The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings
by Yaya Diallo, Mitch Hall
List Price:
Our Price: $10.33
You Save: $6.62 (39%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.97 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Mitch Hall, Yaya DialloEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1989-12-01
ISBN: 0892812567
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Destiny Books
Book Reviews of The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings
Book Review: The Healing Drum Helped Me
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Healing Drum: African Wisdom teachings" by YaYa Diallo and Mitchell Hall offers an introspective view into the Minianka culture of Mali. As an African-American student, this book helped me to understand a lot about myself. For example, YaYa explains that in his culture, musicians have a responsibility for the affect that the music has on it's listeners. "In my culture, art is allied with morality." (94)We in the West have debated the issue of the artist's responsibility for some time now. As an aspiring actress and writer, my belief has always been that we have are responsible for the messages we send through our art. YaYa explains that music can not only heal, but also can hurt. This is evident in the complacent attitude of many of today's rap artists and it's consumers. YaYa also expounds on some of the differences between the value of time and structure in Minanka culture vs. the same concept in the West. Understanding this element of an African culture allowed me to realize that I am not as crazy as many of my peers and professsors would have me to believe. YaYa's description of the late-night festivals helped me to understand why I can stay up all night and sleep all day sometimes.I was offended by one review which stated that YaYa's book describes Minankas as drug addicts. His description of the Minianka's use of herbs and medicines to heal is no different or worse than the Western philosophy of popping pills to make troubles disappear, i.e, prozac, ridalin, sleeping pills, etc. YaYa also emphasizes the importance of music in the healing process, and his descriptions of instances in which music was used to heal in his culture are both moving and sincere.
In light of American's recent "liberation" of Iraq, it was also interesting to read YaYa's description of the French colonization of Mali. "The French glorified their colonization of large parts of Africa as a 'mission civilsatirce', a civilizing mission...The textbooks spoke of Africa rarely enough and then only referred pejoratively to the 'natives', not the human beings who belonged to our continent." (120)
It has been long understood in the elevated members of my own culture, that Africa and America are inextricably connected. I believe a closer look at the statement above could easily be related to the reluctance of many Black youth in America to take an interest in formal education. The teachings in this book are, in many cases, universal and, in most cases, interesting and inspirational. YaYa Diallo tells his story with simplicistic eloquence,humor, and wisdom. The book offers much in the way of history and parables, without beating you over the head. Mitchell Hall has done an excellent job of translation.
I was required to read this book for an African Dance class I was taking at the University of Louisville. For any person who is interested in learning more about music, Minianka culture, or the world, I would highly recommend YaYa Diallo and Mitchell Hall's "The Healing Drumm", and for anyone in Louisville, I encourage you to take Harlina Churn Diallo's African Dance class. Bring out the Drums!
Summary of The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings
The Healing Drum traces the extraordinary cultural legacy of the Minianka tribe of West Africa, for whom music serves a sacred, healing function for the individual and society. The authors explore the Minianka view of humanity, music, and the cosmos relative to work, celebration, herbal medicine, dance, trance, initiation, and death.
The first book of its kind, delivering a message of untapped wisdom and power from a little-known culture through the universal medium of music.
Theory, Composition & Performance Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Theory, Composition & Performance Books
Musical Growth and Developmentby Dorothy T. McDonald, Gene M. Simons
Schirmer Books; Published: 1988-12; Audio Cassette; Book
Price in other shops:
History of American Music Educationby Michael L. Mark, Charles L. Gary
Schirmer Books; Published: 1992-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $129.60
Measurement and Evaluation of Musical Experiencesby David J. Boyle, Rudolf E. Radocy
Schirmer Books; Published: 1987-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $403.92
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge: American Patron of Musicby Cyrilla Barr
Schirmer; Published: 1998-06-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $82.00
Price in other shops:
ALL ROOTS LEAD TO ROCK: Legends of Early Rock `n' Roll. A Bear Family Readerby Colin, editor Escott
Schirmer Books; Published: 1999; Hardcover; Book
Complete Idiot's Guide to Songwritingby Joel Hirschhom, Joel Hirschhorn
Alpha; Published: 2001-04-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.35
Price in other shops:
Collins Need to Know? Bass Guitar: From Basics to Bassistby Paul Scott
HarperCollins UK; Published: 2008-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.29
Price in other shops:
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brainby Oliver Sacks
Knopf Publishing Group; Published: 2008; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.13
Jazz Anecdotesby Bill Crow
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1990-05-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $24.18
How to Train Singers/ Book and Tapeby Larra Browning Henderson
Parker; Published: 1991-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $29.95
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization (Exploding the Myths)by Anthony T. Browder
Inst of Karmic Guidance; Published: 1992-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.34
Price in other shops:
African Rhythm and African Sensibility: Aesthetics and Social Action in African Musical Idiomsby John Miller Chernoff
University Of Chicago Press; Published: 1981-10-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.95
Price in other shops:
Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali (Revised Edition) (Longman African Writers)by D T Niane
Longman; Published: 2006-08-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.00
Price in other shops:
Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Amazon Rain Forestby Mark J. Plotkin
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1994-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.23
Price in other shops:
Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman (Compass)by Malidoma Patrice Some
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1995-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.75
Price in other shops:
African Music: A People's Artby Francis Bebey
Lawrence Hill Books; Published: 1999-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.71
Price in other shops:
The Music of Africaby J. H. Kwabeha Nketia, Joseph H. Nketia, Nketia Kwabena J H
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 1974-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.20
Price in other shops:
Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind, Second Editionby Curtis A Keim
Westview Press; Published: 2008-08-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.11
Price in other shops:
The Drummer's Path: Moving the Spirit with Ritual and Traditional Drummingby Sule Greg Wilson
Destiny Books; Published: 1992-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
The Healing Drum: African Ceremonial and Ritual Musicby Yaya Diallo
Destiny Recordings; Published: 1994-07-01; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $7.47
Price in other shops: