I Have a Drum !

A JOYOUS EXPLOSION OF DRUM, DANCE AND SONG FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED INGOMA NSHYA: THE WOMEN DRUMMERS OF RWANDA

In Rwanda, the word for “power” is the same as the word for “drum”. This is a story of a group of women joyously, and with determination, discovering their power - and becoming some the best drummers in the world.

The Project

In 2004, in a country still contending with extreme trauma, a group of Rwandan women broke a centuries-old taboo against women being allowed to even touch a drum. Overcoming incredible odds, Ingoma Nshya (New Drum/New Power) is now recognized as one of the most exciting drumming ensembles anywhere.

This is their story. A story of overcoming. A story of using joyful disobedience to change what future girls are allowed to dream of. It is a story of passing a torch to a new generation the world over.

In Progress

I Have a Drum is a narrative concert. Two women - one older (Rwandan Kiki Katese) and one young (Canadian Ineza Mugisha) - are the audience’s guides through an evening of storytelling, dance, and extraordinary music – featuring the drums and voices of Ingoma Nshya, The Women Drummers of Rwanda.

THE TEAM

I Have a Drum is being jointly produced by the Woman Cultural Centre (Rwanda) and Volcano (Canada). It stars Rwandan writer, performer, and founder of Ingoma Nshya, Odile Gakire “Kiki” Katese and Canadian soprano and actor Ineza Mugisha. Joining them are the 11 women drummers of Ingoma Nshya.

It is a follow-up to their previous collaboration and global hit, The Book of Life (Edinburgh International Festival, Spoleto USA Festival, Ubumuntu Festival Kigali; Canadian Stage Co. Toronto; and 6-city tour of the USA).

THE DESIGN

Scenic design (costumes and set) will be led by globally acclaimed Ugandan artist Acaye Kerunen (curator, Ugandan Pavilion at Venice Bienale, represented by Blum galleries New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo, and Pace Galleries international).

In the same way that the women drummers have broken a patriarchal taboo, by claiming space in the male world of drumming, so, too has Kerunen claimed space for East African women in the world of fine art – a world that has long labelled women’s artmaking as “craft”. Kerunen collaborates with primary artisans to produce the woven, dyed, and hand crafted materials that she then moulds into large-scale installations. Her mission: to demonstrate that “fine art” has been alive and well in the hands of women for millennia. Kerunen will work with Canadian designers Patrick Lavender and Kaitlin Hickey in adapting her installation art to the stage, and lighting it theatrically.

The live performance onstage will also be accompanied by a projection design of hand-cut, hand-animated shadow imagery, crafted by acclaimed Canadian papercut artist Kristine White, assisted by Rwandan Aurore Katese. In addition, the projection design will explore the use of video to visit young girls in Rwanda in a more documentary way - and to transform these images into visual art.

The idea here is that this show, like the women themselves, are transforming their experience first into history, and then into mythology. These women are, and will always be, the mothers of women drumming in Rwanda, and this show seeks to memorialize that achievement.

OUTREACH & ANCILLARY PROGRAMMING

I Have a Drum will travel with a team that is skilled at outreach and ancillary programming. Teaching demonstrations, lectures, talk backs, pop-up concerts - all are possible on the road, and can be geared to youth from elementary to college level, as well as to the general public

Donations

These women, and this show, has a enormous potential for positive impact on girls and women, regardless of where they live.  Please click here to support:

OUR PARTNERS

Volcano wishes to acknowledge and thank our co-commissioning partners:

Volcano wishes to acknowledge and thank our funders: