sisters are doin' it for themselves.

May 6, 2007 6:22 AM

Africa. Some women drumming. Some women dancing. [courtesy of the YouTubes]
posted by flapjax at midnite (21 comments total)

And these youngsters in Dakar, Senegal, practicing their Sabar drumming (using cans) are tearing it up in this lovely little clip.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:27 AM on May 6, 2007

Fantastic.
Had the added bonus of dragging the SO into the room to cavort lasciviously to the compelling rhythms. Would definitely click again.
posted by Abiezer at 6:43 AM on May 6, 2007

Some women writing grants. Not that there's anything wrong with American feminists working with their African sisters to undermine African traditional patriarchy or gender-segregated practices, but some context with the YouTubery, please.
posted by spitbull at 6:47 AM on May 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

Which is to say, let the authenticity debates begin . . .
posted by spitbull at 6:48 AM on May 6, 2007

Hey spitbull, clicking around to some of the links on that Chicago site just now led me to their videos page, wherein we find (among other videos) the Guinea clip I linked to in this FPP. Small world. And proof of the point, I suppose, that drumming women are a distinct rarity in Africa.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:55 AM on May 6, 2007

Reminded me of YHChang.
posted by GooseOnTheLoose at 7:01 AM on May 6, 2007

Back to spitbull's comment... I obviously didn't check the original YouTube poster (until now) and didn't know that it was this Chicago organization that had posted the Guinea clip to YouTube. Can't find anything on their site, though, about them writing any grant for (or being responsible in any way for) the existence of thie female drum troupe in Guinea. Could you be so kind as to show me where this information might lie? You've implied that this is the case, and if so, I'd be interested in learning more about it. Or were you referring to their efforts in promoting drum culture in the US? There are several mentions of that on their site.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:11 AM on May 6, 2007

Hey flapjax, no, I can't confirm that and don't mean to suggest the Chicago folks are responsible for the original group from Guinea, or the recording itself (one of them posted it, is all). It's more the "small world" nature of the thing -- because there are plenty of lines of connection between American feminism's embrace of (West) African culture as liberating and African women's embrace of American patronage for cultural projects that cross certain lines as equally liberating. I'm being cryptic, a bit, because I have my own connections in that world.

The broad dynamic of women curating "traditional" cultural forms for cosmopolitan constituencies is a global phenomenon. It's only truly surprising if one forgets that African women are modern women too.
posted by spitbull at 7:23 AM on May 6, 2007

Thanks for the clarification, spitbull. For my part, I'd only add that I don't find such patronage or curating, where it does exist, to be "surprising" at all, and I hear what you're saying about African women being modern women. It's a good point.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:30 AM on May 6, 2007

Cool
posted by caddis at 8:08 AM on May 6, 2007

This was the perfect opportunity for me to link to Patrick Dempsey doing the African anteater dance from the 80's classic movie "Can't Buy Me Love."

But it's not on you tube! (hangs head in shame, cries on flapjax's shoulder)
posted by vronsky at 9:34 AM on May 6, 2007

(hangs head in shame, cries on flapjax's shoulder)

There, there, never you mind. There'll be other chances to link, just you wait and see!

Sounds pretty dreadful, though, so maybe it's just as well ;-)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:37 AM on May 6, 2007

My favorite african dance ritual
posted by vronsky at 9:39 AM on May 6, 2007

GODDAMMIT vronsky, I was gonna do a whole FPP on Soul Train dance line clips! I've been bookmarking them for said purpose! AAAAARRRRGGGHHH!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:42 AM on May 6, 2007

I'm in ur hed, steelin ur fpp's!

(don't let my measley little link stop you flapjax, that would be an awesome post)
posted by vronsky at 9:49 AM on May 6, 2007

You need to get on that Soul Train FPP soon, flapjax, because if you don't, I will. I've got a collection of links for it all ready, including one for a clip of some of people getting down to the Charleston from the early 1910s...
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 10:46 AM on May 6, 2007

That first link was very cool! I especially liked the way the first drummer would nod her head on a beat that wasn't played. Thanks flapjax at midnite! I was working on something similar, mostly taiko, though. Naked taiko women drummers (need I say NSFW?), you'll have to put up with a 10 second ad before it loads. And these four vids of women taiko too. The 4th one maybe is best.
posted by sluglicker at 1:43 PM on May 6, 2007

Kraftmatic: Go for it! You have my blessing! I don't really have enough yet for a good FPP. I look forward to seeing yours!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:03 PM on May 6, 2007

Someone needs to put together an sctv post too.
posted by vronsky at 4:06 PM on May 6, 2007

excellentee
posted by growabrain at 4:06 PM on May 6, 2007

I was in Dakar last month, and the last week I was there the women in the neighborhood (Yoff-Ngaparou) had sabar drumming and a dance just across the street from my house. I couldn't go, because it was a women-only dance, but it was just under my terrace, so I peeked out from time to time. It's really amazing, so fast and frantic.
posted by Nothing at 9:50 PM on May 6, 2007