People of the Drum/Abantu b’engoma

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Hear from a varied panel of African musicians, academic researchers and knowledgeable elders on how the traditional arts can be used to “reclaim” an African heritage.

The discussions will aim to challenge historical Eurocentric narratives on African music, the documentation of oral knowledge, holistic healing practices and more. There will be an opportunity for participation so please be ready to share your knowledge and experiences!

Most of the information currently held about the African drums in the Horniman collections has been submitted by missionaries, anthropologists and collectors relaying narratives couched in colonial or post-colonial perspectives. This session will challenge these narratives by facilitating an environment where generations of communal knowledge and experience can be exchanged and documented.

The session will be accompanied by refreshments and the best African music throughout the day. It will include an immersive drumming experience led by the talented Bantu Arts group.

Please also make sure to join us for Hear it Live! on Thursday 9 March for a live performance in the Music Gallery showcasing a variety of African instruments from across the continent.

The aim of this project is to highlight and unpack the significance and cultural agency of drums, in particular those of the African Great Lakes and wider “Bantu” culture (in the Horniman collection), known widely as “ngoma”, through an authentic African and holistic lens.

It will explore how traditional music can be used as an effective tool to reclaim an African heritage, which to many in the diasporic communities in the West is an identity difficult to grasp and retain.