Burundi Drummers Forced To Dance To Official Beat
Sumaira FH Published June 22, 2022 | 11:00 AM
Gishora, Burundi, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jun, 2022 ) :A troupe of barefoot musicians wearing the national colours of Burundi strike huge wooden royal drums with tremendous force, precision and unabashed joy.
Twirling and singing, a stick in each hand, the performers are the custodians of a centuries-old ritual recognised by UNESCO, and one jealously guarded by the Burundian state.
Too jealously guarded, according to some.
"We beat the drum because it's our life, because it's in our blood," said their leader Oscar Nshimirimana, his face dripping with sweat after a spirited performance in Gishora against a backdrop of rolling green hills.
"It was not only my father who beat the drum, but all my great-grandparents," the 43-year-old said.
Troupes hailing from Gishora -- home of a royal palace and the heartland of this musical tradition -- enjoy a lofty and celebrated status. Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye graced one of their performances in January, causing a stir.
In the tiny landlocked nation of 12 million people, drumming troupes big and small perform at weddings, religious ceremonies and other celebrations -- as well as competing against each other.
Across the globe, too, drummers in the Burundian diaspora are found on at least three continents.
"The ritual dance with the royal drum" is the jewel in the country's intangible heritage, declares a culture ministry document.
"The prodigious leaps, the pirouettes, the winks to the spectators... all this has always marked this dance, as the bearer of an uncommon tradition, in the whole of African and world percussion." The drumming tradition known locally as "ingoma" dates back to the 17th century, and honoured the eternal rule of the royal family at a time when Burundi was a monarchy.
Upon assuming the throne, a king was said to have "ascended the drum", which was considered the source of his power.
The most hallowed drums are even given Names. Many have vanished through the ages but two -- known as Ruciteme and Murimirwa -- are enshrined in a traditional straw hut in Gishora.
For a long time, these drums could only be carved from the gigantic trunks of "umuvugaangoma", or "the tree that makes the drum talk".
In 2014, UNESCO recognised the cultural value of the tradition, inscribing the ritual dance of the royal drum on its list of intangible world heritage.
Since then, the Burundian government -- an authoritarian regime that emerged from an armed rebellion -- has enforced strict rules around the practice.
In 2017, a long-forgotten edict banning women from playing the drums was reimposed, while dress codes for performers were mandated.
Troupes have since been required to formally register with the authorities, while those wishing to hire drummers for a private event need to apply for special permits costing $250.
In Burundi, which is the poorest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita, this is no small imposition.
Aimable Nkunzumwami, adviser to the culture minister, said the government had a duty to ensure "respect for the cultural identity" of the drum, especially since the UNESCO listing.
"It is the government that (must) protect the Burundian drum. That is why it has regulated the practice," he told AFP.
In February, a troupe of drummers caused a scandal by playing at a festival in non-regulation black suits.
The festival was stopped, and the troupe suspended for six months.
In the economic capital Bujumbura, 27-year-old engineer Calixte Irantije practises twice a week after work in an open-air amphitheatre with his drumming troupe.
"These rules have caused a reduction in demand... it has had a big impact on the market we used to have," he said.
"Now we play at parties sanctioned by the government. We play at the weddings of those who have a permit, and official government ceremonies." Some Burundians, particularly those in the diaspora, have baulked at what they saw as government overreach.
"The drum no longer belongs to the Burundian citizen. It belongs to the government," Pacifique Nininahazwe, a civil society leader living in exile, said in 2017.
Julien Nimubona, a professor of political science at the University of Burundi, told AFP the restrictions were less about authoritarianism and more an opportunity for officials to make money off the UNESCO status.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Separate coaches to be hired for ODIs, Test and T20I formats
Finance Minister calls for reforming tax system to improve country's economy
PM calls for joint efforts to check smuggling, power theft
Infinix Unveils a Vibrant New Chapter with Wahaj Ali: The face of Infinix NOTE 4 ..
PM makes two more appointments in his team
Terrorists of Shangla suicide attack will be brought to justice: Interior Minist ..
Applications Open for 6th Cycle of Start-up Incubation under the National Expans ..
Join vivo's "Light it Up" Social Media Contest in Ramadan to Win vivo V30 5G
Pakistan v New Zealand T20I series: Tickets to go on sale from today
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 29 March 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 29 March 2024
Journalists call for global action to end Gaza’s humanitarian crisis
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Shaheed Jalil Andrabi remembered on his martyrdom anniversary
2 days ago -
Architectural grandeur of Mohabat Khan Mosque attracts visitors, archeology lovers
2 days ago -
Besant Hall cultural centre to hold programme in memory Pir Hassam din Rashdi
4 days ago -
USA beats Mexico 2-0 for CONCACAF Nations League title
4 days ago -
World urged to intervene for peace in Kashmir
5 days ago -
Undeterred resolve – only way to end economic woes
5 days ago
-
Organic Food: A booming trend in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
5 days ago -
From Soil to Harvest: Use of modern technology vital for agricultural renaissance
5 days ago -
Spring season offers glimpse into GB's natural beauty, cultural heritage
5 days ago -
Nation to mark decades’ long journey of resilience through annals of history
7 days ago -
23rd March: A historic day reminds Muslims’ heroic struggle for Pakistan
7 days ago -
Measures urged to recharge depleting water table: Experts
7 days ago