Drumming and Rhythm as Healing Tools ++ Developed November, 2003 by Deborah Corkindale ++ For Capella University Course PSY9100

Rhythm and Drumming as Healing Tools

Rhythm and drumming have been used throughout history for a number of reasons - to get a community's attention, in healing ceremonies, as part of celebrations, as a call to war. One must only consider heartbeat, pulse, and the flow of air into and out of lungs to see the essential nature of rhythm in our lives.

Drumming spans all cultures and all historical periods. Various historical and cultural uses of rhythm will be presented. From the British Isles, to the jungles of Africa, to the plains of the American Southwest, drumming has played an important part in the healing and cultural activities of those civilizations.

The mystique of the African drumming tradition of the Yoruba culture is well known and legendary. These people perfected the art of talking drums, where drum beats were used to communicate with other tribes and with their own tribe members away from their camp (Euba, 2003). For centuries, the Berbers of North Africa have used music as an integral part of their community celebrations, such as holidays and weddings (Eyre, 2003).

Slave traders brought the Yoruba’s to the New World, and their musical traditions came with them. Music and dance were included in activities as the transplanted Africans mingled into the cultures of the Caribbean, particularly those in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Santeria religion, which is a mixture of African spiritual practices and the native religion of the islands, uses drumming and music to a great degree in its ceremonies (Miller, 2002).

Americans are familiar with the tribal drumming of Native American cultures. Like African traditions, rhythm, movement, and music are at the basis of American Indian community celebrations. Some tribes view the beat of the drum as replicating the heartbeat of the earth (Pete, 2002). The beat of the drum and the shake of the rattle call the people to celebrate, to worship, to commemmorate, to war.

Japanese Taiko drumming is popular today and has its roots in Waidako drums of hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years ago (Rolling Thunder, 2000). Taiko drums are huge, deep sounding, barrel-like drums that came into use in the 1950’s but are based on the ancient tribal drums of Japan. These tribal drums were first used for military reasons, but also were used for ceremonial purposes as well.

European cultures have traditionally used drums as a call to military, and most people are familiar with the presence of a drummer in military battles presented in movies. While the absolute origin of the expression "the drums of war" is not clear, the fact that it exists at all in such common knowledge suggests the far reaching prevalence of drumming and the military.

Many European pagan rituals include drumming and rhythm as a means to call to attention and induce the sacred trance (Helm, 2001). The Easter Vigil in some Roman Catholic countries includes a drum processional as an opening ceremony. Traditional Irish marriage ceremonies include the use of the Bodhran drum. Traditional Scottish marriages include primitive tribal drumming.

The point here is that a number of cultures and a number of spiritual practices have used rhythm and drums as an invocation to worship. Drumming has been a part of military activities down through the ages. Rhythm and music and drumming are an integral part of many ceremonies from many cultures. An association with drumming and rhythm in some community ritual could probably be made for every culture through the ages.


Updated December 6, 2003 by DFC.