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On October 26, 1995, Blair Hornbuckle wrote:
I share the need to acknowledge our teachers, and the idea that I may be miles away from
the social meaning, but putting my best effort into it.
I am teaching in Rochester at the request of my Senegalese teacher, who lives in Buffalo
(an hour and a half away). I've long pondered the issue of spending huge amounts of time
and mental space on djembe music though I'm not from that culture.
I begin each class with three deep breaths... holding the breath... and sending thanks as
we exhale -- thanks for the trees that became our instruments, thanks for the animal that
gave its life, and thanks for our traditional teachers.
When teaching a rhythm, my rap is something along the line of "This is my best effort
at MARAKA DON as taught to me by M'baye Diagne." I encourage my students to listen to
and play with M'baye "to hear the real thing."
We've done lots of shows big and small, from school assemblies to a United Way awards
banquet attended by 600 people (with the performers' image projected onto two 40' video
screens for better visibility). We always look pretty white, especially with the intense
stage lighting.
;>) In the beginning of my performing days (only about 3 years now) I felt much more
ambivalent than I do now, and probably wouldn't be doing public shows without my teacher's
strong support.
He has pushed hard on the idea of performing: "If you are in the arts (drum &
dance) you can't be shy. There is no shy with the music. People want to see you. You have
to show them." The first show I did was with my teacher. I thought I was just giving
him and the three other African
performers a ride to the gig, a high school assembly for about 200 African-American teens.
15 seconds before walking out on stage he turns to me and says "Take off your shoes.
Where's your drum?" I put on a djembe and walked out with no idea of what we'd play,
my insides
suddenly full of flutters.
At the shows we do without Africans I always attempt (sometimes a lack of sound
reinforcement doesn't allow it) to address the audience directly about the issue of
European descended people performing music and dance taught us by Africans. I try to
express that we're doing our
best to share what we've been taught, and it is with great thanks and deep appreciation
for our teachers that we are here today. I'll often send a message of peace and love from
our teacher, who was unable to be here today, and explain the purpose of djembe is to
bring people
together. I explain that this music is participatory, that they are welcome to be up here
if they feel so moved. I offer to help them get in touch with our teacher if they want to
become a student of the music. I also urge them to come see "the real thing" at
one of our weekly dance
classes where Africans lead the drumming and teach the dances.
Money is another way to show thanks. I use the money from my classes to buy and maintain
loaner instruments for beginners, and give $ as gifts to my teachers. The gigs we do are
often not paid, but a gift to the community. I try to channel paying work to my teachers
because they need
it, and I want to support them. I don't sell drums or other related stuff because I want
my teachers to have those income opportunites also. I'll tune drums for my students, but
send the rebuild (better paying) jobs to my teachers.
peace to you all,
Blair Hornbuckle
Fri Nov 15 14:07:04 1996
From: Doug Kane dundun@bbs.cruzio.com
Subject: Re: Remember, this is the djembe-list!
At 11:12 AM 11/15/96 -1000, you wrote:
>Kent Wrote:
>
>>We're supposed to be talking about drumming here! Sure, occasional notes about
other topics are welcome; I've dropped some in myself. But when one of those inspires a
reply, and then another, and then some more, and pretty soon there are long diatribes
being posted that don't even contain the word "drum" or "music," it's
time to take it somewhere else. Especially so when the topic is racism, or abortion, or
gun control, or one of the other "Perpetual Emotion Machines" (I just invented
that term :^) ) that are polluting news groups all over the Net.>>
>snip
>
> Let's not let that happen here.
>
>THANK YOU KENT!!!
>
>michael [wall]
While I agree with Kent and Michael's general point, IMHO the relationship between Blacks and Whites is critically involved in the process of forming and understanding the evolving Western Drum Culture (or whatever we want to call it), which, again IMHO, is one of the primary purposes that the djembe-l list serves (I'd love to here other opinions on this).
While some recent posts, including one's that I posted, have not specifically mentioned drumming, it is my feeling that they are relevant for this reason. I apologize for not making this clearer before.
"Sometimes I dream
That Black and White
Could come together
Living as one" - Luciano
We all share a love of drumming, whatever differences we may have. It is my hope that by learning to better respect each other, we can build on that common ground.
In peace,
Doug
*********************************
Fri Nov 15 21:19:13 1996
From: Barbara Bird bbird@azstarnet.com
Subject: Re: Remember, this is the djembe-list!
Kent Multer wrote:
>
> We're supposed to be talking about drumming here! Sure, occasional notes > about
other topics are welcome; I've dropped some in myself. But when one of those inspires a
reply, and then another, and then some more, and pretty soon there are long diatribes
being posted that don't even contain the word "drum" or "music," it's
time to take it somewhere else. Especially so when the topic is racism,
Barbara Bird
*********************************
Fri Nov 15 14:54:20 1996
From: "Jean Stockton" Jean.Stockton@MCI.Com
Subject: Re: Remember, this is the djembe-list!
Doug wrote....
>While I agree with Kent and Michael's general point, IMHO the relationship between
Blacks and Whites is critically involved in the process of forming and understanding the
evolving Western Drum Culture (or whatever we want to call it), which, again IMHO, is one
of the primary purposes that the djembe-l list serves (I'd love to here other opinions on
this).>
I do agree with you and am glad that at least one Euro-American on this list has accepted the fact that the western drum culture has evolved out of African culture both continental and diaspora. Doug nor Philippe exhibit that divide and conquer attitude that I perceive exist on this list at times.
>"Sometimes I dream
That Black and White
Could come together
Living as one" - Luciano>
I'm not mad at you, but Martin Luther King said the same thing.
>We all share a love of drumming, whatever differences we may have. It is my hope that by learning to better respect each other, we can build on that common ground.>
With playing the djembe, or dununs you are delving into my culture. You are either respecting me and my culture or you have ulterior motives.
Peace Out
Makeeda
********************************
Fri Nov 15 15:31:31 1996
From: ksmiller@ucdavis.edu (Sam Miller)
Subject: Cultural Conquering
Commenting on Doug's post, Makeeda writes...
>I do agree with you and am glad that at least one Euro-American on this list has
accepted the fact that the western drum culture has evolved out of African culture both
continental and diaspora. Doug nor Philippe exhibit that divide and conquer attitude that
I perceive exist on this list at times.>
Although I don't post often, this statement gave me pause. I try to do my part every day to promote respect of others and their culture (I think of it as trying to break down the wall, even if it is only one small brick at a time). I have always been fascinated with foreign cultures, but have never identified with my own culture (what is my culture? I can't tell you today! maybe this comes from being adopted as an infant?). My tendency is to take bits of other cultures that I like, respect, or admire and assemble them into "my culture." I am relatively comfortable with this process but am quite envious of those who clearly identify with their specific cultural lineage. This process, for me, is always in the context of showing utmost respect to those cultures; however, I don't try to make myself into something I'm not (re. I love Cuban music but I do not practice Santeria).
I hope that this does not offend those whose cultures from which I borrow. I don't know how else to re-invent myself. I think this is what has attracted me to drumming, and I am definitely including the drum in my "new" culture.
I don't how this fits into Makeeda's comment about dividing and conquering others culture, but that's where I'm coming from. I don't think Doug and Philippe are necessarily the only list members who are respectful of other's culture.
Respectfully,
Sam
K. Sam Miller
Dept. of Food Science,University of California,Davis, CA 95616
FAX (916)752-4759, phone(916)752-4137
*********************************
Fri Nov 15 15:02:59 1996
From: Paul Czerner pczerner@ivid.com
Subject: Culture and the djembe list
In response to, to paraphrase, "racism ... not racism ... your culture, my culture, ... Africans, non-Africans ... " and so on.
I didn't start playing the djembe or join this list *because* of the African culture, or any other culture, that happened to be the ancestry of djembe music and rhythms. These rhythms could have originated as Eskimo fish-slapping dances, as far as I'm concerned. Having taken up the djembe, my interest is based on playing, playing, and more playing of djembe-related music. If I close my eyes, listen and feel what's happening in the music, it doesn't matter what "race" or other discriminating factor is present in those playing the rhythms. In music, that kind of thing just doesn't play a factor.
So anyway,
Paul Czerner
*******************************
Fri Nov 15 15:35:29 1996
From: "Jean Stockton" Jean.Stockton@MCI.Com
Subject: Culture and the djembe list
Paul wrote....
>>I didn't start playing the djembe or join this list *because* of the African
culture, or any other culture, that happened to be the ancestry of djembe music and
rhythms.>>
I am confused. The djembe is part of African culture.
>>the djembe, my interest is based on playing, playing, and more playing of djembe-related music.>> What is djembe-related music?
Peace Out
Makeeda
***********************************
Fri Nov 15 16:03:23 1996
From: Paul Czerner pczerner@ivid.com
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
Jean Stockton wrote:
>
> Paul wrote....
>
> >>I didn't start playing the djembe or join this list *because* of the African
culture, or any other culture, that happened to be the ancestry of djembe music and
rhythms.>>
>
> I am confused. The djembe is part of African culture.
Here's an example: if I learn about an instrument called the Gungaloon, and like what it sounds like, and start learning to play, and then find out it's a traditional instrument of the Turo people of North Heptobia, that cultural fact had no influence on my decision to play the Gungaloon. It's just happens to be part of the culture, but I didn't choose it BECAUSE of the culture.
> >>the djembe, my interest is based on playing, playing, and more playing of djembe-related music.>> > > What is djembe-related music?
Djembe-related music is music played with the djembe. Gungaloon-related music is music played with the Gungaloon.
I think I'll go back and practice some more of my twanging technique on the Gungaloon. ;-)
Have fun,
Paul Czerner
********************************
Fri Nov 15 18:43:32 1996
From: "J'lynn Yeates" jyeates@bga.com
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
> I am confused. The djembe is part of African culture.>
and it has been widely adopted and is now becoming part of various Amerikan neo-tribal
cultures ... the road comes from the past and goes onward to the future
'wolf
*********************************
Fri Nov 15 18:43:38 1996
From: "J'lynn Yeates" jyeates@bga.com
Subject: Re: Cultural Conquering
>I do agree with you and am glad that at least one Euro-American on this list has accepted the fact that the western drum culture has evolved out of African culture both continental and diaspora. Doug nor Philippe exhibit that divide and conquer attitude that I perceive exist on this list at times.> i know a great many doumbek players who would disagree ... as would many bodhran players ... as would the shamanic drummers ...
the way i see it, we are all the more richer for the many varied threads that weave our tapestry ... so unique from anything that was before, so new and still growing, familiar to many cultures yet different ... all reflections of the rather unique culture that we share here.
'wolf
**********************************
Fri Nov 15 20:54:28 1996
From: drumpath@aztec.asu.edu (SULE GREGORY C. WILSON)
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
>The djembe...has been widely adopted and is now becoming part of various Amerikan neo-tribal cultures >
Really!? Cause you use something, it's "part of your culture"? Sounds like commodification, consumerism. For me to make something part of my culture means I have to understand what it is, where it came from, and adapt/adopt that original understanding and myself. There are whole spirit worlds developed around different ritual objects, drums included. When you "make something part of your culture" you pull in those ancient spirit worlds/reserves of thought energy made about that thing. Do you want that?
Having some thing in one's possession is the same as holding any other thing, unless what you invest in that thing carries significance. "Amerikan neotribal cultures" use drum, specifically djembe, for its specific properties? For which specific "amerikan neo-tribal" rites? Or is it a thing to beat on? As other things are? It's a cultural perspective: are things "Things", or do they have "souls", energy invested in them by their developers/inventors/caretakers?
When you love yourself, you see love in the world.
Sule
*********************************
Fri Nov 15 21:51:40 1996
From: jrives@MindSpring.COM (Joel M. Rives)
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
>>The djembe....has been widely adopted and is now becoming part of various Amerikan neo-tribal cultures ...>> > >Really!? Cause you use something, it's "part of your culture"? Sounds like commodification, consumerism.>
I find the mixed use of the term "culture" to be at fault here. The following is the definition of "culture" according to Funk & Wagnalls:
CULTURE: sum total of all contributions of a group of people, in a designated area, within a given time. It represents, more specifically, the aesthetic or intellectual achievement or appreciation of an individual or a society, and also the life-style of a society as passed on from generation to generation. We have the following pertinent definition from Webster's:
5 a): the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon man's capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations;
b): the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; c): the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes a company or corporation Make of them what you will!
-- Joel M. Rives
email: jrives@mindspring.com
voice: 404-377-0764, fax: 404-320-1252
Remember, wherever you go, there you are! -- Bonzai
***********************************
Sat Nov 16 00:43:29 1996
From: "Bon V. Davis II" bondav@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
Paul wrote....
>I didn't start playing the djembe or join this list *because* of the African culture,
or any other culture, that happened to be the ancestry of djembe music and rhythms...
SNIP
>and then find out it's a traditional instrument of the Turo people of North Heptobia,
that cultural fact had no influence on my decision to play the Gungaloon.>
Then Sule said... >Paul: if you found that the Gungaloon was played only to invoke the spirits of long-dead people who did lots of bad stuff to people, and only by folks who had decades of training to stay "protected", would you keep twanging?
>Say you wore an outfit that you someone brought back from a trip; on the street someone came up to you and told you they were a catholic cardinal's underwear, would you keep wearing it, just 'cause it was pretty? > >Don't take it personal; hypotheticals to everyone....> Okay, I'll take a bite of this pie! I first *Heard* a Djembe after I had been drumming for years. I said "WOW" I need that sound. " I fell in love then and there. I also liked the style of playing the guy was using, turned out it was West African, but played by a white guy. I did not fall in love with him, or even the style. I learned the traditional stuff out of respect I guess. And since it was what he was teaching. It was the sound first, then the drum. Later I found out how to use it properly. But if I never did, and perhaps I still don't, use it "traditionally, then I don't think those "long-dead people who did lots of bad stuff to people" would even hear my mumblings. It would not be in the right "language" to do any invocation. (here I speak as an anthropologist and student of Magick)
If a dog sits in a Corvette, is the car going to go fast just because it is a Race car? The dog would have to know how to drive AND have the keys. Possibly the dog could honk the horn. But he still could not get a date by profileing in the car.
If the Cardinal's underwear looked good on me I would DEFINITELY wear it. But maybe not around my Catholic friends.
In all Seriousness and Humor:
----------- Bon T10TT
As the poet Lu Yu wrote: The clouds above us join and separate,
The breeze in the courtyard leaves and returns.
Life is like that, so why not relax? Who can stop us from celebrating?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
bondav@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
(Bon V. Davis II)
*************************************
Sun Nov 17 10:16:55 1996
From: KILISSA@aol.com
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
Sule wrote:
>Say you wore an outfit that you someone brought back from a trip; on the street
someone came up to you and told you they were a catholic cardinal's underwear, would you
keep wearing it, just 'cause it was pretty?>
Be careful with your examples! I know A LOT of people who would start wearing those ex-cardinal underwear on the OUTSIDE of their pants if they knew! Maybe you should say if you found a pretty trinket and made a necklace--and then found out that it was radioactive!
The spirit issue is pretty speculative, as far as I'm concerned. Even though my husband is a kora slinging griot, I still have to be skeptical. He says he's psychic, but I still need to be convinced. I do, however, believe there is a power in music, a positive power to connect people (gee, whiz, that's why I'm a musician). I'm fascinated about the concept of spirit possession. I've experienced something like that while dancing....and they say that when the spirits move you it can bring good to your village. But, like the cardinal's underwear, any power symbol can be abused, and therefore must be handled with a healthy sense of contempt--or at least open mindedness! (the world is not flat). What would you say if I called for an end to the practice of using MONEY? Money is just a human construct. Gee, I'm rambling on here, Like I said in my last post, we do need to drop a lot of the painful racist sh** and move on. I hope we can. I think we must.
************************************
Mon Nov 18 22:34:58 1996
From: drumpath@aztec.asu.edu (SULE GREGORY C. WILSON)
Subject: Re: Culture and the djembe list
this'll be quik:
Paul sez: >my view is that spirits don't exist until the mind creates them. There is no inherent "energy" or "spiritual power" in a cultural object until you accept or believe that there is, at which point it is created as some weird (at least to me) Jungian archetype manifestation. It is your mental object interacting with your mental beliefs creating mental spirits. If you don't have this belief, then it's no big deal. (Although others, with their egos, may feel slighted and wish you harm for not believing). That'll be 2 cents, please. :-) >
Okay, let's say "mind" (whatever that is) "creates" spirits. A culture is a group of like minds. When a bunch of minds think the same thing, it "creates" a Big Spirit that, like static electricity, clings to the object of its mental "rubbing": cultural artifacts....
Sure, all cultures are influenced. It's just that some don't own up to it.
"One mo' gin" Wilson
*********************************
Sun Nov 17 00:00:39 1996
From: m_sibson@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Ben Sibson)
Subject: Re: Culture and Djembe_l
Just as a bit of devils advocating: those that are particularly precious about respecting the cultural heritage of the djembe as an object (whether with spiritual attachment or not) might want to specify exactly which tribe or ethnic group from the West African region they want to pinpoint as being "THE" original and accurate djembe users. It is my understanding that there is quite a bit of cultural diversity within this region, which is constantly evolving (as all good music does?). And isn't there a theory that the shape and design features evolved from interaction with Arabic traders? (consider the similarity in design and acoustic function with the smaller darabouka, tablah, dumbek etc. of the middle eastern regions).
The use of this drum has now evolved into the context of the western world - for better or worse - in much the same way as cultures have blended and borrowed from each other since time began, only in the 20th Century it happens faster and over much greater distances than before. Now, the repertoire and application of the instrument - that's where the issues start to cloud. Somebody used the hypothetical situation of an instrument that is traditionally used as a means for calling up evil spirits being used unaware by the western culture raider. How do you treat the use of maracas in the Latin American rhythm section then, when in some parts of the Americas they are used as powerful shamanistic tools for driving away evil spirits? Do they have the same function in the bossanova? I personally don't see a need to stand in awe of a music producing object just because it has specific attributes in one culture. I treat the Djembe with the same respect as I treat an Indonesian button gong, Tibetan prayer bowls, the Violin, Saxaphone, etc. etc. They all have the same level of admiration for me as they are all products of the unifying humanity of their creators. Check that word, UNIFYING.
And yet, music stripped of its cultural baggage is nothing more than meaningless noise. Until it has been attributed a purpose, significance, what-have-you, it is nothing. This, to me, is where the respect for history and cultural precedence comes in. Even without the cultural and spiritual aspect, there is a good likelihood that over the X amount of years the particular cultural group has been using an instrument, they have found methods of using its individual characteristics and combining them with those of other instruments so that the entire thing really, really works, even on a purely musical level. It would take an astounding mind, given a bunch of Djembes, a couple of dunduns and some bells, to even approach the complex rhythmic interweaving that gives life to an African drumming ensemble, if they had no experience in the tradition. To presume that you could, with no respect for the tradition, would take the same sort of brazen stupidity as writing for a symphony orchestra with no conception of how the instruments function.
However, somebody (or a bunch of somebodies over time) DID initiate this music. Even at the beginning, somebody had the temerity to assume that they could create. And through time, others had the gall to adjust, refine, and develop what had come before. I am a human, and this is a human craft. if I learn and respect, I can alter and create.
I think I just got really carried away. Isn't sleep deprivation a wonderful thing? Ah, well, back to the fourier analysis and design ratios. Boy am I itching just to play again.
M.B.Sibson, Composer and Percussionist
c/o Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music
GPO Box 252C Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia email m_sibson@postoffice.sandybay.utas.edu.au
***********************************
Sun Nov 17 22:58:10 1996
From: Doug Kane dundun@bbs.cruzio.com
Subject: Denny's and Denny
At 08:49 PM 11/15/96 -0600, Happy Shel wrote, in reaction to the recent posts on Prop. 209 and the relationship between African-Americans and white people in the drumming community: >Babatunde Olatunji has a vision of peace. He speaks it wherever he goes. Last week in LA; the week before in DC. He has a vision of all of us working together in harmony & peace. Of feeding the good in people. He has a vision of "a drum in every home by the year 2000." I support Baba's vision 200%! >
>Do you?>
I fully support Baba's vision. I just don't agree with Happy about how Baba's vision relates to this issue. I have had many conversations with Baba on this subject. People tend not to realize that Baba played a huge role in the civil rights movement in this country. Once, he showed me a portion of his soon-to-be-released autobiography that described a benefit concert that he did for Malcolm X. Baba played at Bob Marley's funeral in Jamaica and provided a large part of the music for the movie about Peter Tosh called "Stepping Razor - Red X". He also created the scores for the Broadway and Hollywood productions of "Raisin In The Sun." More recently, he assisted fellow Morehouse alum Bill Lee with the music for Bill's son Spike's "She's Gotta Have It." The opinions that he has expressed to me on this subject are consistent with these musical endeavors.
Baba would like to see racism wiped out in ALL of its forms. A couple of years ago, my girlfriend and I (both white) went to Denny's (in ultra-progressive Santa Cruz), with our friend and teacher, Sanga of the Valley (a proud Trinidadian of African descent). It was kind of busy so at first we didn't think anything of it when we didn't get served. But when we noticed that one group that had come in after us was getting served, and then a second, a third, and a fourth, it became clear that something was up. Finally, Sanga managed to get the waiter's attention and, in an even and dignified manner, told the guy in no uncertain terms that his attitude and actions were unacceptable. Then he called the manager over. What the waiter couldn't know was that Sanga, in his inimitable way, had completely charmed the manager (a white woman) when we had first come in. When it became clear to her what was going on, she launched into a scathing attack on the waiter, far more vehemently than Sanga had, and proceeded to (very promptly) serve us for the rest of our meal.
This is a small example of the type of racism that African-Americans face all the time, but it was an eye-opener for me because I don't usually get to see that kind of racism close up and personal. However, when I was growing up as a jew in a WASP community, the other kids used to throw pennies at me and yell "jew-begger, jew-begger, jew-begger" at me, so I do know how it feels. I know that Baba agrees with me that it will take more than imagining a world of perfect harmony to make sure that this kind of racism is completely eliminated.
I also know that Baba wants people of all races who play African music to understand the context that it comes from, both in terms of its African origins and the history of how the music was brought to the Americas as probably the only good result of the heinous crime against humanity that was the African Slave Trade.
On the other hand, I have also personally heard Baba decry the racism directed against white people (I refuse to use the word Euro-American since my family's history in Europe mainly consisted of being persecuted and then almost wiped out), that exists in the drumming communities of America. In another incident that happened several years ago, I was visiting Arthur Hull's circle down on the beach in Santa Cruz. This was several years after I had studied with Arthur, but I still liked to check in with him sometimes (as I still do). Arthur was teaching Fanga and he was telling a story that Baba often tells, about the English explorer Captain Clapperton, and his landing in Liberia during his search for the source of the River Niger. The whole class was white. An African-American whose name I later learned was Denny approached the circle and started yelling "that's bullshit, man" and going on and on about how it was just another indication of white people stealing his culture. He was seeing these white people who couldn't really play (it was Arthur's beginner beginner class) and hearing these buzzwords like "Liberia" which for him equaled the slave trade. He wasn't hearing the point of the story which was that all these native (Black) people came to welcome these white men by playing and dancing Fanga, but that the Captain Claperton were so full of distrust that when he saw them he and his men rushed back to their ships, sailed back to England and told people "a whole tribe came after us."
Denny eventually walked away in disgust. For some reason, I followed after him and started talking to him. Eventually, he even started listening to what I said. We sat on a bench and I explained to him the point of the story. I told him who Baba was, and a little bit about his mission. I also told him about Arthur, and what he was all about. Eventually, he walked back with me to the circle and apologized to Arthur and all the students.
I have seen white women get pushed out of lines at African Dance classes by their African-American sisters. These were women who can dance too, and who love and respect the culture.
To my white brothers and sisters, I implore you to do everything in your power to eliminate the continuing hatred directed towards black people in America, and as fellow players of AFRICAN and AFRICAN-derived instruments, to learn about and respect the culture of AFRICA and the history of Her people in this country.
To my African-American brothers and sisters, I beg you to accept me and others like me who truly love and respect African music and dance, not as interlopers but as true brothers and sisters of the drum. I have been to dozens of Baba's workshops as a participant, assistant, and co-organizer. At every one of them he has quoted the following poem (if anyone knows the author, please let me know):
Gifts count for nothing
Will alone is great ...
Nothing can hinder, circumvent or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul
If we continue to direct these powerful forces at each other with challenges like
"I support Baba 200%. Do you?", we'll never live in peace and harmony with each
other. But if we work to understand each other, and truly communicate, then we can become
like a sea-seeking river - nothing can stop us. If that happens, then I too could, as
Happy writes:
>imagine a world in total harmony, love and peace? A world where there are no wars? A
world where everyone is respected for their beliefs? A world drumming together?>
Just my two cents.
Peace,
Doug
************************************
Mon Nov 18 12:19:27 1996
From: hartman@informix.com (Robert Hartman)
Subject: Re: drumming, diversity, and elitism
This is long, so please bear with me.
There are those who say that drumming cannot be divorced from African culture, and that when a person drums he or she can do so in a way that respects those of African ancestry, or in a way that dismisses African traditions.
The way I see it, anyone who enjoys drumming, either listening or playing, owes a debt of gratitude for those who brought us the drums. We must pay our respects to those who were enslaved, and their descendants who still suffer from the effects of racism.
It may seem like a simple matter to say, "I just want to play, that's all I care about, so why can't people just understand that I mean no harm by it?" I've often said that myself. However, I've have never had the experience of having my culture pirated and my heritage destroyed by people who look different from me and who once treated my ancestors as though they were nothing more than draft animals. I cannot do justice to those who teach me their traditions without acknowledging the route by which those traditions have come, or the pain involved for those who endured that route. The fact that I mean no harm doesn't mean I am immune from unwittingly doing harm. If I mistakenly do some harm and then get resentful when I am called on it, what does that say about me?
There is meaning in what we do, whether we do it for fun, for spirituality, or whatever. The fact that drumming is being taken up by people of European descent is an indication of the power and enduring strength of African culture, but it can also be abused. People of African descent have every right to ask the Europeans who take up drumming if this is just another episode in a long history of cultural misappropriations, or an act of solidarity with them as Africans. And as a non-African, even though none of my ancestors held slaves and some were themselves persecuted because of racism, I owe those of African descent a respectful answer. And at some level, I owe it to myself to look at these issues if I am to be honest with myself about what drumming means to me. Otherwise, I'm just fooling myself. These issues are real, and they won't just go away.
The context in which drumming occurs is just as important as the drumming itself. When drumming comes out of elitism or willful ignorance, it produces discord, unhappiness, and dissipation. When I hear people say that specific rhythms have been systematically worked out to produce certain effects, I tend to think that the intention of the drummers has more influence over the actual results that are achieved. A rhythm may signify a particular intention within a particular culture, and may well produce a specific type of physiological stimulus. But how we assign meaning to that stimulus depends on our own mindset. You can't play with a resentful attitude and expect to get joy or peace as a result. You can't play with an elitist attitude and expect to build community or appreciation for the music. You can't pretend that racism doesn't exist or doesn't matter and play in your own authentic style--because you'd be lying to yourself about the very nature of your drumming.
By the same token, you can't win acceptance or a wider audience for drumming, or for African culture, by dismissing or abusing those of European descent who show an interest in it. I went to a performance this weekend that was part of a week-long set of classes. As seems typical with this particular organization, things ran on African time. That alone was not a problem for me, but I did note that at least one African-American family lost patience and left in a huff after being made to wait for over an hour with no clue as to when things actually would get started. The three young men in that family did not get to see the show and missed out on some important exposure to their cultural heritage.
Also, even though food had been promised, there wasn't enough to feed even half of those who were there. The two couples in my party each shared a plate so that others who were as hungry as we could at least eat a little bit. Later, I saw the leader of this group come out onto center stage with a full plate. Here and there I noticed others in the "in" group with food. But I did not see any acknowledgment of those who did not get to eat. Now, I had no problem with the lead drummer eating his fill after a hard performance. But to do so in front of others who paid and who might still be hungry is inconsiderate in any culture. I have no idea why he did that, or why some got to eat but not others.
Finally the show got started, but as is typical for this organization, only the Africans and African-Americans actually got up to dance--with the exception of one European-American and she was tentative. Everyone else was too intimidated. At some events by this group, I've actually heard of European-American women being physically threatened and jostled by dancers who are regular attendees of events put on by this organization and consider themselves some sort of guardians of African authenticity.
I must say that the drumming was good and that the performers on sabar were amazing. The price was also reasonable, so I cannot say that I didn't get my money's worth. However, I can say that it would have been worth three times as much to me to see the sabar performance without the aggravation, scheduled at a time that the performers could actually show up for and that would have given us all a chance to get our own dinner first--and without the pretense that we would get to dance, much as I enjoyed the proficiency of those who did perform as dancers. But that would take a recognition that the members of the audience deserve a regard that is equal to that shown for the teachers/performers.
I left feeling once again like I got to finance a party for the performers but was somehow unwelcome to join in. That was why I stopped going to the drumming camps sponsored by them, and why I tend to avoid taking classes from the teachers that are affiliated with them. When I drum, I want to feel good. At events sponsored by this organization, I come away feeling abused and scorned at some level. Although my technical facility does improve by being exposed to them, I have to wonder if it's worth it. And when I see them bickering among themselves, I start to wonder whether the attitudes they display are anything I'd want for myself. And my answer is no.
At this point I have to concur with those who just want to talk about drumming. I don't think those attitudes have anything to do with drumming, African tradition, or African culture.
The point I'm trying to make by mentioning my take on this experience is that elitism is a bad thing no matter who practices it or how they justify it, whether it is conscious or not. I don't believe for an instant that the organizers of this event meant to put me off (or the family that left for that matter). But once we get into the habit of dismissing other people, it is far too easy to continue to overlook those people. And in a culture rife with racism, we can pick up that habit without even knowing it. People who "just want to play" without considering the meaning behind it or the issues that are entwined with drumming can unwittingly show the same sort of disregard toward Africans and African culture that I just complained about with respect to performers vs. audiences. If I can't be bothered with the issues of Africans while I play an African drum, what does that say about me?
We all need to be aware that elitist tendencies exist in ourselves, regardless of culture, and that we cannot ignore or dismiss them in the name of good drumming. Even the best of playing can be spoiled by an unkind spirit or willful ignorance about our impact on others. And if it's going to be like that, who needs it?
-r
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Tue Nov 19 06:11:31 1996
From: Lewis_Jimmy@hq.navsea.navy.mil
(no subject)
Thanks much Lindsay Rowlands.
Your thoughts on anthropology being a European creation to study other people are
interesting. My question was prompted while reading a book called "Yurugu" in
which the author is attempting to define a model for better understanding European culture
and thought processes. It's a very thought-provoking piece of work. What caught my
attention is her assertion that beginning with the time of Plato (who laid the foundation
for "the rational man"), the universe ceased being sacred in its origin and
began to be seen as an "object" to be studied. So instead of acquiring
"knowledge" via the relationship, knowledge was acquired via analysis. This
preoccupation with analysis grew in popularity and reached it zenith around the time of
the renaissance and the period of enlightenment. Those who acquired knowledge by having a
relationship (via rituals of possession) with the universe and her cosmic being were seen
as irrational or "dark".
What is really interesting in this model is that the outcome of culture, or better, the religion of analysis is the need to control the object so it would become "orderly". Its easy to see how all this lead to justification of imperialism, slavery, and today's focus on controlling human consciousness. As the creation loses its sacredness, it becomes easy to justify crimes against her such as incarceration of animals into things called Zoos. For those interested in other readings check out a book called "The Great Cosmic Mother" by Monica Sjoo & Barbara Mor.
What does this have to do with the drum? EVERYTHING!!!
I offer the above information as a backdrop for us to better understand why we want to or should study drumming. Do we approach it as an object, or do we understand it as a tool used for a higher purpose? The cultural aspect of drumming is "what it is all about". The drum has always been used in the process of contacting other cosmic being and accessing the continuum of knowledge. To me to see its role as anything less is to reduce the drum to a mere object.
Olushola
"People name themselves so as to be called by it"
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