Native drumming brings together community
MARQUETTE– Every other Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. members of Northern Michigan University’s Center for Native American Studies and other members of the community come to practice drumming.
The drum is intended to used as a community and brings people together.
“The drum is meant to bring people together and so whenever there is a drum that’s brought out into the community it brings in other drummers of other people to come and sing songs,” said drummer T.J. Derwin. “It’s just meant to draw everybody together.”
For some people it’s a time to come together at the end of the week and celebrate a tradition.
And for others it provides identity and a community.
“I was the foster care system when I was a baby, so I never really; I knew my biological mom never really knew my biological dad,” said drummer Aaron Smith. “My biological mom is native so when I found out about this I saw it as a way to connect with my heritage.”
The group performs at a number of different events and Pow Wows.
For more on the revitalization of Native Culture, tune into ABC–10 News Now next Thursday.