Drumming up a Rhythm

A number of our members attended the African Djembe Drumming Workshop. Our very patient instructor was Brendon.

The beautifully carved drums are a work of art in themselves. They ranged from small to large, each giving a different depth of sound.

The drum is held between the knees. This caused some fun, as well as difficulty for some. Brendon suggested that perhaps those finding it a problem, could do what small children do, he has them kneel on the floor with the drum in front of them.

A chorus came back, “if I get on my knees I might never get up”. Surprisingly everyone could hold the drum between the knees! We were shown six different hand movements to strike the drum, sorry, their names were too hard to remember. After practising ways to strike the drum, accompanied by much laughter, we were split into three groups. We finished our session by playing the drum with eyes closed and then a round of three different rhythms. We sounded very professional.

Everyone worked extremely hard and the concentration had to be seen. The smiles and joy on members faces showed just how much fun and enjoyment people had from this new experience. Coffee and squashy cream cakes finished the morning. Cries of, “ Can we do this again?”, rang around the hall. Those that didn’t attend missed a wonderful morning.

Thank you Carol A. for organising this unique event.