Story and photo by Monty Siekerman
The Wild Steelions and Northern Steel Drums #1 entertained at dinner last Thursday on the patio at The Inn on campus.

They banged out Caribbean music with their sticks on various kinds of drums in appropriate weather.

Steel drum music originated in Trinidad and Tobago. At 5 o’clock on Thursday it was 90 degrees in Ada, six degrees hotter than in Trinidad at that time. Nevertheless, the diners sat back and enjoyed the beat from the steelpans.

Dr. Sarah Waters has directed steel drums at ONU for several years. The Wild Steelions consist of junior and senior high school students from Ada and nearby towns.

She has had so much interest in this type of percussion music from ONU students that she began a second group, now known as Northern Steel Drums #2.

From left: Ian Dellifield, Carmen Mancuso, Molly Sheets