Warasa Garifuna Drum School

One more thing to check off the bucket list; I finally took a drumming lesson. I have wanted to take hand drumming lessons for years however, never thought it would be in the jungle. My visit to Punta Gorda, in southern Belize, led me to Warasa Garifuna Drum School, where I booked a lesson with Ray McDonald, one of the finest drummers in the country. He has recently moved to a new location where he is putting the finishing touches on his classroom. It is a beautiful outdoor thatch palapa that, once completed, will be able to accommodate groups and individuals for lessons in drumming, dancing and drum making. His family is currently finishing the landscaping around the house, planting flowers, making  walkways, and hauling in sand for the floor of the classroom.  I had the distinct privilege to be the first student under the new thatch!

My lesson started with learning the paranda beat, playing the Segunda (bass drum); it is the larger drum usually made from mahogany with the drumhead made from deer skin. My instructor, Ray McDonald, played the Primero (tenor drum),and within minutes I was playing with him as he played and sang a  garifuna song.

Ray was a very good teacher, with a smile a mile wide. He taught me 4 more rhythms: chumba, hungu-hungu, gunjei, and punta. I think he was surprised that I picked it up fairly quickly but I have a new appreciation for the focus one has to have to drum for any length of time. Good Garifuna drummers can drum for hours straight . It will take some practise before I will be one with the drum.

If going to Punta Gorda look him up. Ray’s website is www.warasadrumschool.com . I bought the T-shirt and the CD of his family group that performs for special occasions. I hope to play along when I get back home. I  was so  busy drumming I didn’t get any pictures...next time!