My Love of Drum & Dance

In my tribe, every family plays a role in the community. Some families are blacksmiths, some are chiefs, others are butchers, etc. I come from a talking drum family. My family is responsible for passing our history from generation to generation with drumming, dancing, and singing.

At a very young age I was given a talking drum to learn and would go with my family when they performed at nearby weddings, funerals, and installments of new kings and chiefs.

As a child I would drum and dance with my friends for fun. Many days I would go and watch the local cultural group, M’bangba Cultural Group, to learn and teach myself the dances.

One day my uncles took us along to a performance. When we arrived, there were not enough performers so my uncle Yakubu, who knew my passion for dancing asked me to perform with them. The audience loved it and were putting money on my forehead. I made us a lot of money.

As a little kid, it is not about doing it exactly right. It is about learning what is most important in our culture and community. This was the beginning of me learning, mastering, and performing our cultural heritage through drumming and dancing.