Banner
Explore essential dimensions of the African civilization through the dance-drumming:

Dance-drumming Celebrates Life
Religious Culture
Military Culture
Social Culture
Polyrhtymic Organization
Drums And Drumming
Exotic Costumes
Methodology
Dance Agahu Lesson Plan
Kusum Africa
 

Introduction

In the African tradition, drumming and dancing are inseparable components of the same activity. The process of drumming is also where dance occurs. The compound word "dance-drumming" best describes the African concept.

Experiencing African dance-drumming is like having a personal conversation with a wise old man. Most values that the African cherish are creatively embodied in their dance-drummings. These values and practices were handed down from the African ancestors and each generation takes them up with modifications suitable to its own historical situation and needs.

Dance-drumming in sub-sahara African tradition is not only a fulfilling creative art, but also an ancient institution of learning and perhaps the nerve system in the development of the sub-saharan human infrastructure. Among its most important activities in implementing the sub-saharan collective agenda, it serves as an essential catalyst for articulating traditional praise-worthy attributes, manifesting them into images of life, putting them on display, and crowning them with glory for the elevation of participants as well as spectators. Dance-drumming, in a sub-sahara African tradition, is a drama of people performing well in life.

We will explore some of these values and the social organizations within which they flourish. These are essential dimensions of the African civilization and reflect, ultimately, the nature of the civilization - or, more accurately, how the African people perceive it.