Thursday, March 12, 2009
Slavery: Drum beats tell the tale of slavery
The transatlantic slave trade is a major element of global history, yet little is known about the 400 year long trade. Its lasting consequences - the contribution of slaves to the building of the societies of their enslavement - are felt throughout the world. The stories of lives of enslaved Africans in the Americas and the Caribbean display the capacity of human beings to develop even under dehumanizing conditions. They also represent diverse ways in which human beings confront and transcend oppression. Drums have historically played an important role in the lives of people of African descent who used drums in rituals and religious ceremonies as a way of expressing themselves through a series of drum beats.
