We were very lucky this year to have an African Drum Workshop as part of our Music programme. Our drum master Niall brought a great selection of drums with him. Every class from Junior Infants to Sixth Class had a drumming class. Niall told us how important rhythm and drum beats are in African culture. He told us drumming plays a big part in African celebrations with different celebrations having different beats and rhythms.
We all got to choose our own drum and Niall taught us a selection of drumming pieces. We listened carefully to his lead drum as it told us how to respond with our drums. Two people from our class had the job of keeping a steady pulse by using the drum sticks on the two large, round drums. We played together, performed solos and passed the rhythms along to our neighbour. We were delighted with how good our celebration pieces sounded.
Niall showed us a DVD linking drumming to everyday farming activities in Africa and how village life often centres upon the community working together and using rhythm as a way of pacing their work. It also showed the making of a traditional drum from the chopping down of a tree for the wood, the carving of the drum to the covering of the drum with animal skin. Our drums were made from goat skin. The tightness of the skin was different so the drums had different sounds. Niall showed us the different sounds that could be made by changing how we used our hand to strike the drum. He even played us a solo by himself, it was amazing!
We would like to thank our Parents' Association for helping to organise the day. We all enjoyed it so much and went home a-tap-tapping our feet!
