What part of Jamaica is Trinidad?  This was the question which was repeatedly being asked where ever and when ever Alvin Rostant played his steelpan in Australia. This drove him to set the record right. In so doing he established his own “Australian Academy of Steel Drums” wherein he scripted a story for Primary Schools entitled “Banana Joe” and another for High Schools called “Calypso Drums”. He was subsequently contracted by the Queensland Arts Council In-schools Programme touring programme which saw him taking the programme to close to one thousand schools.

Rostant, a former San Fernando Technical Institute soccer standout in the late 1960s and early ‘70s was being interviewed on air from Australia by Hollis Clifton – Pan Diaspora Visionary and Kenny Phillips  CEO of WACK Radio 90.1FM in San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago.  A peeved Alvin explained that Banana Joe was a steelpan/dramatic production which puts the steelpan into a Historical and Geographical perspective and includes Trini characters like “Fish Eye”. It also explains the stages a crude drum goes through on becoming a fine tuned acoustic,The educational initiative has been going on over the last seven years and unlike many other programmes aims at providing the truth to the younger generation Australian about the steelpan, the only musical invention since the twentieth century.

In response to a question by Kenny about the songs being used and of the possibility of the production being adapted for Trinidad and Tobago, Rostant answered in the affirmative adding that  minor changes would need to be made seeing that the steelpan originated in Trinidad and Tobago. The show begins with traditional pans (pan round the neck) with five pieces being used; the first being “Waltzing Matilda”. This enables the children to start with something they are familiar with. Other genres include reggae and calypso. Players sing along to “Jump and Wave” (calypso) and that opens the way for Alvin as narrator to tell the story of pan.

Hollis posited that Trinidad & Tobago has not really been aggressive in promoting the steelpan as a product of T&T vis a vis Jamaica’s promotion of reggae via Bob Marley.  Both Rostant and Phillips lamented the short sightedness of T&T in not being able to see the bigger picture.

Rostant then informed that before he got to Australia he didn’t think that people would want to play the steelpan but now there are over a thousand bands throughout the country.

Clifton proposed that the government should make it a policy that every pan made in Trinidad and Tobago should carry a stamp stating “Trinidad &Tobago - the home of the steelpan” and should include the manufacturer and the manufacturer’s serial number for proper identity. The Bureau of Standards should insist on this.    

Phillips questioned the labelling of those pans made outside of Trinidad & Tobago and pointed to recently concluded Fifth Summit of the Americas hosted by Trinidad & Tobago.(the smallest state to do so) This surely set T&T apart from Jamaica.     

Clifton made a comparison from his travels across the continent of Africa in which a similar arrogance of Geography persists in that when ever he had to present his T&T passport to immigration authorities very few officials could have imagined where Trinidad & Tobago was situated. They often linked it as part of the USA; however, they were able to link names like Dwight York and Brian Lara to the twin island state.

Phillips referred to the Bahamas which was always advertised via CNN.  Clifton then asked Alvin what was his involvement in “Mission Australia”. He explained that it was an Australian government funded project from 2001 - 2003. His contribution was through the teaching of the steelpan every six months which climaxed with a concert.  All participants were involved in some form or the other either as pannists or lighting or sound technicians, marketing, printing of T-shirts or some other field activity related to the production.

The project was also linked to “Beat of the Drum” a Queensland Arts Council 2002 venture which was a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for “Caring for the Community”. 

When asked by Clifton when and why he went to Australia Alvin informed that in 1994 he was a member of the Amral’s Trinidad Cavaliers Steelband which went to perform Down under. He has since then made a home out of Australia. During this time, however, he found time to play soccer with Sydney and Auburn Clubs, respectively. Rostant even enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force from 1977 – 1983. Later the talented scout, with his wife Roslyne ended up founding their own “Caribbean Arts & Entertainment Company. The steelpan was, however, always at the fore of his endeavours.  

Together with two former members of the Trinidad Cavaliers Rostant formed the “Trinidad Calypso Band”. The musical entity played at many major Australian venues including all the casinos and appeared on national television including shows such as Wombat, The Midday Show, Good Morning Australia, Big Brother Friday Night Live and Ray Martin among others.  

As a pannist he has made waves in several countries including the USA, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Papua Nugini among others.