The Heartbeat of a Community

The beauty of African traditions is that they can be expressed through many different art forms including; music, dance, art, sculpture and beadwork. These traditions are deeply rooted into African culture and carried out in various ways. In Africa, music is a form of communication and it plays a functional role in African society. With many different musical styles and purposes throughout the African continent one thing that remains common in all African music is the is the beat and use of the African drum. The drum can illustrate the mood of the people and evokes emotion from all within its reach. The rhythm of the drum flows throughout your body, swaying you from side to side, like therapy for the soul.

Meridian Hill also known as Malcolm X Park, is where African tradition meets the D.C. community every Sunday evening. Individual members of community come together each Sunday, forming a drum circle and dancing to the beats of the drum. While at the drum circle you will see individuals dressed in full African attire, performing African dance, and you may even be lucky enough to hear a few chants. This is a great way to see the community coming together without any restrictions, rules or worries. Come join your community with this wonderful opportunity to celebrate culture and unity. You can bring a drum, saxophone, whistle or any other instrument or noise maker you may have to contribute. Even if you're not ready to show off your musical talents you can relax in the grass, read a good novel and let the rhythm of the drum take you away.

Check out the greyinthedark production video and let us know what you think of Malcolm X Park. Have you ever been for a visit? Ever joined the drum circle? You can also watch more of our videos on our youtube page

--Krystal