STEELBAND GLOSSARY

Bacchanal	Bacchanal denotes the merry-making and noisy confusion of those engaged in any carnival activity.
Big Yard	See Savannah.
Bottle and Spoon	A ‘bottle and spoon’, refers to the musical effect of a glass bottle being struck with a metal spoon. It is a common element in the engine room of a steelband.
Chipping	The slow mincing shuffle of carnival revellers following the rhythm of music from a mobile steelband or disc-jockey.
Dimanche Gras	French for Grand Sunday' or 'Fat Sunday': Dimanche Gras is the Sunday before Carnival Monday. The Calypso Monarch Competition and the Carnival king and Queen Costume competition are held in the Savannah on Dimache Gras night.
Engine room	The percussion section of a steelband which provides the timing for the musical rhythm.
Flag Woman	The Flag Woman performs an enthusiastic flag-waving dance during the live performance of her steelband. This energetic task was formerly performed by a male.
Iron man	The 'iron man' is the virtuoso percussionist in the engine room of the steelband. His enthusiastic rhythmic pounding of metal provides timing for the steelband musicians.
Lime	A lime is any informal socializing and/or recreation in a relaxed environment.
North Stand	The stands on the northern side of the stage at the Queens Park Savannah favoured by the less inhibited, and sometimes more unruly audience because of its bacchanal atmosphere.
Pan Trinbago	Pan Trinbago is the official body which represents the interests of the steelband movement.
Panorama	Held since 1963 Panorama is the premiere steelband competition of the carnival season.
Ping Pong	The Ping Pong is another name for the tenor pan especially in the early stages of its development.
Ramajay	To ramajay is to improvise on a given tune in competition with other pannists.
Savannah	The Queens Park Savannah, also called the Big Yard, is the venue for the judging the main events of carnival:Panorama, Parade of the Bands and Dimanche Gras. Located in Port-of-Spain it is approximately 199 acres in area.
Steel Pan	The steel pan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. Made from discarded oil drums, it is the only musical instrument invented in the 20th century.
Tamboo Bamboo	[French: 'Tambour' for drum]. The musical instrument made from bamboo tubes used in Carnival during the period 1884 to the 1930s before the invention of the Steel Pan.