04/27/2024
Is a drum circle "cultural appropriation"? This is a question that I have been asked by a few of people. I am at a bit of a crossroads with this question, in that I would never want to offend anyone with my answer. In short, no, it is not cultural appropriation, and I encourage you to read more about drum circles if you have concerns.
I am sure there are people who feel that drumming or using certain types of drums may skate on the edge of cultural appropriation, but I'm going to give you my very biased opinion. For me, drumming is a spiritual activity, and I have been drumming for 50 years. I believe it grounds us and allows us closer communion with our ancestors, and personally I strongly connect with my Celtic and Scottish ancestry. I have had my akashic records read by several shamans and energy workers, and in my past lives I go back to energy healing and Shamanic practice for millennia, not to mention my familial genetic roots to Ireland and Scotland. So for me, it is sacred, it is an appreciation that my ancestors also drummed and now I drum, and my mind had never really wandered into considering that a drum circle could be cultural appropriation until a few people posed the question to me. Seriously.
Again, I apologize if this comes across as insensitive, and those of you who know me know I would never intentionally be insensitive. ALL CULTURES have historically had drumming in their history. ALL. CULTURES. If I go do yoga, am I appropriating from Hindu culture? I don't feel that I am. I practice yoga and meditation, but those were not cultural activities for the deep south where I grew up. Also, I have had to 'give up" some of my own deeply held beliefs in order to survive in my own skin. I have a deep soul calling to practice plant medicine, drum, be an energy healer, use sound and scent during my energy healing and body work sessions, and I don't feel like I am appropriating from any particular culture, but instead following my gut and intuition as an energy healer, light worker, and physical therapist/body work practitioner.
I feel that our society has gotten so far away from allowing people to "be who they are" without labels. I also have locs, "dreadlocks" if you will. I asked several friends who are black if they felt I was appropriating their culture by having them installed and the consensus was a resounding NO. I did a lot of research on hair and culture before I had them installed. I had a deep soul calling to wear dreadlocks, it was not a style thing for me. The first piece of written evidence regarding locs dates back to 1500BC in the ancient holy Hindu texts called the โVedasโ. In these texts Lord Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism, wears his hair in the so-called โJaแนญฤโ (locks of matted hair, basically the same as dreadlocks). History is rich in people wearing locked hair. We've only had hairbrushes since sometime in the 1700s.
Jim Donovan says it best, concerning drum circles. Look him up, he has some great videos out. "In a world often fragmented by borders, beliefs, and biases, drum circles offer a space of unity, acceptance, and genuine connection. They remind us of the primal, rhythmic beat that exists in all of usโa beat that knows no discrimination and seeks only harmony. As more communities embrace this ancient tradition, we move a step closer to a world that values connection over division."
All this to say...if you have concerns about drum circles being cultural appropriation, continue to educate yourself, and come to the circle to see what it's all about. There are lots of ways to hold drum circles, and we will be exploring these over the summer at IvyStone Acres Farm . I am super excited to introduce a very healing activity here, and I hope you can join us at one of the circles over the summer.
Here's a picture of a drum circle I attended in the fall, it was FANTASTIC!
