Moribayassa

African drumming has become one of my favorite new activities, for a multitude of reasons.  I initially started attending an informal class about two months ago, with the sole purpose of finding an activity that engaged my body more than my mind.  Drumming is just that.  The moment I start to think about what I am doing I immediately become out of sync with the other drummers.  Drumming makes a part of me come alive like nothing else.  I don't know if it is the ancient rhythms, the consistent beat that is much like the heart beat of the music, the connection to Africa.  I'm not entirely sure, but I love it!
Last week we played a 'Moribayassa.'  This rhythm originated in West Africa and is a strictly female experience.  A woman who is facing great difficulties or challenges dances the Moribayassa in order to work out her problem and search for an answer.  This is a community event and drummers follow behind the woman as she treks the perimeter of the village several times.  She begins her journey dressed in dirty rags and by the end of the ritual she is wearing a new dress, signifying new life and the resolution to her problem.  The rags of clothing are laid to rest under the Moribayassa, the great mango tree, within the village.