David Parkin

I’m David Parkin, a steelpan and handpan maker based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I never set out to be a craftsman — I just fell in love with the sound of metal singing and chased that feeling ever since.

Back in the late ’90s, hardly anyone here knew what a steel drum was. I taught myself the hard way, hammering away in my backyard after work, night after night, figuring it out with what little information I could find. In 2000, I officially started Pan_Inc, building steel drums for schools and anyone else willing to give this strange music a chance.

Later, when I discovered the handpan, I dove straight in. No training, no blueprint — just a belief that with enough patience (and a lot of mistakes), I could make something beautiful. And somehow, after thousands of hammer strikes and a few cracked shells, I did.

Over the years, my pans have found their way across South Africa and beyond — and I’ve been lucky to feature on TV and in a few magazines — but honestly, that’s never been the goal. For me, it’s about the moments: seeing a kid light up when they hear their first clean note, helping schools start their own bands, and lately, teaching my own son, Alex, the craft.

COVID turned my whole business upside down, but it also brought me back to why I started: music, people, and community. Now I build for locals more than overseas, and it’s better than I ever imagined. The steelpan and handpan are still young here, and being part of growing that in South Africa feels like something that really matters.

At the end of the day, I’m just a guy with a hammer who loves making things that bring people together. And if a drum I built can put a bit more music and hope into the world, that’s enough for me.