Whole Earth Festival bans Drum Circle

 

Whole earth festival 2022 davis makes history this year by banning drum circles ... ??????? Not because of covid but " cultural appropriation s" Comments please, try not to use foul language

Article says... the past few years, student groups on campus have raised concerns about certain aspects of WEF. Some past events at the festival are now considered disrespectful to certain communities and cultures, according to Cozette Ellis, a fourth-year design major and a co-director of WEF.

“WEF was started in the late 1960s, so parts of the festival have become problematic due to cultural and religious appropriations,” Ellis said. “We have […] taken input from many different student-run groups. We have decided to not facilitate or allow a drum circle to take place. We hear what students have shared regarding not feeling comfortable or respected during WEF, and we are doing our best to make adjustments accordingly.”

A guest wrote...I attended WEF for 12 years and codirected the festival in 2010. I also organized full moon drum circles throughout my 5 years at Davis

Couple things to note:

- there is a huge loss of institutional culture & tradition that happens in a college setting. this was exacerbated by the pandemic / lack of WEF the last 2 years. My understanding is out of the entire current WEF staff only two members have even been to WEF before

- to my understanding there are student groups on campus that don’t want the drum circle to happen, as well as other aspects deemed as culturally appropriation. To my understanding the staff made this decision in response to those demands

- since I left Davis WEF has become part of ASUCD like it wasn’t before. Pretty much all of the cultural institutions that are cool about Davis came out of the 60s & 70s (domes, tricoops, craft center, experiential college, R4 etc). Overtime the University has taken over these institutions in ways that are both detrimental & beneficial. With the high turnover of college campuses the culture & ‘soul’ of these institutions has shifted & in some cases been lost. Change is the only constant remember

- It’s a different world today then when WEF started. Although I completely disagree with this decision, I do think a conversation about how to hold WEF in a culturally respectful way is needed. Unfortunately what I see is a militant approach to canceling events deemed cultural appropriation rather than acknowledging we live in a cultural fusion & holding conversation about how do we navigate cultural fusion in a respective way. Recognize the difference between fusion & appropriation!

- I am a drummer. Drums are core to the human spirit. The first thing our little baby bodies do in the womb is start beating this powerful heart of ours, just like a drum. I go everywhere with my drum & my drum sticks. You cannot silence the human spirit of drums. Will I be at WEF rallying a renegade drum circle this weekend? Probably not. But it saddens me to see this shift in a festival that has had such a profound influence in my life. I pray that these conversations happen & the drum circle can be held again in a way that is joyful, happy & celebrates the universal human spirit of music & drumming. That is how I always remember my drum circle experiences

Drum on! BB

Cultural appropriation run amuke .. when polled festival goers about this new development, due to the language, most of the comments I could not put here. Some of more family friendly comments included of this case of cultural appropriation can include most of the vendors that are not of pure indigenous nor ethnic descent as to what they're selling. Most of the music using global fusion and instrumentation from other cultures in staged groups. From rock and roll and it's roots in African and European music to common bluegrass roots of Celtic equally inappropriate. The drum circle having instruments multicultural from Celtic to Brazilian, not playing traditional rhythms but pure improve, with dancing and participation with no traditional or indigenous songs especially sacred. The drum is the most ancient of all instruments bringing all tribes together to band it is to band the foundation of community and instrumentation at the festival.

Here's one of many comments that reflect the responses given

"Cultural appropriation refers to picking and choosing elements of a culture by outsiders without permission."

Considering that the drum I play I bought from native Africans and was made by native Africans for their livelihood, and that I and another at the circle Sunday evening have taken lessons from and played with a master African drummer from Africa from a long family line of master African drummers, I'd say we have permission.

By WEF's logic, did you get permission from the Arab culture to brew and sell coffee for your fundraising? Do we need permission from Italy to sell pizza, or China to sell tea? Do the Olympics need permission from Japan to include Karate as a sport, or Korea for Taekwondo? Do we need permission from the Maori culture to spin poi, which has now evolved into the fire arts? Are you going to ban all rapping and hip-hop dance except by black people? Where do you draw the line?

Culture spreads. Cultures themselves share their culture. Musicians jam with each other and learn each others' licks. Drummers from various cultures teach anyone who is interested in learning their style of drumming. There is no appropriation here, it is sharing and spreading the love.

Drum circles came from the counterculture of the 60's and 70's, the same culture that originated WEF. If anyone owns drum circle culture, it is the counterculture.

All you have done is spread divisiveness and exclusion.

I would really like to hear from the people who say they are being hurt by drum circles.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/886926816172306/

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