Connecting with “Drum Wisdom” and “Drum Magic” – Part One
Purpose:
For thousands of years, drumming has been used in ritual and healing……
The above statement is common amongst websites that promote “drumming and health.” The statement is certainly factual. Indeed, the work of Shamen from many cultural traditions have used drums and percussion as a part of their work. In some languages, such as Bantu, the word for drum can be synonymous with healing and health. Many drumming traditions are woven within a tapestry of religious ceremony, healing, and ethno-medical practice.
Within the statement lies more than a fact, though…..there exists a kernel of truth that deserves to be understood at a deeper level; it can be acknowledged at face value, but pursuit requires diligence, context, and mindfulness.
For thousands of years, drumming has been used in ritual and healing……
We invite you take an opportunity to think about what the above means to you. Is the statement empowering in itself ? or, would empowerment exist in the details….. the history of percussion music, ritual, and healing…..the study of ethnomusicology, even medical ethnomusicology?
In what specific contexts has drumming been used for ritual and healing? What role did the percussion instrument, as an object, play in these contexts? What role did the instrument, as a musical tool, play? Who played the drum/instrument; was it the ‘healer,’ or the ‘receiver of healing,’ or both? What level of musical training did the healer have? What level of training in healing (according to the particular culture’s definition of healing) did this person have?
And perhaps, most importantly, how do we use this “drum wisdom” when we live in a different time, perhaps in a different country, within a different culture, under a differing set of medical technologies and health perspectives? How much of a particular musical healing tradition would transfer/translate into a particular non-traditional/cultural context? How, in our own context, can we truly connect with “drum wisdom?”
These are just a few of the questions that could help us move closer to the core of the issue.
Shamanism is an anthropological term that is often associated with (and perhaps generically appropriated to) the healers of other cultures. Shamen are those who are seen, within a particular cultural context, to be able to communicate with the spiritual world. In some cultures, illnesses of the body are seen to be manifestations of illnesses of the soul. The Shaman is able to locate guidance from the ancestors in order to ameliorate such illnesses. In those areas where Shamanism is still practiced, there is a distinct and noted difference between a layperson who explores Shamanic practice, and a Shaman. In order to be considered a healer within a particular culture, one has to be highly trained, and considered by the community as selected by the ancestors. Wisdom, in this sense, is measured by one’s connection to their culture, their heritage, and their surroundings.
On the note of Shamanism and “magic,”…..I had the opportunity during my transition between music performance studies and music therapy to read an intriguing book named Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram. In an interesting crossroads between eco-philosophy, American magic, Shamanism, phenomenology, and language, Abram writes about the “magic” of Shamanism in a way that illuminates its power, while simultaneously addressing the common sense of such “magic” in a particular cultural context. Abram perceives the Shaman as intimately familiar with his/her environment and his/her tools, and therefore able to make far-reaching decisions to benefit the community.
How might the idea of training, environmental awareness, and intimate connection translate to our context? Perhaps we could take a look at one of the most commonly noted studies on drumming and health, and see how it may inform us.
In the commonly referred-to original HealthRhythms study, it is noted at the beginning that “Drum circles have been part of healing rituals in many cultures throughout the world since antiquity.” Here again, we recognize this consideration, a brief homage to indigenous practices of music and health. We also note that, in the study, the researchers attempted four different drumming formats in order to demonstrate a reduction in stress levels and modulation of immune parameters. The four drumming formats included:
- basic drumming
- “impact” drumming
- Shamanic drumming
- “composite” drumming (based on music therapy health and wellness strategies)
The details of the drumming approaches are largely left out. It is, however, specifically noted that the study, in some form, is music therapy specific (meaning, formulated by a music therapist). It is also understood that each of these formats were implemented by different “specialists” who were experienced in their particular format. One of the three formats in this study that did not demonstrate the desired effect was “Shamanic” drumming. The one type of approach that was successful was called “composite drumming,” which essentially means a composite of multiple smaller strategy ideas. In this particular research study context, music therapy health and wellness strategies, using percussion, were effective. The music therapy strategies were put together by a music therapist who was also a percussionist, and the ideas were essentially created by the meta-collective of American music therapy practice. This is exciting! And of course, music therapists understand how a study for the general population differs from a study for a specialized population (e.g., in a special education setting, a medical setting, a psychiatric setting, etc.) These strategy ideas can be conceptually informative, but can not be expected to directly transfer. The use of drums in therapy, just like the use of any other music instrument in therapy, follows the way of the Shamen in that it requires intensive training, an understanding of the culture involved, and a mindfulness of the moment.
It seems to me that we, individually and collectively, can become intimately familiar with our tools (drums) and our environments. through training that emphasizes the larger needs. Are we willing to continue to find, even create, the true “magic” within our own contexts? Are we willing to put the work in to make that happen? Can we better connect with “drum wisdom?”
In a future post, I will discuss many reading resources that have discussed the ways different cultures musically manifest themselves, and how their uses of music and healing may inform our musical-clinical practice. Until then….
Bill and Kalani
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Comments
Great stuff, Bill…. thanks for putting this together
Thank you so much for posting this! You put very eloquently something that needs to be discussed, especially when we as music therapists are asked to do drumming demonstrations for patients and there is an obvious lean toward the “magical healing drum powers” and Shamanic drumming. There is so much we can learn from the long standing, beautiful traditions and cultures, and must be mindful of how they can translate into our culture without twisting them or disrespecting them.
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