'That drum calls you': South Dakota drumming group delivers riveting powwow performance
Drumming is a way to foster and celebrate that intimate connection, bonding you to other humans and Mother Earth; the heartbeat of all nations. At the annual Sitansisk powwow in Fredericton, a drumming group all the way from South Dakota was an exercise in this connection.
On the powwow trail, drumming connects Indigenous communities from across the continent
CBC News ·
The Show Time drummers call this the ‘Grandpa Drum.’ (Ann Paul/CBC)
The drum of a heartbeat is the first sound you hear in your mother's womb, Ann Paul says.
Drumming is a way to foster and celebrate that intimate connection, bonding you to other humans and Mother Earth; the heartbeat of all nations, Paul said.
At the annual Sitansisk (St. Mary's First Nation) powwow in Fredericton, a drumming group all the way from South Dakota offered an exercise in this connection.
Scroll through the photos and watch the video to see how Ann Paul experienced the performance from Show Time, a drumming group from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
The Show Time drummers played in perfect synchronicity, Ann Paul said; you could feel the intent in every beat. The performance gave Paul goosebumps, making the hairs on her arms stand up. ‘They gave it their all, it was amazing. It was the most beautiful thing I've seen.’ (Ann Paul/CBC)
WATCH | See the performance that gave Ann Paul goosebumps:
Ann’s Eye: South Dakota drummers travel to N.B. for a powwow performance
2 years ago
Duration 1:51
The Show Time drummers, hailing from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota, were host drummers at the St. Mary’s First Nation powwow.
It was years ago in Toronto when Ann Paul felt drawn to a tent just like this one. There with her mother, Elder Maggie Paul, she heard a faint sound of drumming from a tent in a corner. Weaving her way through the crowd, Paul said she felt drawn to the sound as if it were a magnet. ‘That drum calls you,’ she said, and she still feels the same way about drumming today. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Before playing an honour and victory song, the Show Time drummers all removed their hats, Ann Paul said. Dancers came in with flags, and then the group put their hats back on and began to play. ‘It was amazing,’ Ann said. (Ann Paul/CBC)
The Show Time drummers are from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, located on the Sacred Black Hills of South Dakota. The group travels across the United States and Canada, performing at powwows, and have even produced their own drumming album. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Ann's Eye
Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or on the image below to see more of her work.
