Ontario Womyn’s Drum Camp
For 21 years, a wonderful group of women drummers have organized a 4-day summer camp. There are a plethora of diverse workshops on our “adventure called drumming.” The Biblical frame drum is a part of it each year, taught by Barb Pitcher, Amy Oak and Dede Alderman of Michigan, for example. Swimming, canoeing, a market place, a clinic for drum care and tuning, an on-going silent auction and late night jamming are all part of this rich banquet. This year as well, there was a community project of building a giant puppet with the puppet-makers’ dreams for the future as her robe. Each drummer took part when and as she felt like painting, drawing, etc. The puppet then led the ceremonies of the Saturday celebration.
The 150 women came this year from all over: Quebec, Manitoba and Ontario as well as North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, California, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, New York State, Louisiana!
Each camper can start many new friendship and re-connect with other friends they have known along their personal drumming path. Drum teachers can be students again. People new to drumming are most assuredly welcome. Sacred dance is included, as is First Nations’ drumming, meditation, sacred rattle making, yoga, sacred circle singing, belly dancing and even workshops on all the little percussion instruments we gradually accumulate: shekere, vocal gourds, bells and claves. THere are a number of beginner to advanced djembe workshops, too.
I heard about the camp years ago; this year was my first venture into it. I attended for a half-day and loved it. Everyone was so friendly. The workshop was absolutely wonderful. I didn’t eat with the women but the food looked so good! I am planning to camp out in a cabin next year and join in fully with my sister drum campers. Wow!!!
As the Iron Age woman knew, and as the earliest Christian
women knew whether she converted from Jewish or Greek & Roman traditions,
drumming with many other women is a deeply empowering event. Even my 1/2 day was soo refreshing!
Curious? Hungry? See photos below for a taste! And check out their website.
www.drumcamps.ca
