A Google A Day

Geography

Geography

What acoustic instrument was invented on this island countrynear the coast of South America?

HintsThings to think about as you get started

1 What island countries are in South America?

2 How might you be able to see the shape of these countries?

How to find the answer

Answer The steel drum, aka steel

pan.Search Search for [island country near South America]. There are only a few. Go to Google Maps and search for one of those islands that matches the shape of the one in the photo. Learn it's Trinidad. Search [instruments invented in Trinidad]. Discover it was the steel drum, aka, steel pan.

Background and further discussion

During the French Revolution (1789), many French planters brought their slaves to settle on Trinidad. The French continued their tradition of celebrating Carnival, the season preceding Lent. With it grew a parallel celebration in the African community, called Canboulay, which included music from African hand drums. The British government banned the drums in the late 1870s, in an attempt to suppress certain aspects of the Canboulay celebration. Several alternatives sprang up over the years, but by the 1930s drumming on dust bins, old oil drums, and other scrap metal was very popular. These were the early steel drum bands, which have since evolved into large, sophisticated, powerful musical groups.