They don't call them *festivals* for nothing.
The Salem Oregon World Beat Festival is an amazing event.
It does the soul good to go to a place where all cultures are embraced, honored & celebrated.
This is all that is *right* with the world.
A cart full of drums Obo Addy brought along for his drumming workshop
The Drum workshop
"I could drum all day, but they tell me we've got 5 more minutes for this workshop"
Obo Addy takes a moment in the sun for a picture w the cart of drums.
Just back from the World Beat festival.....
What better thing to do than go drum with drum master Obo Addy!
Got to sit in on a drum workshop with him.
More photos later....
8 comments:
Good stuff!
I can't tell you how a day immersed in the drumming, the diversity, the dancing & fire dancers did me a world of good.
The drum is the oldest instrument in the world.
All cultures embraced some form of it.
There is good medicine there.
I love it!
WOW! Can't wait till I'm in Oregon again. That lot in Waldport calls to me.
Always the last weekend in June, the World Beat Festival is the coolest. Worldwide cultural awareness, dance, music & instruments. They have booths selling things & food too, but many of them are fundraisers--- medical expenses in Ghana, Monks in Bhutan, that kind of thing.
Children doing Indian dancing, Pacific islanders with fire belts, Dragon boat races.....
Overall just such a great theme tying together all the cultures-- they had a giant Africa map 20 feet long in a workshop called *Africa is not a Country* .
They wrap up w fire dancers on Saturday night.
This is one of those *for sure* things to catch in Oregon as well as the Country Faire.... which is a hipple festival.... not quite the same as in the old days.... but something to behold nonetheless.
That is so cool! You know what I like most about drums (besides that they are the oldest instrument, if you don't count the human voice, hence an anthropologist's key to understanding ancient culture)?? It is the initial impact hearing them has on your body ... how you start nodding your head and dipping your shoulders before you're even aware you are doing that. Of course by then it's too late, the drums have invaded you, melding your body and mind. What a cool festival!
DK ~ They have done medical studies showing that drumming strengthens your immune system, creates endorphins, lowers blood pressure, de-stresses.
It really is a high to have that musical outlet & conversation with others.
Mr. Ramblings tells me I am a solid intermediate drummer, but when I hear drum masters play, I feel like I am a beginner. As Obo Addy explained, drumming is just something the family did every day. He also said his father insisted they really listen & get it right. Sounds like at the time he did not necessarily appreciate it, but now does!
There are different drums & drum styles from different regions in Africa. Makes sense- they are made with the natural materials locally.... big trees, big drums.... etc.
I was immediately hooked once I started drumming. It is easy, and fun, and hard to describe the joy of it.
I do like the primal aspect of it too. After putting up with so much corporate bullshit..... it is nice to do something so very not corporate.
very cool...wish I could do this...I don like listening though...
namaste.
Don't like listening? Meaning you like to drum or play instead?
PBS is running a program talking about how music rewires the brain. They are doing a story about a young man with turrets who started playing (set drums like in rock & roll bands) & playing the music helps reset his brain waves.
Interesting.....looks like our early ancestors just naturally figured this out & we are now figuring out the health benefits of it.
Wow! Yet another reason to love it.
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