The drum in African culture goes beyond Revolutionary and Religious functions. It symbolizes origins, and, as Maureen Warner-Lewis suggests, it "comes to symbolize Africa itself." The following is another quote from Maureen Warner-Lewis:
"The drum is closely linked in learned African philosophy
with the word, in the sense in which St. John the Apostle used it at the start
of his gospel — The original utterance which created life of nothingness
and chaos, and then established order in that creation. The drum is therefore
a divine tool of the Supreme Being, a womb or beginning of created life."
Known as the oldest instrument in the world, the drum has its place in
societies worldwide, but the sacred love and use of the instrument in Africa
is unprecedented. The variations of drums within Africa are innumerable as well,
giving the country the scores of rhythmic sounds it is known for.
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