By NIKKI PATRICK
The Morning SunPITTSBURG -- There is something very basic about drumming.
"You don' have to know the language," said the Rev. K.O. Noonoo of the Pittsburg Presbyterian Church. "You just bring your rhythm and jump right in and do it."
He and the Rev. Kevin Arensman of the First Christian Church hope that many people will jump right in to their Akoma Drum Circle, to be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Farmer' Market, Second and Broadway. Future sessions are planned on June 28, July 26 and Aug. 30
"Akoma means heart, and another term, 'ese ne tekrema', means interconnectedness," said Rev. Noonoo. "They're from the Twi language in southern Ghana."
A native of Ghana, he has wanted to start a drum circle since he came to Pittsburg two years ago, and has family drumming sessions in his home with wife Anna and children Betty, Emma and Caleb.
"I received a bugraboo -- a drum from Senegal -- from the congregation when I came," Rev. Noonoo said. "It is our family drum, and we all gather around it and bang away."
There was no drumming in Rev. Arensman's home. "I wanted a drum set when I was a kid, and my parents wouldn't buy me one," he said.
His parents may have wanted to avoid noise, but a drum circle is about much more than making loud sounds. "The idea behind the drum circle is community," Rev. Noonoo said. "The sound is richer and richer as more join in, and this points to interconnectedness, the fact that we are stronger together than apart."
Rev. Arensman, who attended a drumming workshop with several other ministers in Austin, Texas, noted that there is also a spiritual aspect to drumming.
"God created us with rhythms," he said. "Life, all of life, and our human bodies, are made up of rhythms. Start with the heart beat and build it from there. You use both hands in drumming, so you're using both sides of your brain. When you drum, you are balanced equally between your emotions and your intellect."
All interested persons are urged to check the circle out. "If people want to learn some techniques, I can do that, and K.O. has some techniques as well," Rev. Arensman said. "These aren't from the same part of Africa, but this will probably be pretty free-flowing."
"We have some CDs that we may play in the background, to give it more body in the beginning," Rev. Noonoo said.Those who have drums may bring them, but that's not a requirement.
"A lady in our congregation has a day care, and she's going to let us use some of her beginner' percussion instruments," Rev. Arensman said. "Or you can bring pots and pans, and buckets are also good," Rev. Noonoo said. "Just grab anything you can bang on and join in."
And that goes back to the idea of community. "So much is caught in debate and language, but music gets you beyond that," Rev. Noonoo said. "People support each other, help each other, and if it starts here, other things are possible. Understanding is possible."
On Wednesday, July 16 at 7:00 p.m. let's re-connect! We will be holding the 2nd annual Golden Scoop Homemade Ice Cream Competition! We encourage everyone to enter their homemade ice cream for the competition. After we enjoy the ice cream samples from each entry, we will vote and present the winner with the coveted Golden Scoop Award. Following we will sing your favorite songs during the hymn sing.
