performance of St Francois Girls' College Steel Orchestra.