Philly’s African Drum Tradition as Resistance and Ritual
African drum and dance are the heart of Black Music Philadelphia – from ‘tangin’ at block parties to the drum circles at Malcolm X Park. They are acts of memory and resistance, carrying the spirit of the ancestors into the present and the future. African drumming is one of humanity’s oldest technologies. It has been a tool of communication, healing, and ceremony for tens of thousands of years. Rhythms from Mali, Ghana, Senegal, and beyond endured in the forced crossings of the Middle Passage.
Small Doses, Big Difference: How a young Philadelphia Artist creatively addresses mental health and wellness
By Syreeta Martin
For folks who are navigating a global pandemic and life, the hour-long therapeutic art session run by 25 year-old Isis Kirton via Zoom provides just that: a moment of ease.
