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Grandmother Drum
Immediately after her birth in 2001, Grandmother Drum was invited to be the very heartbeat of Alaska's largest human rights march, the “We the People” Alaska Native Subsistence March gathering over five thousand people. Within six months, the worldwide request for her community-healing work spread like a wildfire of love. The project then launched two “Ring of Fire” World Tours in Australia, traveling over twenty thousand miles throughout the country in 2002 and 2003, sharing culture and promoting cross-cultural awareness, healing, and reconciliation. The project worked intimately with the Aboriginal communities in countless reconciliation gatherings with Australia’s “Stolen Generation.” The Grandmother Drum is a living, beating message from the hearts of the Grandmothers that we are all one people, that Mother Earth is our one country, that love is stronger than fear, and that peace and freedom are the birthrights of all humanity. The drum is the centerpiece of celebrations that honor the unique gifts and spiritual traditions of the diverse cultures of the human family with the theme: The Heartbeat of One Family, One Earth. The dynamic multicultural performances share an explosive mix of thundering primal rhythms, irresistible music, and dance. The largest drum of its kind in the world, the Grandmother Drum took over a year to construct, and has over 1300 strips of wood, two hundred crystals inlaid in its kettle base, and is covered by one giant buffalo hide. This combination produces a phenomenal sound that not only stirs the soul, but has a tremendous healing effect on the body. “When people of diverse cultures are beating together around a thundering seven-foot heartbeat, they get it,” says DrumKeeper Suraj Holzwarth. “They remember who they are and what is really important: caring, sharing, and respecting one another. Grandmother Drum is electrifying—she is absolutely contagious!” The “Ring of Fire” World Tours involve interactive performance concerts, personal and community healing ceremonies, drum-making workshops, children’s storytelling, dance, ritual art, and earth healings that focus on the activation of what the Grandmothers refer to as the “Ring of Fire.” This ring is a key site in the healing taking place for Earth’s people over the next ten years. The project conducts special land activations and healings in caves and volcanic areas throughout the Earth’s “Ring of Fire”. Early in 2001, Grandmother Drum gave birth to the Baby Drum Project. Baby Drums are replicas of the giant seven- foot drum made in workshops throughout the tour. They allow people around the world to get personally involved in the project’s worldwide drumming vigils for peace. “We want to gather a Million Drums for Peace,” says DrumKeeper Suraj Holzwarth, “and connect our global family, heartbeat to heartbeat.” Over six hundred Baby Drums have been made and sold with proceeds supporting the international travels of the Grandmother Drum. After two world tours, the Grandmother Drum Project returned home to Alaska in 2004, releasing their debut CD, Journey of the Heart, at the Valentine’s Day, “Big Drum, Big Love” multicultural concert. Just months later, the CD’s “Traveling Song” was honored with the Alaska Public Radio’s “Inspirational Song of the Year” award. At home and around the world, Grandmother Drum is known as the vibration of pure love. Her presence heals. TestimonialsConcertgoers are shaken to
the core by Grandmother Drum’s
soulful thunder—her universal power is undeniable. She is an energy that is
alive with bundles of love. I am so grateful! At a time when there are
few good news stories around, the Grandmother
Drum and its people represent a truly inspiring project to help build
communities. The magnetic force of the Grandmother Drum was deeply healing to all who came to the cultural
gathering and concert on the Central Coast. ContactSuraj
Holzwarth, DrumKeeper Phone or fax Alaska Office: 907-336-7439 West Coast Office: 707-477-4246 Email: RainbowDream@Chugach.NET |
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