This program offered by: Yingwana Khosa
Through Drums and Dance we can encourage youth to be a positive influence in their communities and schools. This is one way to understand UBUNTU, an African idea translated as “I am because of you.”

This is the idea that is at the center of the workshops/lessons/performances of Yingwana Khosa. He brings 30 drums and immediately engages the students in an exercise. This “technique” is best described by capital “P” Play. When you grow in a community of traditional music and dance, it becomes your daily rhythm. Yingwana believes in drums as a way of communication and sharing the feeling and beauty of being part of the village. This “method” deepens with extended contact. With extended immersion the experience creates the essential conditions for the UBUNTU experience.

More than skills on the drums, students to learn elementary poly rhythms while also listening to Yingwana’s stories. These are rich resources which contextualize powerful South African narratives; apartheid, African National Congress, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Soweto Uprising through his first person narratives. In addition to being an accomplished musician, Yingwana is a veteran of the ANC. He is also deeply influenced by the philosophy of Mandela and Tutu and the TRC.

Yingwana works with teachers and adapt the stories to the age and grade level of their students. The way Yingwana tells his stories and responds to children’s questions continues to develop over the course of his time at school as the relationships with students continue to develop.

Yingwana immediately names the students as his ANGELS. While confusing at first
and met with some ironic chuckles by teachers, Yingwana is deeply serious. In a few words, they are the hope of the future and from a very South African place, Yingwana believes in them in a manner they too come to believe in themselves. This respect, tolerance and love pervades his interactions, his Play. In this way he works with young people so they can “become the change they wish to see”

Accompanying Yingwana is his friend, mentor, mentee, and retired teacher Michael Sweeney. Their relationship is deeper than friendship and they come to the workshops together to share the energy of their relationship with the young drummers.

One session workshops are available. In single sessions the drumming “play” is condensed. Fewer rhythms will be introduced and there is less time to develop relationships and share stories, but the experience of drumming, dancing, playing and singing is still UBUNTU come to life.

“This beautiful country, America, must be healed with all the love it takes to pump one’s heart and fill it with dreams.” Katharine Lee Bates