BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 7th August 2020)- Young musician 24-year-old Giving Isaac of College Street Ghaut is the featured fife tutor and maker at the ongoing 2020 annual Traditional Instrument Musical Workshop being conducted at Zack’s Historical- Cultural Library and Museum located at Buckley’s Estate.
In an interview with reporters on Friday 31st July, the fifer shared his passion and intention to keep the culture alive since “right now, me is the man in charge right now because there is nobody really keeping it up as I see it…”
Notably, Isaac is a former student of the annual workshop now in its 14th annual edition which is a two-part one this time around with a spate section for the fife.
Additionally, in expressing his sentiments while speaking to reporters, he uses both “fife” and “flute” when talking about the wind instrument. It is understood that a fife is a kind of smaller flute.
In a demonstration, Isaac at the outdoorsy fireplace made of three large stones, kerosene oil and coals, he explained: “Today we’ll be learning how to make the fife. Now what we do is we take a hot steel. We have certain sizes; we can’t just bore it with just any kind of steel. We have different sizes but we can’t work with any and any steel. Next, we heat the coals then put the steel under the coals.”
He added: “While the iron is getting hot what we do now is take the piece of pipe and push the iron through the piece of PVC pipe. It’s a PVC pipe that we use as the flute as you can hear it” he added while playing a short tune followed by “that’s the sound so if you don’t get this sound here, it is not doing anything.”
Isaac highlighted that he is taking precaution while teaching the fife making because he does not want the children to get burnt.
After boring the fife comes the sanding process and tuning of the instrument.
Asked by this reporter who taught the art of making fifes, he spoke highly of the well-known Mr. Pollock of Saddlers.
“He also taught me the National Anthem and I’m going to give you all a tune that he gave me the first time,” he commented further before blowing on the instrument once again.
In sharing his background as it relates to playing the instrument, Isaac told reporters: “The first workshop that Zack ever had was in 2007 and I was one of the first to go to that workshop and over the years, I elated and I had my own band and we made a lot of money as kids. As kids we didn’t know what to do with our money… I’ll tell you all, the most money we ever made was over US$700 within a day so that’s how I took this thing serious …and I’ve been blowing the flute since 2007 so you do the math and I also play the flute for the Huggins Masquerade.”
He made the observation that some of his peers who did not pay much attention to keeping at playing the flute but have been realising the benefits looking at his growth and development.
“Over the years with the flute, you see a lot of youngsters look down in the flute because I have other brethren who went to the flute class with Zack back in 2007 and they didn’t keep it up and now they see me now making money…”
Speaking about the instrument he said: “You have to embrace and express yourself with the flute because you cannot be like a mannequin. The only instrument that you wouldn’t really be moving like that is the drums or the keyboard or other instruments of that sort but what I’m saying is the that flute is a very important tool and it’s good that the youths them come to learn about the flute ….this flute, we cannot let it die, we cannot let the fife die out because it is dying out …right now me is the man in charge right now because there is nobody really to keeping it up as I see it…”
Isaac also listed the names of some past well-known fifers who he applauded for doing their part over the years.
Asked what inspires the passion he has for such a cultural tradition, he made mention of his father-Joaf Payne who is also a musician and a past member of the former famous Grand Ash 2 band.
“My father is the famous guitarist Joaf Payne. Joaf also played in many bands and Joaf also taught me that respect takes you around the world because he never paid a cent in travelling [for business]…and I’m just trying to keep that positive energy because everyone has a talent; the Bible says so.”
The work shop, which began on Monday 27th July is slated to end on Saturday 22nd August. Sessions are conducted 9AM to 1PM daily Mondays to Fridays while the closing ceremony is scheduled for the closing ceremony.
Wilmoth ‘Mighty Jules’ Solis from Dieppe Bay is the tutor for the banjo, guitar and cuatro instruments.
Workshop coordinator and Cultural Preservationist, Winston Zack Nisbett has informed this media house that there is space to accept about four to five more students.
Interested individuals are asked to call 664-9016 to register.