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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Natricia Duncan in Port of Spain

‘Power of music’: steel pan bands foster joy and resilience at Trinidad and Tobago carnival

People smile as they wear matching uniforms and play steel pan in lines
Steel pan bands show out for Trinidad and Tobago’s 2025 carnival festivities. Photograph: The Travelling Photographer

A crescent moon hung in the cloudless sky over Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), as steel pan orchestras pushed through a throng of thousands of supporters who had gathered to greet them outside the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain.

They were on their way to the final round of the Caribbean country’s national steel band competition: the culmination of months of rehearsal.

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