July, 2000
For the past four years, Morwen has had the pleasure of teaching a course at Tufts University about the community drum movement. The thoughts and work of her students at Tufts have enriched EDC immensely (as evidenced all over this web site). Here are just a few of the papers that students have written about their experience attending Drum and Dance Saturday for the first time.
This is how the assignment was worded:
Assignment #1:
Attend Drum and Dance Saturday or another community drum circle event. Pretend you are an alien from another planet who has just touched down to Earth in the middle of this event. What do you see? What can you infer about the experiences people are having from their behavior? What can you tell about the relationships between people? What conclusions can you draw about the culture of the society you have landed in? Write a 2-3 page description of what you have observed. Be sure and distinguish clearly between objective observations, subjective experience, and inferences/conclusions.
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Erika Niwa
OUTSIDE...IN
I stepped cautiously into the wide, open room - nervous that this new world would not accept me or that I would not accept it. The room was barely lit, shining like the almost night that comes before complete darkness. Like dusk, the cusp between night and day, I stood in the doorway, stuck between my own world and this new one that I had stumbled into. Everyone sat in a half-circle holding drums and other rhythm instruments. In the center of the semi-circle was a plate of candles which seemed to be a point of focus, a symbol of unity, and a calming factor. People sat all around and often had multiple instruments strewn about them. However, the larger, deeper drums sat in the far corner and the djembes and other loud hand drums were near them as well. Pushing farther, out towards the ends, there were smaller drums, softer drums, shakers and bells. Moving around the semi-circle, I could hear the rhythms wax and wane as naturally as the moon. I finally decided to sit further away from the louder and larger drums, to try to experience the quieter rhythms that existed.
When I first walked in, people were only speaking to one another and they seemed consumed with their own private conversations. However, all of a sudden, as subtle as a whisper, people began to drum. it started with one man playing quietly to himself and then, as others joined in, they all began to converge and create a synchronized rhythm and song. The deep pulse of the music uttered forth from the corner of the room where the large drums were and suddenly, all hands were moving. Rhythms were coming from all directions. It was so beautiful to listen to disparate rhythms merge. Simultaneously, as the rhythm began to create its own life, people began to rise in the middle of the circle to dance. They did not dance with one another, but to whatever rhythm they were feeling.
This world that I stepped into was a world where every member of the population truly wanted to be there. It was obvious that it had been conscious and voluntary choices of the participants to be a part of the circle because of the openness with which they entered the circle and participated in it. I think that the culture that I landed in that evening had certain ideals and beliefs. However, I viewed it as having two separate sub-cultures within the culture. One was the drumming culture and the other was the dance culture. It is important to note, though, that neither of the two, though separate with different rules, could subsist without the other. When one stopped, so did the other and vice versa. I think that this is a great example of the dichotomy of this community drum and dance circle. On one hand, the experience is deeply based in the individual. Anyone can play whatever rhythm he wants and anyone can move as she feels. It seemed as though people were really experiencing personal growth and personal cleansing through this experience. However, I intensely felt the community and the sense of sharing and dependency. A man and his son sat next to me and I am sure that my initial apprehension was obvious. The man immediately smiled at me and offered me the use of any of his instruments. His experience was personal, but he was willing and happy to share it with others. I think that the idea of dependence and independence are key to this community. On the one hand, it fosters the individual who can make decisions for themselves and on the other hand, it brings people together, making them understand that they need each other's rhythms to create the fullest sound and emotion.
The diversity was relatively large in aspects other than race, but what seemed very diverse was the willingness of all these separate people to speak the same language. Rhythm is the language of life. It is the common denominator and it was through rhythm that these people not only communicated, but that they accepted one another. Looking around the room during the drum circle, I was struck by the nonverbal cues and communication that people shared with one another. They would nod, smile, and seemingly speak through their different rhythm instruments. In turn, the people who were dancing were also communicating with the drummers and with one another. I watched one woman as she wove between the candles and the drummers. Each time she would come up to a drummer, she would begin to move with whatever rhythm they were playing and then as they changed their rhythm, she would change as well.
Another important part of the culture as a whole was the element of freedom. Freedom is not only being able to do whatever you are moved to, but a lifestyle in which you feed from your emotions and background in order to share it with others. In the lull between two rhythms, a woman suddenly got up and began to do an impromptu performance combining verbal language and movement. Through her forward and new approach, a whole new rhythm ensued. The willingness of this one woman to take a chance and to risk giving her new idea to the group gave birth to unity. Therefore, individuality and uniqueness give life to unity. In all of their different existences, all of their different worlds, these people came together for one evening to share in the universal community of rhythm. None of us are alien to it, it is simply a matter of stepping from the outside in – Rhythm.
"We reveal our deepest selves in a language without words: Tapping into a source of energy, or primitive life source, we share our creations. This gift of creative energy belongs to all persons and is meant to set us free." -Dorothy Buck
Ubuntu Ungamtu Ngobanie Abantu. People are people through other people. -Xhosa Tribe, South Africa
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Axel Diaz
2/ 22/ 99
I wasn't completely sure why I had been sent on this particular mission. According to our data, the site was not of interest to our military commanders. There was no evidence that the facilities were being used to create or store any type of arms or important technology. In fact, our social theorists believed that the site was used as a meeting ground by the community. So my mission was to infiltrate and assimilate into the environment in order to observe any events which might occur.
As I walked into the building I experienced a slight sense of anxiety when I saw that a small assembly had already been formed in the room that I had just entered. I calmed myself and then proceeded to seat myself with the rest of the group. The earthlings had set up seats in the shape of a "U". Near the center, a tray of candles were positioned illuminating the room and filling the air with a sweet scent. The lighting in the room was further complemented by sets of dim lights of blue and red hue. I gradually began to fall into a relaxed state because of the soothing atmosphere.
There was a diverse group present at the event. Representatives of both genders were partaking in the festivities. A wide range of ages were represented from mature adults, who have experienced much in this world, to earthlings who have just recently entered this realm. Considering the size of the smallest beings present, I concluded that several young offspring were being allowed to participate. Overall the individuals were dressed in what seemed to be fairly modest and comfortable clothing, although some seemed to be dressed as if they were prepared to partake in physical activity.
It was then that I realized that I was sensing a pulsation echoing throughout my body. As I reexamined the scene I noticed that several of the earthlings were using their limbs to beat on cylindrical and conic shaped structures. These instruments were designed to be open on both ends, but one was actually covered by a strong membrane. It was on this membrane that the earthlings beat, causing it to vibrate which in turn sent out vibrations which I sensed in the air and throughout my body as well. (According to my translator, the creatures called this object a drum.) At this point I was approached by what was possibly the leader of the group. She offered me several objects explaining that they were to be used in their ceremony. I chose two egg shaped instruments which rattled when shaken.
As I began to explore the rattles, one of the earthlings began to produce a loud and distinct rhythm on their drum. After a brief moment, the other beings began to join the rhythm or complemented it with a rhythm of their own. Within a period of a minute, the whole arc had united, as if they were one machine producing this powerful sound. Unexpectedly, the powerful rhythm of the beat seemed to capture the senses of those who were not seated for drumming and inspired them to move in strange fashion. Some moved almost mechanically to the beat, others traveled with more fluid motions, while still others although in tune with the rhythm seemed as if they were reacting to a different beat. The earthlings themselves were not surprised by this occurrence. In fact I concluded that both the drummers and dancers were interacting with each other. The movers reacted to the rhythm the drummers played while the drummers played to the rhythm of the dancers As the night drew on, I noticed that my own mind was becoming more enthralled by the music. My whole body continued to vibrate with the beat while my mind seemed to be humming due to the resonance of the beating drums. Generally the beats were somewhat slow and calming. The drummers played in unison and were able to communicate with each other simply through the rhythms which they played. At times a single person would alter the beat or increase the tempo, but the group would quickly follow and accommodate the change. The dancers continued to move around the candles, sometimes without noticing the existence of anyone else and at other times playing with one other. Their movements and facial expressions suggested that they were being driven by some sort of force and were full of emotion. However, I was not able to determine what these were.
In order to avoid detection, I left the event early. From the observation, I was able to make several important conclusions. It is clear that the earthlings greatly appreciate a sense of community and strive to maintain this through the expression of common interests (in this case drumming). Nevertheless, individuality is encouraged and respected, as I saw in the presence of a leader at the event, in the movements of the dancers, and in the beat/tempo changes implemented by drummers throughout the night. Communication, however, was not a problem even when taking this sense of individuality into account. Drummers interacted with each other without physically or verbally addressing each other. Dancers were able to do the same. Also, the interest in drumming and dancing provide evidence that the earthlings are highly physical beings. Finally, considering the atmosphere of the room and the mood of the rhythms played, I believe the beings used this time to bring peace and order within themselves and their community. It is evident that the earthlings rely on each other and the stimulation of the physical being through drumming and dancing in order to maintain healthy lives.
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Shelly NelsonAn Alien Lost Among Drums
February 10, 2000
What a nice change from outer space! People on earth are accepting of others. They don't roll their eyes when someone walks to the middle of the room and begins throwing their body in all directions, swinging their arms, and moaning. It is not labeled primitive, silly, or childish to make music with a drum. In outer space, aliens would laugh and point fingers, stereotyping these awkward creatures as weird, abnormal non-conformists. Yet here on earth, there is no such stereotyping. Everyone is genuinely accepting of others' desires and needs. No one rolls their eyes. What a wonderful place this planet must be.
That woman with the long golden hair is having a conversation yet she is not talking! She is looking at the man two seats down while beating her drum at the same time. He also beats a drum. Her eyes scan from his hands to his face and then back to his hands again. First she seems bewildered by the graceful movement of his hands. She squints and stretches her neck out of line with her shoulders as if she is trying desperately to figure out the solution to a difficult math problem. Suddenly, the corners of her lips begin to curl upward and she nods her head. As if she has figured out the problem, her eyes again meet the man's eyes and she nods in thanks for his assistance. Her head returns to a confident position and she drums with what appears to be a new feeling of confidence and skill, unlike the bewilderment from seconds earlier. In outer space, a smile and an outstretched neck usually indicates that the alien is enjoying itself. I wonder if it means the same here on earth.
Why is the blond woman the only one smiling? Oh, wait, the black man by the door is also smiling. Are they the only two drummers enjoying themselves? There are so many facial expressions here in the circle. That woman with the short brown hair has been tapping her fingers to the exact same beat for the past thirty minutes. Everyone else hits the drum with their entire hand but she uses only her fingers-as if she is sitting in school, anticipating anxiously the termination of the day. Is it possible that she is not enjoying herself? Might she be bored by the monotony of her very own fingers?
How elegant that man must be! His hands are delightful to watch; they are unlike the beating hands of the other drummers. Rather than hitting the drum directly by moving his hand from the air to the drum, his wrist thrusts his hand in a diving, circular motion before beating the drum. He seems to be feeling something more than just the upbeat rhythm of the circle. He closes his eyes every few seconds. Is he disgusted by what he sees around him? In outer space, children close their eyes when they are afraid. Maybe he is frightened by what is going on and prefers to look at more pleasant things that can be seen only with eyes closed.
That blond woman is still having her silent conversations with the man two seats down! The energy in the room is being slowly sucked in tighter. The circle of drummers started out so large and despite the growing number of participants, it now feels half the size. People are starting to act differently. They have gone from sitting and drumming to standing and dancing! In outer space, we often go to the theater to watch the dancers. They entertain us; they dance together as one and wear beautiful costumes; they are technically trained and identical to one another in body structure. Here on earth, I imagine the teachers and choreographers are not quite as skilled. The dancers are all doing different things! They do not acknowledge the other bodies dancing in their space and they never make eye contact with the audience. Then again, there is no audience. The drummers are part of the show. For whom are they performing? Perhaps they are not performing at all. Do people here on earth dance for reasons other than performance? It is as if they are all hearing different sounds coming from the drums. If they are all hearing different sounds, they must be feeling different things. Maybe that is why no one is moving in time with another person. What types of things could they be hearing? I would like to hear them.
I will close my eyes and try to hear what they are hearing. My body is fighting with me. It does not want to remain in the chair. It wants to move! First it is drawn to a beat coming from my left. Then it is struck by a new beat from across the room. Did someone new just enter the circle or have I been missing that beat this whole time?
I want to open my eyes again. There is so much to see. The people here on earth are energetic and individualistic. They must be giving 100% of their energy to their drumming and dancing. When they finish, they breathe and let out sighs. They appear exhausted. Or is it possible that they are not at all exhausted but rather, rejuvenated? Maybe this is a form of sleep. After all, many people have had their eyes closed. Others exhibit a euphoric facial expression as if they have just eaten a delicious meal. People are giving thanks, not only to each other but to something invisible and mysterious. In outer space, we give thanks when we are grateful for having had a delightful experience. I conclude that the people in this room have had delightful experiences-each one far different from the next.
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Jeff Wu
Drum and DanceSeveral years ago we discovered that we weren’t alone in the Universe. In a galaxy not so far away, our people have found a planet named "Earth" by its inhabitants. It wasn’t until last weekend that we decided to send a scout to visit the planet and report back to our army with first hand information. I was that scout and this is what I saw.
First of all, I entered the Earth’s atmosphere, set my craft on "hover," morphed into humanoid form (as a disguise), leapt out of my ship, and accidentally crashed into some kind of large room that was dimly lit with a pair of red and blue lights. Slowly, humans began to trickle into the arena, settling themselves in chairs that were arranged in a semicircular fashion. Once seated, they proceeded to gingerly uncover the long funnel-shaped drums that they were toting. During that initial period, there were some people who cradled their drum while ritualistically rubbing the skin as if they were coaxing an animal of some sort. Others just sat quietly holding their instruments, while some sat tightening the bolts around the drumheads. Eventually, as more people arrived, the room filled with random beats as the humans sat about tapping at their instruments. The drum certainly seemed to be a very dynamic instrument from the incredible range of pitches I heard. It almost seemed from the way that the beats jumped back and forth that the drums were talking with each other. And though there wasn’t any kind of heavy interaction among the congregation, it seemed as if something big was going to happen from the way people were anxiously sounding their instruments every so often, weren’t speaking, and were looking around attentively. It seemed as if everyone was waiting for something.
Suddenly, several drummers joined the pulse that was coming from a single individual and layered their rhythms upon it. After that, the people no longer seemed like separate, uncommunicative, isolated entities, they somehow all became interconnected through a loud, powerful, and swelling polyrhythm. As strange as it might sound, I began to hear different notes and melodies within the beats of the drums. As the night went on, more and more folk arrived and contributed to the dynamic, throbbing living entity. There were temporary pauses within the drumming so that a new rhythm could take root, but for the most part, the group played tirelessly for hours neither slowing nor showing signs of fatigue.
Each drummer had a different style and a unique drum. Each song was full of quick complicated and intricate beats embellishing and built about a very strong basey pulse. The pulse held everything together and was pounded out by a section on the periphery of the circle on huge drums. The music seemed to provoke strong emotions within the members of the circle. Many of the drummers had their eyes closed as if trying to block out any visual stimulus so that they could focus on hearing and feeling the rhythm. Most of these people held their faces to the sky while portraying expressions of relaxation. In some cases, they were smiling. Some even looked euphoric as they rocked back and forth with their brows furrowed, playing their drums passionately and ferociously. The contorted expressions on their faces made it seem as if they were experiencing pleasure that was so intense it was painful.
Eventually many of those who were drumming became overwhelmed with the beat and physically expressed their feelings in dances that were as varied in style as was the drumming. Like how the drummers increased in number throughout the night until a full circle was formed, a growing chunk of the population joined the dancers in the center of the circle as time went by. The dancing didn’t seem conventional or rehearsed as the movements the dancers made varied widely in their ranges and styles. Some stood still or sat on the ground and sang, others spazmed about excitedly, a few waddled around clumsily, while some pranced about adeptly as if they were trained dancers. In this fashion, the dancing was a direct expression of how the drumming touched them. The people danced without inhibition and moved as the music took them. Like the drummers, a few of the dancers were smiling, some looked meditative and relaxed, while others showed contorted expressions of passion and pleasure. It was excitement and happiness in one of its purest forms. The pulse seemed be something very potent that tapped deep into the human soul.
Some of the members of the group seemed close to each other, but everyone was largely physically detached from one another. The assembly was a montage of persons who looked as if they, in their situation previous to the drum circle, led separate lives. I speculate this based on their positions in the circle, their interactions (or lack thereof), and from their clothing. First of all, during the period when the room was a little less packed, many of the Earthlings seated themselves so that they were clustered with the people they arrived with. And the people who came alone (mostly men) would sit alone. Individuals within these small groups of people seemed to know each other from the way that they were positioned near each other, from the way that they were wearing similar styles of clothing, and even from the way that they drummed. I observed the members of these clusters nodding at each other, swaying together to the beat, and in one case, looking intensely into one another’s eyes as they drummed. There was even a pair of women that I observed who were facing each other dancing and making imaginary sculptures with their hands. In most cases, members of these cliques were dressed in similar style clothing that was distinct from what other people were wearing. This visually made the contrast within the drum circle seem even more stark. But beyond those isolated groups of two or three, the group seemed largely broken up and as if they led contrasting lifestyles.
Although these folk weren’t all visually connected, they were all integrated and became one through the music. They created their own rhythms around the unifying pulse beat while contributing to a complicated tapestry of sound with many layers and parts. Everyone’s awareness of each other seemed to become heightened through the drumming. There was genuine communication through this medium-- people understood each other through the music. A single person could instantly start a new song or speed up the entire group through just his drumming. Together they were one entity, synchronized in the polyrhythm. The music created organization, community, and spiritual order among the people. Perhaps one of the more dramatic demonstrations of how in-tuned the group was presented itself when every single drummer ended their first jam together on the same beat. The drum was their vehicle through which they cheated social convention and connected with complete strangers on a level that went beyond what conversation or any other kind of interaction could do.
I have concluded from what I saw that everyone in that room belonged to a greater society: one much larger and more chaotic than the one which existed within the drum circle. The fact that the people were wearing a wide spectrum of clothing suggested that the outside world that they came from was immense and filled with different subcultures and styles of living. There were neatly groomed, professional-looking individuals with their dress-shirts, pleated pants, and clip-on name badges. There were "new-age gurus" or hippies (I couldn’t tell what was which) with their baggy pants, tie-dyed shirts, and brightly-colored sheets. And then there were the street kids in their T-shirts and corduroy. The members of the circle also varied in their age. There was a chunk of late teens, a majority of more seasoned adults, and even several elderly folk. It was apparent from these physical cues that the party before me was usually disassociated from one another in their daily routines. Thus, whatever had caused this jumble of people to congregate must have been a powerful force that satisfied a universal need or drive that all the people felt, regardless of how they lived. People who had, previous to that evening, never seen each other before were suddenly united by the sound of the drum. People who had, previous to that evening, led contrasting lifestyles were similarly moved by the rhythm so that they now danced together. What I saw about the culture that I’ve landed in was that it was saturated with people that were so caught up in their fixed life routines and the rules of their society that they’ve begun to lose consciousness and crave for this heightened awareness and spiritual rejuvenation.
These people were of many different microcosms but all wanted a break from fighting their daily battles. Their emotional fatigue from the stress of living was evident in how exhausted everyone sounded during the breathing exercises in between drumming that was meant to relax the group. The heaviness of the sigh showed that they needed to fill an empty void inside of them through a deep connection with the essence and souls of others. And that was exactly what was so alluring about the drum circle: through taking refuge in its society, they could escape from their worlds. The drum circle stripped its members of social airs, their societal roles, and of their obligations. They were freed from their individual identities so that they could all take on the one of the polyrhythm-- something primitive and universal that everyone could feel and be united in. These people of an advanced society were temporarily delivered from themselves to become modern primitives.
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[return home]