Steel drums of Trinidad

Yorubans represented a large portion of the slave population in Trinidad, which explains how the Shango religion that emerged as a syncretic blend of Catholic and Yoruban spiritual beliefs was to one day have strong influence on the culture of the island. Much like other New World religions spawned from the Yoruban pantheon, such as Santería and Candomblé, the Shangó religion involves drumming with call and response singing, trance and possession.

Carnival had arrived in Trinidad with the French planters via Martinique, and the slaves, who were forbidden from participating in Carnival, formed their own, parallel celebration called Canboulay, which was originally a harvest festival in which drums, singing, dancing and chanting were an integral part. After Emancipation of the slaves in 1838, Canbouley developed into an outlet and a festival for former indentured laborers and freed slaves who were banned from participating in Carnival. The term "canboulay" derived from the burning sugar canes, or "cannes brulees," carried by the revelers. When the British attempted in 1881 to ban the practice of carrying sticks and lighted torches during Canbouley, a clash ensued, resulting in the Canbouley Riots. The Riots led to a complete ban on Calinda (stick fighting) and African percussion music. These practices were subsequently replaced by tunable bamboo sticks beaten together in what is known as tamboo bamboo music, which was itself banned in turn.

The British ban on percussion instruments and religious observances in the late 19th century was to lead to the surreptitious innovations that gave birth to steelpan music. Oil drums littering the island following the closing of the U.S. military base in the late 1940s were refashioned into one of the most unique new instruments of the 20th century. Pioneered by Spree Simon, the steel drum (or steel pan) was eventually incorporated into Carnival, reinstating a participatory strong percussive presence and helping to forge a national identity. By the 1960s, steel pans became commonplace in Trinidad and throughout the Caribbean, and were incorporated into Carnival in the Panorama, an annual music competition of the steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago.