The Drum
D’Angelo Tolbert
American International University
Topics in Cultural Studies
September 23, 2012
Shari Manley

The Drum and Rhythm When it comes to my culture and people were are people of the rhythm. The way we have kept the rhythm has been the way of the drum. As African American we are lovers of the beat and though we only use the drum entertain we understand that it is something more. Though we as a people have went through many transformations the drum has remain practically the same. The most common a style of drum was called a membranophone (Dean, 2011). The Drum is a basic design being formed out of a hollowed cylinder body normally made out of wood, gourd, or metal. On the top of the cylinder typically a plastic or leather membrane is stretched over each end. As there are different styles of drums you have bongos, steel drums, snares, bass, tom, and so much more. We are not sure when the drum was originally invented but is first recorded in the history books around 6000 BC. Museums actually have drums excavated from Mesopotamia that have dated back as far as 3000 B.C. Even looking at the Aztec and Mynas we see that they recorded on several of their wall paintings showcasing the drum as a vital part of their lives. Looking at my culture and descendants we come to understand that the drum was used in every aspect of their lives. African used the drum as a first telephone communicating in beat several villages away the drum help settle disputes, signal the change is seasons, to declare wars and peace to distinguish who was friend or foe the drum was also used to signal danger. Drums all over the world had places in Civil issues, messaging, and religious uses, delegating wars and battles and so much more. The drum in some regions of the world still holds an important place (Dean, 2011). With the beat of a drum you knew if danger was near, if the village was safe, if food was ready, who was coming, if God was pleased, if there was a birth or death and if the party has started Every culture some way or another uses the drum in their life. Besides the guitar the drum is the most common and universal instrument used today.
Before the advent of Europeans on the African continent Most Africans lived in a very civilized and structured societies and some way or another they used the drum. With Africa being so diverse in culture and language it was hard for you to really communicate with unfamiliar groups but the one thing that was universal was the drum over (Siegelson, 1999). With the way that you struck the drum you would tell people if you were a friend or foe. (Defrantz, 2001)
With Africa being so diverse we can image that the music would not be the same but one thing was clear, they all used drums. With Africa being such a big continent there came many variation of music. Cultures from the Savannah music had a pop in the music it was fast paced and continual and the drum was the main instrument. In the Grassland African used the drum to alert people of the dangers that were in the area. In the tropical Forest region African used to the drum to communicate with villages they used huge drums in high clearing so the drum could be heard. The beat used was typically hard and slow so it would have the time to travel. (Defrantz, 2001). What was common across all cultures in Africa was the playing of the drum for acceptance if you were going into a region you were not familiar, you would stay at the edge of town. You would wait to be invited and then their drummer would come and then they would play on the welcoming drum and after they played you would be required to do the same. Based off the judgment of the elders they would rate your play as worthy or offensive. Depending on how you got rated would result in you being permitted to entered the village or ran off and forbidden to enter. What was most amazing about this were often times this was the only common language between the two groups of people (Shalman, 2011).
The African culture influenced by its neighbors, still found a way to keep their own style and flare. As we go further into the history of the African drummer we see a conversion of sound with the settlement of the Europeans on the African continent. Most colonial leaders desired musicians of the regions to entertain leaders, traders and officials of their nation (Siegelson, 1999). Unfortunately this would greatly impact the African communities. Desiring o the best drummers the Europeans would take the “Natives” best drummers and force them to play only for them. These drummers were considered the sole pride of the towns they were native to, and often times these towns were left in shambles without their presence (Shalman, 2011).By doing this most villages would not have someone to teach the trade to the next generation. Most Europeans did not appreciate the style of the African so they had their music conductor retrain the native drummers in the "new style" of drumming so they could entertain dignitaries. What the Europeans failed to realizes was that they were effectively robbing the African of their culture and heritage.
When slavery came into full swing we see Africans sold and shipped off to the Americas and the Island. What was unknown to the slave trader was that though they were captured and mixed in most Africans could communicate with each other and it was through the drum. Though from different villages and speaking various dialects most Africans had a universal language using the beat of the drum. For a time the Traditional drum was forbidden to be played and used by slaves for it was found out that it was being used to organize. Knowing this most Africans found other tools to make the beat. From wash pales to barrels to the ground and walls Africans used whatever they could to keep the beats of their past alive. Besides being an instrument to organized, communicate and reminder the drum was a tool for hope (Shalman, 2011).As Africans got weary of slavery and desired freedom the drum was utilized again. Those who would assist runaways played certain rhythmic beats to alert escaping slaves where safe houses were and if tracker were in the area.
As African gained their freedom they needed a way to express themselves. Music was the way that most newly free slaves used for their outlet. Taking the heritage they held on too and the new legacies they built in the new world African American created a new sound with the drum being one of the stars. Using a lot of base to keep the time some flare was added with to and snare drum it was typically played slowly and with little of pop to the strikes (Defrantz, 2001). From the Blues, Jazz was created and the roles of the drum was redefined, Just as in Blues the drum kept the time it also had the opportunity to be at the front of the sound. Through the evolution of music we see Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, Rock & Roll, POP, Hip-hop, Souls, Reggae, created with the drum being included (Defrantz, 2001). African Americans still have a tie to their ancestry by being connected to the drum. As we hear a beat from a drum somewhere deep inside we cannot help but to tap our feet and move our hips for the beat of a drum is embedded in our DNA.

References
Dean, M. (2011). The Drum: A History. Scarecrow Press.

Defrantz, T. F. (2001). Dancing Many Drums: Excavations in African American Dance (. University of Wisconsin Press.
Shalman, N. (2011). Sounds of the Drums . Naa Shalman .
Siegelson, K. L. (1999). In the Time of the Drums. Hyperion Book CH.