Overall, it was very interesting to get a little bit more background on West African drumming through this project. I had originally contemplated doing lion dance music since I am heavily involved with that, but I'm glad I decided to try something different a learn about different perspectives from others on this subject. First, actually learning the basics of djembe was really fun. Way different than lion dance drumming. What I really appreciated about this project though was speaking with the different drummers and learning about their personal connections to West African music and its significance to them. Listening to Yiriba speak about the disconnect between diasporans and African culture really made me think about how valuable it can be to maintain a relationship with your heritage, or to reconnect to it. There is a strong sense of identity he gained through West African music, and also for some of those that enjoy it.
Do you ever have this sort of identification with music from your culture? Was there anything interesting about my presentation that you weren't expecting?
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Yiriba interview- Continental Africans vs. African-Americans in San Diego
I had the chance the other week to speak with Yiriba, the djembe drummer from the West African dance class at UCSD. It was really great talking to him and he had a lot to say. In addition, it was also interesting to hear his perspective on West African music as an African-American, rather than a continental African like Abdoul.
I first asked Yiriba how he initially got into African music. He first saw an African drumming group perform at the Safari Park. As someone who has always been a drummer, albeit informally, he was fascinated and ended up joining that group. This is where he learned the basics of his drumming from a grand master and he later traveled to various countries of West Africa and expanded on his drumming knowledge. Now in San Diego, he has his own West African drumming company and performs around San Diego with them.
In terms of hierarchy for learning in the drumming groups he was a part of, it was very clear that there is a solid distinction between being a continental African and African-American. Masters were either brought from Africa, or the truly avid learner would travel to Africa to learn from them. Yiriba, although he has drummed for about 40 years I believe, does not consider himself a master. His definition of a master is someone who is incredibly knowledgable in the drumming rhythms, techniques, and secrets of at least one ethnic group of Africa. The only way to do so is to be completely immersed in that groups culture and to be taken in by it's community. This is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for an African-American to do because of the cultural differences. There is a deeper understanding of the traditions and culture that African-Americans, as diasporans, can't really attain. So in regards to the West African music setting in San Diego, there seems to be a necessity to refer back to the roots, Africa, for it to retain a sense of traditionalism, rather than become acculturated.
I first asked Yiriba how he initially got into African music. He first saw an African drumming group perform at the Safari Park. As someone who has always been a drummer, albeit informally, he was fascinated and ended up joining that group. This is where he learned the basics of his drumming from a grand master and he later traveled to various countries of West Africa and expanded on his drumming knowledge. Now in San Diego, he has his own West African drumming company and performs around San Diego with them.
In terms of hierarchy for learning in the drumming groups he was a part of, it was very clear that there is a solid distinction between being a continental African and African-American. Masters were either brought from Africa, or the truly avid learner would travel to Africa to learn from them. Yiriba, although he has drummed for about 40 years I believe, does not consider himself a master. His definition of a master is someone who is incredibly knowledgable in the drumming rhythms, techniques, and secrets of at least one ethnic group of Africa. The only way to do so is to be completely immersed in that groups culture and to be taken in by it's community. This is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for an African-American to do because of the cultural differences. There is a deeper understanding of the traditions and culture that African-Americans, as diasporans, can't really attain. So in regards to the West African music setting in San Diego, there seems to be a necessity to refer back to the roots, Africa, for it to retain a sense of traditionalism, rather than become acculturated.
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