Global Day of the Drum…by Ian Douglas

Global day of the Drum (GDOD) was initiated from Barbados, on July 5th, 2011 celebrated by 29 countries commemorating article 64/169 of the United Nations (UN) declaration of 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent (IYPAD). The event was created as a healing and peace commerce event. The fire is still burning and the light which invited the world to participate in synchronized drumming for (18) minutes in a two-part sequence played simultaneously in various time zones is very much alive. Several interlinking projects developed by the House of Re-Discovery charity No. 1065 fall under the aegis of GDOD. The event is in accordance with UN General Assembly proclamation resolution 68/237 “; the International Decade for People of African Descent”, 2015-2024 (DPAD).

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The art and the idea of drumming is constantly associated with entertainment, but the drums hold a deeper symbolic, psychological functional and historical meaning accompanying our ceremonies and rituals. No matter to what belief, religion or creed we align ourselves; the drum as a ritual remnant, holds the keys as one of the sentinels of the ancestral gate. The Kemetu (early Egyptians) used a purely lunar calendar prior to the establishment of the solar civil calendar.Many in the community do not know that the ancients held the period (Akhet) included what we have come to know in the Georgian calendar as July; 3rd, 4th and 5th as ritual time. The most famous of these days is July 4th, (1776), where thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England forming the United States, where each year the fourth of July is celebrated by Americans as Independence Day. July 4th is also near what astronomers call the annual “Aphelion” where the Earth is farthest away from the Sun.

This Friday July 5th is part of week twenty seventh of 2019 the 186 day of the year bringing the Day of the Drum to the centre of World consciousness. We have often heard that “in the beginning was the word and the word was god”, however we don’t consciously acknowledge that the (word) is sound. Every living human being has heard their first sound of the sacred drum, as their mother’s heart beating in powerful continuity and consanguinity (kingship). The playing of the drums re-creates the union of “Amen” (the male etheric force) and “Amen-et” (the female earthly force) which together preceded and balanced the transformation of the various spectrums of divine light. In the Mdu Ntr (the ancient writings which relates to the word of G-d); this light was known as “Amoun” – In the Yoruba tradition is: “Amon” – in Dogon spiritual lore it is; “Amma”; for the ancient Greek it was Ammon. This principal of vibrational light was received by the cosmic duality of “Ra” (the male essence of divine light within the etheric force and “Ra-it” (the female essence within the forces of nature and mother earth. The simplicity of life and creation were based on the principle of contractive and expansive forces what we call today vibration. No gender can be assigned to the sacred vibration. In Ghana, “Gye nyame” is the name of the creator, which also represents the duality which is naturally played out every day with the SUN impregnating the Earth bringing forth life. African-derived spiritual ritual and ceremonies are linked to the science of nature and are thus a service to the spirit world. The drum rhythms create “mantras” (sounds capable of creating spiritual transformation) sound vibration. The drums along with the dance in tern create “Yantras” (visual vibrational tools for inner exploration).

The preparation for the day employs four simple principals as the basis for reconnecting through the drum.

1. Fasting regenerates the body and prepares it to receive the spirit

2. Head and feet washing feeds the spirit and refreshes the body

3. A ritual of fire strengthens the body and the individual will

4. The rhythm of the drums creates harmony and spiritual synchronization on the path of healing.

The Moon in Barbados on July 5th: Moonrise: 08:23 / Moonset: 21:23

The next New Moon will be on 2 July 2nd, 2019 at 15:16 followed by July 16th 2019 at 17:38 Barbados time

The Sun in Barbados on July 5th: Sunrise: 05:36 / Sunset: 18:29

GDOD idea is the brainchild of Barbadian/ International dance artist/shaman, herbalist, ethno-botanist and social entrepreneur Ian E. Douglas.