Sharing the power of the drum with the community, the local drum group Hands Down performs at a recent hospital event. The women have been together for three years, exploring the power of rhythms and songs to heal, communicate, bond, and inspire.
L-R: Martha Matteson, Linda Hayes, Nancy Polsue, Janell Reyenga, Mandy Schmidt, Melinda Padgett. Photo by Phil Houseal
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The power of drum
by Phil Houseal
Oct 21, 2009
In western Africa, when villagers approach a neighboring village, they sing out Fanga alafia ase' ase', which translates to Welcome, Peace Be With You, So Be it, So Be It.
From across an ocean and through generations, a group of women in Fredericksburg are echoing that call and response in a drumming group they call Hands Down.
For three years, six women - Linda Hayes, Shelley Britton, Martha Matteson, Melinda Padgett, Nancy Polsue and Janell Reyenga - have gathered weekly to bond and share their personal rhythms through their hearts, hands, djembes, doumbeks, and djun djuns.
Djembes, doumbeks, and djun djuns are kinds of drums, as Matteson explained. “Djembes are shaped like vessels, and made from a solid piece of wood with goatskin heads. We play those with our hands, and tilt them so the sound comes out the bottom. Djuns are cylindrical, and are played with sticks.”
Hayes brought the idea for the group back from her weekly trips to Austin, where she and her mother learned from Sherry Gingras, owner of Drumz and an advocate of the many powers of the drum. Robert Lawrence Friedman, author of The Healing Power of the Drum, writes of “the hand drum's extraordinary and consistent ability to create states of euphoria, induce light trance, promote play, release anger and promote feelings of community and unity.” Drumming is being used to help patients cope with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, stress, and insomnia.
That power is very real to Padgett.
“Drumming is therapeutic, and it exercises our hearts both physically and emotionally. Your hands have to learn the rhythms. It gets the synapses firing and keeps your brain cells alive. Drumming is so joyful.”
The women speak also of the bonding power of the drum.
“It’s a community of women,” Padgett said. “We met in drum class, and have played together for three years. We couldn’t have any tighter bond. When we play we are a team and the joy in playing the djembe brings out the deepest smiles within us.”
The communicating power of the drum is rooted in its African genesis. Like the Fanga song, other pieces are stories from Africa. Hands Down also plays the KuKu song - a dance of celebration and farewell performed by African women after a successful fishing excursion.
While the group never intended to perform in public, they are mindful of this communal history and so occasionally show up at events to demonstrate and share the power of the drum. It is always as a gift to the community.
“When we start to play, people are drawn in,” Reyenga said. “It’s a great deal of fun.”
Hayes tries to put into words that appeal and power of drumming.
“You go into a meditative state. It’s spiritual. It’s physical. It’s creative.”
She smiles.
“It’s just cool.”
Fanga alafia ase' ase'.