Every Saturday, Smile Herb Shop hosts drumming lessons taught by musician Nana Frimpong. It’s something that I’ve wanted to go to ever since I first found out about it, but never had the opportunity — Smile is pretty far from where we live now, and Saturdays are often one of the few opportunities that we have to take care of things that need attention.
So, when we realized we wouldn’t be able to go camping like we originally hoped to, it seemed like a good time to finally sign up.
Initially, I felt self-conscious — my Handsome Assistant and I were the first to show up to the class, so it was only Nana and us for some time. Fortunately, Nana is a very welcoming, friendly, and engaging teacher. In between teaching drumming, he played songs for us while we did hand stretches, told us about his family and childhood in Ghana, and showed us how music had shaped his life to make him the person he is today. His message was radically inclusive, using drumming and music as a uniting force across all people and all cultures. Not only was the class really enjoyable, it was deeply moving.
Being there brought up a lot of memories for me, too. Being a little kid at Powwows, listening to the heartbeat drum and dancing with my friends. Being older, going to local burns, learning to fire spin and dancing around the burning wicker man to the sound of drums. Even this past Beltane, when I sat with a group of very welcoming strangers and drummed for the maypole dancers. Drums have been integral to so many unifying, joyful experiences in my life.
As it turns out, I really, really missed that.
Gradually, more people filtered into the class. They brought their own drums. One person very generously offered snacks. Another, equally generous, recorded the music we were making on his phone. I had never met any of these people, some didn’t even live in the same state as I do. But there’s something really unifying about playing together. Making the same motions at the same time. Hearing the voices of each different drum come together in one song.
Most of all, it’s fun.
“Fun” seems like a silly way to put it, but I don’t have a better word. It’s fun to make something beautiful with strangers, in a way that cuts to the bone through all the pretenses we dress ourselves in.
It’s fun in a way that makes those other things not matter.
Next weekend, Nana will be hosting an outdoor concert as part of his drumming classes at Smile to celebrate his birthday. Slots in his classes are very inexpensive on Eventbrite — only about $11. If you’re interested in drumming for fun, to increase your musical abilities, or for healing, I definitely recommend attending.
Marble Crow 