Royal Drummers Of Burundi Central Africa

by EarthancestorMy Town, New Mexico, USA Sep 2014 544 Views

Considered as one of the best percussion ensembles on this planet, Burundi's top drummers have been touring the world since the 1960s. Their vibrant power and precision on sixteen drums originally accompanied kings of this central African nation.

In Burundi, their music is considered sacred and is linked to regeneration and fertility.The heart felt rhythms have crossed social and cultural barriers worldwide. Spectators at their concerts rarely remain indifferent to the complex and
compelling sounds and dance the musicians create.

Here, this centuries-old group, who play huge ceremonial drums with heavy sticks and a powerful force and precision, unleash their thunderous, ritual-charged
power.

In Burundi, the drum is a sacred object, closely associated with fertility, the life cycle and nobility (the Burundi word ingoma translates as both "drum" and kingdom.

The performance seems therefore doubly charged with significance
and vitality, a feeling echoed in the ritual chants, cheers, and call and response
woven throughout.

While their way of drumming may strike the casual Western ear as somewhat monochromatic, the percussion is actually comprised of forty-one different rhythms-- pulses, counter-rhythms,and varying tempos.
Each rhythm represents an important concept of Burundi society: the recognition of important figures, peace, respect, unity and the progress of their country.

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