Sunday, June 03, 2007

Wedding drums and Dandelions


Yesterday at the 8th Muhtadi International Drum Festival (M.I.D.F.) there was a wedding. Jakko Bakko (not sure if this is the spelling, but it's the phoenetic pronunciation) married his partner, Valerie. It was a powerful event, witnessed by their loved ones and hundreds of 'strangers' (the audience). The two had met 7 years ago at the M. I. D. F. and decided to have their wedding on stage at the festival all these years later. They were serenaded on drums by the Muhtadi World Drummers. It was a special treat to witness this moving ceremony.

According to Muhtadi, if anyone attending the festival meets their mate there, they have him to thank (... or did he say 'to blame'?).

At one point I was sitting on the grass in front of the stage and a single white dandelion seed came and hovered on the wind directly before me, almost as though saying: "Here I am!" So simple ... it felt amazing. I thought "Wow ..." (it was as if a wish had come to me, granted). I held out my hand and let it gently land in my palm where it stayed until I blew it.

Unfortunately I wasn't feeling too well so left early ... therefore missing the rest of that day's line-up. I was hoping to return today to take in a few acts before leaving for Montreal, but I think the day will be consumed largely with packing and making sure I'm not forgetting anything important:

Satya - check
Dandelion - check

When I got home last night and was playing Dandelion, my hands surprised me. They were flying all over Dandie's skin, very fluently playing impressive rhythms that (to me) seemed to come out of nowhere ... as if they had a life of their own. Even my cousin, who was there listening to me, noticed a difference. I told her that maybe I had picked up something during the short time I was at the drum festival. Then I remembered the little hovering dandelion seed ...

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3 Comments:

Blogger Gary said...

I first met my wife just before I went on stage, performing as a musician. Although our wedding wasn't held on stage, we proceeded to performing together later on. So I've come to think these two things fit together quite well - marriage and stage. I've felt very much, and pleasantly, reminded of these years by your story.
As for your drumming - it's not at all surprising to feel "taken over" while playing, and therefore playing differently. I do believe in the little seed's magical influence, but that's what occurs quite naturally all the time, even without us noticing it...

8:52 AM  
Blogger Elspeth said...

True (us not noticing these magical influences all the time) ... which I guess creates the 'wow' in the moments when we do. Glad you were pleasantly reminded of you and your wife.

9:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

With the exception of one 1-day workshop, I have only drummed once. I don't even have a good sense of rhythm, but somehow that night I lost myself and drummed. When it was over, I wondered what spirit had possessed me and enabled me to do some damned good drumming. That was almost 20 years ago. I hadn't touched a drum before nor have I since, though I've yearned to.

Hmmmm... there's a dream that might be ready for reawakening about now.

9:26 PM  

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