July 21, 2023 | Author: Evangeline Abhy | Editor: Ruonan Zhao | Photographer: Justin Yu
“In This Music [the singing of the angels in harmony] the World was begun; for Iluvatar made visible the song of the Ainur, and they beheld it as a light in darkness.” - Tolkien
Every atom vibrates. Every molecule oscillates. That is the essence of all sound and perception.
Indigenous drumming strives to replicate those oscillations on a grand scale, not only for the sake of entertainment but also to promote unity, calmness and above all, connection.
There are two perceptions required to understand the significance of Indigenous drumming (and even music as a whole) and the reasoning behind why the ancients prioritized its position in society. They are the scientific perspective and the spiritual perspective.
The scientific perspective involves observing and understanding the production of sound itself at an atomic level, along with a mathematical and analytical basis on how it affects other atoms, whereas the spiritual perspective goes beyond quantitative concepts and focuses on the connections we feel; especially in our hearts and minds.
With the origins of drums in this world going as far back as 5500 BC, for Indigenous peoples, drums evolved into the symbol of the universal heartbeat, a constant rhythm to align one's existential core with. Every rhythmic beat creates an internal balance for each individual. These beliefs do not go without evidence. A specific set of harmonious vibrations produced by their ritual and traditional drumming reduces tightness in muscles, increasing blood circulation throughout every part of the body hence relieving stress & anxiety.
Barry Quinn, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who runs a neurobiofeedback clinic for stress management, has been working with a variety of techniques that affect human brain waves. His recent studies have shown that drumming for brief periods can alter brainwave patterns, dramatically reducing stress.
The spiritual perspective largely involves symbolism and the method of its creation as Pythagoras once enunciated "The highest goal of music is to connect one’s soul to their divine nature, not entertainment."
The usage of the circular shape specifically for the drum is a symbol amongst the people. Representing wholeness, equality, balance, connection between infinite points. From the time a fetus hears the rhythmic heartbeat of its mother and throughout its life where the individual now lives through the perception of these vibrations. Each drum, in the case of Indigenous tribes, each animal hide that is used in the making of those drums, produces its own unique vibrations. The sound that emanates is said to be the voice of the animal that the hide was taken from. Hence a ritual or ‘birthing ceremony’ is held when a new drum is created to honour the creator and the animal.
The mentality and reverence held for the instrument goes beyond superficial and mythological beliefs. It is grounded on well founded traditions and scientifically proven beneficial effects on the human body. The purpose behind the rhythmic drumming of the Indigenous peoples is divine connection. It is a path through which they can connect to one another and nature on a spiritual and atomic level.
It is indeed a thought to consider how vast the wisdom of our forefathers stretched.
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