the culture of drumming - hurricane electric culture of drumming by ... celebration of percussion...
TRANSCRIPT
Non-Written Critical Cultural Narrative
The Culture of Drumming
By
Tamara Williams
EDS 349 Education & Culture
Fall 2005
Historical culture of drumming
Begins with rhythm
Big bang
Womb and mother’s heartbeat
Percussive act of body
Mythological tales from African and Native
American cultures
No dates, just events because of African
tradition
Row boats to sound of drum
Social culture of drumming
Music brings people together via
1. warm close atmosphere
2. synchronization- promote oneness
3. be here and now in the moment
Social culture = RITUALS
Communication
Language through specific rhythms
Ceremonies and pow wows
*planting, harvesting, circumcision,
burial, rites of passage, sacrifice,
marriage, war, dance and play, drum
making ritual
Social culture- SYMBOLS
Drum = planet + plants + animals
Community/ communication
spirituality= trances, transformation, ecstasy
Dancing, heartbeat, mythology, dress
Ethnomusicology
Royalty of kings
Physical imagery- maker, tribe, animal spirit
Political Culture
Drum is blind : gender, race, or how much
money one has
Perfect lesson in equality
open mind and heart (no one or wrong way to drum)
Africa- women dance, men drum
Language- Only certain tribes can understand rhythms
Religion (i.e. pow wows, celebration, meditation, etc.)
Economic culture
Drums objects of power
Makers are “guardians of great and
mysterious secrets”
Trade/gift item for financial security
Promotes African culture here in USA
Drums as ornamental novelties
(i.e. China, Greece, US)
My cultural influence of drums
Drum circles on campus/festivals
African drumming & dancing ensemble
Zen’s grandfather is professional drummer
Boyfriend makes and trades drums
Peace protests
Marches, bands, church
music is healing via breath, muscle, & blood oxygenCultural heritage and history for African Americans
Pulls one inward spiritually to self and others
Learning Intelligence
Kinesthetic
-Express and learn through moving
-Use both sides of brain when using both hands simultaneously
Chinese Proverb
I hear, I forget
I see, I remember
I do, I learn
Connections to My Work As a Teacher
Drums offer drawing and design inspiration
Teach African culture & art history
Making drums from clay
Playing drum recordings while children
work
Community of inquiry with a drum circle
Encourage self esteem and expression
We are imbedded in this universe of rhythm
“As a species we love to play with
rhythm because it seems to connect
us to something fundamental in the
nature of reality. We deal with it
every second of our lives, right to the
very end, because when the rhythms
stop, we die.”
Works Cited
Hart, Mickey and Fredric Lieberman. Planet Drum: ACelebration of Percussion and Rhythm. New York:
HarperCollins, 1991.
One interesting fact about the publisher of this book:
“The publisher will arrange to plant two trees in a Central
American Rain forest for every tree needed to manufacture
the paper for this book (4).”