Drums Along the Hudson 2023 is a Native American pow wow that has evolved into a multicultural celebration of drum, song and dance. No matter where you or your family are from, every culture has a drum!
This celebration is held in Inwood Hill Park on the site of the old Lenape village, Manahatta’s first nation. Of course, it’s the most beautiful spot on the island. The Harlem River didn’t go through back then. There was just a quiet bay on the Hudson River and Manahatta was connected to what is now The Bronx. In the park, it is sometimes hard to believe that you are in Manhattan.
This is a wonderful event for families and a great way to renew yourself for summer.
Drums Along the Hudson 2023
The Native American pow wow is led by Louis Mofsie and the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers with Host Drums Heyna Second Sons. wordpress.com 🇺🇸
Mohawk Elder Tom Port leads a thanksgiving address and tree of peace planting. 🇺🇸
World drumming and dance groups include:
- Kalpulli Huehuetlatolli Aztec Dancers and Drummers. Facebook @Huehuetlahtolli 🇲🇽
- Sri Lankan Dancers and Drummers. 🇱🇰
- COBU All Female Japanese Taiko Drummers. cobu.us 🇯🇵
- Project Convergence: Tap and Bharata Natyam Dance. projectconvergence.org 🇮🇳
- Fusha Dance Company (African Diaspora) fushadance.com
American popular culture separates us into Native Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians and so on. Actually the Indigenous peoples of the Americas are a continuum from the Great North to the Great South. If you know one tradition, it’s easy to see echoes of yourself in the others.
When European colonizers started slaving in the Americas, first the Indigenous peoples escaped to the mountains, and later the Africans did too. There we mixed together. In some societies African Diaspora culture is remembered. In others the Indigenous culture is remembered. But we are mixed together.
Another surprising thing is how similar are the Indigenous cultures of the Americas and Mother Africa. Actually the old traditions of the entire world are very similar because we are all human.
Drums Along the Hudson 2023 is in Inwood Hill Park in Upper Manhattan; on Sunday, June 4, 2023 from 11am – 6pm, rain or shine. drumsalongthehudson.org 🇮🇳 🇯🇵 🇲🇽 🇱🇰 🇺🇸