rhythm makers

My drumming class is going well.

Basically what we do is learn African tribal beats and play them in a drum circle. Deja tells a little about the history behind each rhythm...right now we are learning KuKU which is what the men from a tribe in Mali play when the women are returning back to camp after fishing...who knew? It is all very neat. The whole learning experience, learning about African Culture, meditation through beat- and so forth. Everything in these certain tribal people's lives that is good, sad, bad, spiritual, all gatherings, hunts, feasts-is all reflected through a rhythm on their drums-

It seems like most of the beats we are learning are what men would drum. I asked Deja if she knew any beats the women would play. She explained that although it has evolved over the years, drumming was mainly done by the men. She then said, "Men were the primary drummers but the tribal men claim there would be no need to drum nor would there be a rhythm of life if there weren't any women for the women are the rhythm makers."

Don't you just love that?