Drum Culture: Capturing, Connecting and Transmitting an African Legacy in Grenada

Abstract

This paper represents a critical analysis of the historical and contemporary pressures that have relegated the Grenadian drum culture to the backstage and the efforts of a community group to keep this tradition from vanishing. The analysis is the result of a collaborative ethnographic approach, which consisted of an exploration of the drum culture through the utilization of life-history interviews, in-depth reflections about the historical meaning of drumming, its evolution through the historical continuum and its place in the Grenadian cultural landscape, and the challenges in maintaining the tradition alive. Data generated from this exploration were triangulated with existing literature and through consultations and interviews with key informants. The efforts and challenges in preserving the Big Drum amidst the constant flow of competing cultural trends and the economic demands of the global economic culture are also explored.