Roberto Armenteros
December 7, 1999

The Drum, a Link Between Two Cultures

The drum occupies a very significant place in the Indian and the Cuban civilizations. It has maintained

strong cultural links to previous generations, providing a way of communication with the past and the

gods, giving outstanding performances in most celebrations. Its use depends on the theme of the event,

which can vary from love to nature and religion, or to a productive year. These two civilizations, although

from different perspectives, see beyond the two stretched membranes held taut across a bowl-shaped

or tubular frame that make up the drum. Both cultures understand the secret it holds inside although

differences in the way the image of the drum is reflected, defines their own way of interpreting this

instrument's qualities and magic.

In many of the Indian civilizations, and in a large part of the Cuban civilization, the drum has a

sacred meaning. To the Indian, the drum is said to be the heartbeat of the Creator. This belief represents

to them a living proof that their gods exist and are watching their steps. A drum has to be purified in the

smoke of sweet grass, cedar, or sage to become a sacred instrument. Then it is used in ceremonies where

people ask their creators to bless them and make them well. Long Standing Bear Chief, 15 . The Mohicans,

a group of Native Americans who used to live in a territory along the Hudson River, in what is now New

York State, is an example of a tribe that gives spiritual and special virtues to the drum. At the beginning of

any of their important meetings, formerly opened by the medicine man, a girl starts playing the drum in a

symbolic manner. They believe this act gratifies the gods, giving a ceremonial mood to this event, and

developing feelings of importance and self-confidence among the participants. The Ojibwa tribes, originally

from the Eastern Woodlands areas, also trust the fact that drums have the power to communicate with their

superior gods. Likewise, many Cubans attribute religious characteristics to the drums as an Afro-Cuban

tradition that has its roots going back to when the Spanish brought slaves to Cuba. Once these slaves were

set free, they were able to practice their religion, which is called Santeria. Then, as time progressed it became

part of the entire society, affecting most of the Cuban citizens. Currently Santeria is the most vivid expression

of Cuban protest against the lack of freedom of religion. In this practice the drum, together with rum and African

saints, like Obatala, Yemalla, and Ochun, famous folkloric dances like Rumba and Guaracha are performed. As

they dance, drink, and smoke a puro , people ask these saints to help them alleviate their problems.

Indians also assign curative characteristics to the drums. By drumming and singing to the ill person, they ask

the creator to come into their presence and bring the other holy spirits to cure the person and scare the evil that might

be causing this illness. In their opinion, this act of drumming is something of beauty to the Creator, that is why they

consider it appropriate in these circumstances (Long Standing Bear Chief, 15). Many Cubans, particularly those with

African ancestry, also use the drum with a similar purpose, not exactly to cure a person of a specific illness, but to rid

any malicious spirit that may be bringing negative vibrations to their lives. During this ritual, a chicken must be sacrificed,

then its blood is rendered to the saints; and when the Curandero feels the power, he uses the drum to communicate

with these saints.

Nevertheless, in light of the number of people who participate in such practices, the use of the drum in the Indian

culture has a more religious character than in the Cuban culture. While the majority of the Indian people and a large number

of the Cuban people find religious powers in the drums, there is a large group of Cubans who value the drum just as a

percussion instrument in the different popular dances. This new conception in the use of the drum led to the birth of Salsa.

Salsa is a result of fusing the Rumba, Guaracha, and Guaguanco under one name, but shifting the old spiritual values into

more practical and modern cultural expressions. In this dance, the drum and other percussion instruments add an unique

taste to the music, making it popular worldwide.

In fact, the drum for both the Indian and the Cuban civilizations represents a valued instrument. Both cultures use the

drum with religious purposes in different dances and rituals. They also find curative powers on the drum. In the Indian culture

the medicine man uses it to cure ill people in religious rituals, and in the Cuban culture the curandero uses it to get rid of malicious

spirits that cause illness. All these similarities among two completely different cultures allow me to conclude that the drum is a

powerful link between the Indian and the Cuban civilizations.