Drumming Up Some Joy
Updated: 2 hours ago
There is nothing more fun than creating a big joyful noise with a group of people. That’s what happens when you place a bunch of drums, shakers, bells and small percussion in a circle. Through entrainment, we come together in a shared pulse. This pulse is full of life energy. We lock in with each other and then begin to play in the spaces in between.
I equate community drumming with pure joy and connection. Drumming can also be a very grounding - as you fall into sync with others you forget about everything else and drop into the moment. Distraction and over-thinking cause us to lose the beat - now doesn’t that sound a little like life?
When I moved back to the West Island of Montreal, I needed to find a home for my collection of drums and percussion instruments. Through dear friends, I was connected with Martha and Amy, community organizers at Cedar Park United Church in Pointe-Claire. Cedar Park is an open and friendly place that supports many local community organizations. It felt like the perfect home for my drums. When I approached Martha and Amy with the idea that I could create weekly community drumming gatherings in exchange for storing my drums, it took very little time for them to agree.
Several weeks later, I find myself looking forward to Mondays when I facilitate drumming. We drum for fun, we drum for relaxation, for peace, for creative expression. Most of all it is an hour to disconnect and drop into creative play, some time away from life’s responsibilities and the constant lure of the smartphone. A wonderful group is beginning to gather - we spend an hour in sound and it is rejuvenating, revitalizing and fun. Last week’s session ended with calming beats accompanied by ocean drums, chimes and rainsticks. As the session ended in silence we could hear the rain from a sudden downpour.
Participation is “pay what you can as a donation” to support Cedar Park’s food programs. The United Church holds a very special place in my heart. My grandfather founded the Hungarian United Church in Montreal 100 years ago, and we celebrated the anniversary earlier in the spring at the Magyar United Church in Montreal. I always loved visiting my grandfather. He was always genuinely curious about what we grandchildren were up to. I remember how I felt in his presence conversing with him in my own one-sided childish manner: I felt important, I felt heard, I felt encouraged. I think of my grandfather and how in my own way I can contribute to the community though music.
Community drumming traces its history from ancient tribal rituals and communication to modern public circles focused on healing, unity, and shared expression.
Ancient and Indigenous Roots
Early humans used hollowed logs and stretched animal hides over 6,000 years ago for long-distance communication and tribal gatherings. In West Africa, instruments like the djembe and talking drum served as tools for storytelling, governance, spiritual ceremonies, and social cohesion. The indigenous peoples of North America play large powwow drums and circular frame drums as sacred community centerpieces, representing a lifelong connection to creation, healing, and the natural world.
Under colonialism, traditional community drumming suffered systemic oppression. These gatherings continued despite oppression, and blended African rhythms with European and Native American influences, laying the groundwork for contemporary North American community music.
There was a counterculture Revival, and informal outdoor drum circles re-emerged across North American parks and beaches during the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s as leaderless, democratic spaces for all skill levels. Modern facilitators like Arthur Hull popularized structured rhythm events, and famous local traditions continue to thrive, such as Montreal's iconic Sunday Tam-Tams gathering at the base of Mount Royal.
I am not a skilled percussion player, but I can keep a beat, and I am hoping one day to develop my playing and knowledge of traditional drumming forms. For the moment, I remain happy to learn spontaneously from the people I meet who come to drum.
I hope you might consider joining us one Monday or Saturday for this uplifting experience.
