DRUM CIRCLES

"Never The Same After That"

By Shannon McNally

"I lived in New Orleans for a long time and I came to understand rhythm so much more personally. ...

I went to Mardi Gras Indian practice one time in the 3rd Ward. I was the only white person in the room. It was packed and I didn't really think about it until we first went in because as a white person in America sometimes you don't think about things. I grew up in a real multicultural neighborhood in New York, it didn't seem weird to me.

I was intrigued by the drum circle, it was one of the more wonderful experiences of my life. I was standing there, watching them play their talk congas, the groove was so heavy. I was there for an hour or two, they were dancing across the room. It was really hip and at one point this older guy pushed me up towards the drum and said, "go ahead and play." There were other people playing the drums simultaneously. I was intimidated but I started to play on it and it was so alive, I never felt anything like that in my whole life.

In that moment I thought, "Oh, Wow, these are talking drums and they tell whole stories and they communicate over long distances, but they also channel spirits and their ancestors." I always thought about that on an intellectual level and understood that as a way of communicating, that people had communicated like that for centuries all over the world. Until my hands were physically on the drum, playing with it, it was like the drum didn't need me there. It was doing it and I was just picking up the phone. It was heavy, it was beautiful and I was never the same after that." [June 07, 2017] 

story from archives of Jake D. Steinberg

Shannon's story is important to know because unbeknownst to many, and probably her; she is part of a long process of helping white Americans with their emotional retardation. It is a possible story rarely talked about, but in the African circles the beginnings of this type of spiritual work introduces the Africans and the retained traditions from the Motherland, and the drums to start something white Americans cannot do alone.

In African and Indian circles we have our prophecy stories our Old Ones shared long ago giving us a thing or two to look forward to, and a tiny number, with the ability to do this introductory work for whites, are in the shadows of most people's consciousness.

There is more, much more, to this work, but this isn't the place to talk deeply on a taboo subject for the American public. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories [June 07, 2017]   

Give the Drummer some...

Drumming in Sunday drum circle at Malcolm X Park in Washington D.C. photo by Pablo Raw

Every time I see a child playing drums, or playing sticks on tables and just drumming his little heart out I sing within with silent joy enjoying and knowing how the magic world of drumming translates and transforms the drummer.  I always express that emotion saying in an almost sing song voice, "Oh!!! Just wonderful!"  

My mother never let on when my endless drumming got on her nerves. She kept encouraging me in her silence as she putted around the house doing this and that, cleaning and what not. She taught me to make a drum from a Quaker Oatmeal box when I was six, and as a teenager smiled when I turned up one of her ancient artifacts from Central America and focused learning the rhythms Mongo Santamaria played on the recordings from Daddy's eclectic record collection. It was Mommy who gifted me with my first hand drum, a tumbadora made by Latin Percussion on my 17th birthday simply saying one word that capsulized it all and assuaged my angst created by church dogma around creativity and music: "Play."

I look forward to children's imaginations expanding by the limitless power of being allowed to express himself by their families, but most importantly by their parents. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 11.10.16

Don Ramon Santamaria Rodriguez (Mongo Santamaria) would be 98 today April 7, 2015

drums and percussion instruments from parts of the world.

DRUM, SACRED DRUM

Harnessing the Mysteries of the Universe Drum Creation Story/ Irish Sullivan  

Altar Ceremony:

On the lacing alter with the whirling water vortex painted drum frame are three world Peace candles whose flames began their journey around the world starting in Jerusalem. Nuns locally made the candles here in the Ottawa area. In the centre of the frame I placed an ancient 2 ½ billion year old volcanic rock in the shape of a serpents head, bringing the wisdom of the earth’s kundalini from the centre of the earth. On the rock I poured a small amount of sacred ancient water, which bubbles from earth's depths at a sacred site deep beneath Lake Michigan called Kitchiti Kipi Springs.

On the right side of the frame I placed a clear quartz crystal wand to transmit and receive messages from the Universe. On the left I placed a Kookaburra feather a gift from Australia, which brings laughter, joy and sparkle to life. And a reminder when it is time it is time and when it is not, it is not. The backdrop is the Northern Lights Sacred Valley drum that I used to sing this drum into creation with the voice from the Ancestors. The abalone shell holding Sister Sage sends all my smoke prayers and blessings for this drum to the Creator.

Creation Story:

The eye of the Creator, large and powerful with its presence is featured. It is this very eye that has come to me various times with messages and blessings, these messages and blessings I wish to share with this new student of the drum. I choose to use purple tones connecting to the crown charka and to the Divine.


In the centre of the eye is the vortex tunnel to the shining light, leading us within to our very presence, to our selves. The mountains are a reminder to stay grounded to this earth plane as we fly to far away places in the cosmos of our minds and to always return home to our selves. The mountains represent many things in their symbolism, the earth’s spine, its kundalini, they can be praying hands, and cupped hands to mention just a few.


Spilling from the eye are two rivers of flowing waters balancing and connecting us to our original source and composition. Water a major part of our body and connects us to the water-laden air around us, to the moisture of the earth and earth's waters. It connects us to the plants, trees and all the creatures of the land. The winged ones, the horned ones, the hoofed ones, the ones that swim in the oceans, and to the crawling ones. It connects us to the entire Universe for the cosmic dust particles are also laden with water. Therefore water connects us to all that is. We are all one.


They can also be seen as flowing tears as we release and cleanse from our soul that which no longer serves us. Allowing us to heal all that needs healing and to expand to areas where we need to expand.
May the student of this drum and all who hear its voice feel the power and the love of the Creator and the Ancestors who guided its creation.

Blessings and Love,
Gayle Crosmaz-Brown
Master Drum Artisan

Drum created by Gayle Ann Crosmaz-Brown named, "Harnessing the Mysteries of the Universe Drum."

October 7, 2016