ONE minute guests were enjoying a lovely concert at Queen's Hall, but the next minute were spirited away to a different realm by an overwhelmingness erupting from vigorous drumming by a Tobago group. On March 20, the Music Festival championship heard the larger-than-life sounds of the Y'Aim African Drumming Ensemble, followed by the Fatima College Rhythms of Blue and Gold Drumming Ensemble.
They created a sound that was mammoth yet comforting, ancient yet dominating, and novel yet strangely familiar like an ancestral heartbeat.
For Y'Aim, it kicked off when the lead drummer hit a note to have all 12 drummers and three percussionists bow their heads to the audience.
They played their drums in a frenzy, interspersed with chanting and rhythmic handclapping, aided by three percussionists, one dancing vigourously centre-stage.
Fatima in turn kept up a flambouyant showmanship throughout.
At one point, five drummers took their drums front-stage, all to be beaten by the lead drummer, while four drummers clapped hands in time.
Fatima College Music teacher Leon Grey later told Newsday, "It was a long journey the boys embarked on. They showed a lot of discipline, sacrifice, commitment, and love for the art of drumming." Glad the boys had advanced from regionals to championship, he hoped they would keeping drumming into the future.
"Half of the group started to learn drumming in September 2023. The other half would have learnt from primary school at Sacred Heart Boys and they transitioned into Fatima College and we started the group last year September.
"They won the San Fest competition the first time they entered, and this is the first time the school has entered the drumming ensemble in the Music Festival and thank God we have come out victorious."
[caption id="attachment_1072704" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Fatima College perform Rhythms of Blues and Gold in the Junior Drumming Ensemble category during the TT Music Festival at Queen's Hall, Port of Spain. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
Newsday asked about the mood among boys drumming together.
Grey said, "I think it builds a sort of togetherness amongst them. There are some rhythms that will evoke different types of emotions within you. The boys, over the years I have realized not only in Fatima but in other primary school groups which I also assist, it helps them gel and support each other.
"In the school environment you will see them come together, and they encourage others to come and be a part of this and they try to keep boys on the straight and narrow path. That support they have amongst each other, I think is important at this point."
Fatima drama teacher Kizzie Phillips, who has been a part of the Music Festival for years, agreed. "I endorse everything he said. I think the drumming has glued the boys together in a way I've not really seen otherwise. The only other thing – maybe I'm being biased as the theatre teacher – is drama.
"The drumming really done something among the boys. There is a brotherhood, a togetherness.
"This
