This drum..
how could it be a tool for a union organizer?.. what is it about a musical instrument that would make it so important.. to the health and well being of a labor organization? I will in this post try to explain what 20 years of study of West African village and ballet culture has taught me about community...
I am sure my posts on my twitter from time to time about the Sun Ra Arkestra and pictures from my study of the Djembe get confusing to my union friends... but this work and study is pretty much all in the same. Unions are communities or at least they should be.
I have had the chance on two occasions to study with legendary Drummer Baba Olatunji from Nigeria. Baba was an important pillar in many a way. I asked Baba about Sun Ra... He said Ra would have been seen as some sort of healer or something like that. I suggested to Baba that his school in Harlem in the 60's might have had a big influence on Sun Ra's performances. It is about this time that the arkestra took on a very african style performance. Parades.. drummers.. fire. dancers.. Baba hired two of Ra's musicians to record on his recording Drums, Drums, Drums... so why Ra?
Sun Ra was the organizer of a collective house in Philly. His DIY style of business. He suggested to one of his band members to build a drum from a tree that had been struck by lightning....His band member got straight to work.... no questions asked...
He was the leader.. Revered by his band mates, but he frequently suggested that to be in his band.....
one must not be righteous. He was the leader.. but.. it was an arkestra. He accepted into his band many folks over the years. Some were not at first the best players.. but he saw something in them. He felt that they had something to add.. Leadership is not something to be afraid of.. but a leader ship.. now we are getting somewhere...
Baba Olatunji was one of the first African drummers to rise to fame in the US. He had in his band Papa Ladji Camera from Guinea, West Africa. Possibly one of the first Djembe players to ever present this drum to American audiences. If not the first.. definitely one of the most important.
Until players like Mamady Keita .. and other west african players came along in the world music renaissance of the early 1990's..... Baba Olatunji was the man.. his recordings came first.. before Tito Puente and other mambo craze jazz folks.. made a scene out of it..
So there is a bit for the Jazz folks to chew on.. let's cut to the chase...... the Djembe.. the sound.. the community builder.. in the villages.. all the ceremonies of the culture include the djembe...
Rhythm.. Three "bass" drums usually company an ensemble..
These three drums lay down the foundation for the solo, if these three drums fall out... the whole ensemble knows it.. .. the soloist is always looking to the foundation... but there really is not a solo....
The djembe drummer is supposed to respond to the dancers.. but the dancers also respond to the drummers... the same as any good "union leader" The Djembe is the tool that is being played by the leader.. but.. the song being played and the purpose is not to elevate the player. There is work being done. There are connections being made... some very deep. There is a massive conversation being made... even between the small sounds of the bells. the sound from the bells can penetrate and overpower the larger sound. The smallest instrument of the group sometimes is used to forward the tempo. Some say folks come to this conversation learning the bell parts first. Think about that.
The little people.. the overtones.. the tones that are only heard by the well trained and experienced leader... all have a place in the larger community.
In some West African tradition. The tools, drums are not owned by the person who plays them. the tools are owned by the community. Personal ownership of a Djembe is not something that is sold.
The tools of the organization are given to the people who know how to use and respect them.
The community. Isn't this what we are supposed to be afraid of.. when fear tactics were brought out against Obama... they did not forget to tell us that he was a "community organizer..."
The video above is an interesting look into the village life of Guinea. The Djembe player in the hat was a serious leader. He has passed, but Fadouba's sound can still be heard in his family. He was a very popular sound. His Djembe sound was passed onto several children in his village.
The strange looking person dancing is called a Kawa. The Kawa is the Sergeant of Arms for the meeting. He also is the keeper of the knowledge of medicines of the area. The song being played is the song that represent his work. When ceremonies are being made.. the Kawa watches over the proceedings... his dance is a very aggressive sort of dance. Like the Sergeant of Arms for the Union meeting.. if the Kawa calls you out... you better understand that your behavior has been ruled out of order. The little guy dancing.. is training to become the next Kawa.
In short... we are building a community as union organizers. We are not building a resume' .. at least [in my opinion] that should not be the aim of the work. The smallest voice must be heard and respected. We as leaders should not ever think that we own the tools.. we were given these things by teachers.. elders.. we pass on the collected knowledge. In African culture, a serious conversation is made that the ancestors are always watching... Our past community leaders and organizers are always watching... keep in rhythm with the community.. or the Kawa is gonna get you...
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