Since July 15, a free event open to all has been held every second Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. at Place Boyer, in the gardens of the Zili restaurant, in the heart of Pétion-ville. Young and old, amateurs and professionals, curious and passionate about music, gather to learn, share, and vibrate to the rhythm of educational musical performances dedicated to the Haitian drum.

This initiative is led by the Haiti Jazz Foundation, in co-production with Zili, with the aim of giving the Haitian drum the recognition it deserves. "It's a commitment to the transmission of knowledge and tradition, because the drum is omnipresent and essential in Haitian music," explains Joël Widmaier, President of the Foundation. "It's a common thread present in all Haitian musical styles. Through this work, we seek to deconstruct its presence in traditional music, to better understand its language and cultural significance."

Led by Welele Doubout, drummer, ountagi, and knowledge transmitter, these sessions alternate between transmission, discussion, and musical performances. The format is intended to be intimate, preserving the spirit of a lakou, a space for transmission, communion, and lively, collective creation.

Four sessions have already taken place, focusing on various themes. The session this Tuesday, September 9, will focus on "Haiti-Brazil Cross Rhythms and Drums," in partnership with the Brazil-Haiti Cultural Center, and will be led by Neno Garbers, a Brazilian musician and educator.

Subsequently, the foundation will continue to organize cross-percussion sessions, bringing together Haitian drummers and their counterparts from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Afro-descendant territories, to explore their shared African roots and the unique evolution of each percussion tradition.

IH/ iciHaiti