Drumming New Worlds

Drumming New Worlds Header © Goethe-Institut

Exhibition Statement

Drumming New Worlds is an immersive creative exploration of the Yoruba talking drum that connects innovation, art, and culture to answer the question: What language does the talking drum speak? Using time as a focal theme, we unravel the threads of past stories, reimagine current difficulties, and showcase an imagination of a future of limitless possibilities. This project is a curated experience designed to create a better understanding of the intersection of tradition and technological expression.
Originating from the Oyo town, the dundun drum is more than an instrument; it's a living testament to the soulful beats that have connected communities and celebrated life for centuries. Furthermore, we learn about the true identity of the original drum maker and the Ayan descendants
On this journey, we present you to see the seamless blend of heritage and modernity as we use different mediums to educate the audience about the talking drum and its history, using the custodians of this history: The Ayans. Our project is a curated narrative that will lead you through the intricate fabric of cultural evolution and technological advancement.
With a deliberate emphasis on storytelling, each element has been carefully selected to convey the essence of our theme- time. Our curation invites you to participate with the project on numerous levels, from visual displays to interactive installations, building a sense of connection and resonance.
The drum is not just the tool of communication, but a vessel and portal for world-making, a weapon of justice. The drum prototype ushers the drum into this age and aims to encourage its use by artists and the younger generation. We step into the future, 2095 where we see the Ayan descendants and how they interact with the future through augmented reality.
The goal of our project is to demystify and appreciate the talking drum, allowing its timeless rhythms echo in the digital age. This journey is more than just an exhibition; it is an invitation to reflect, appreciate, and participate in the dynamic interaction between tradition and innovation.
This is a celebration of the Yoruba talking drum—a celebration that not only pays homage to its history but also propels it into a vibrant future.

Drumming New Worlds 1 — Alter.Native Header | Alter.Native Header

Drumming New Worlds 2 — Alter.Native Header | © Goethe-Institut

Drumming New Worlds 3 — Alter.Native Header | © Goethe-Institut

Drumming New Worlds 4 © Goethe-Institut

Drumming New Worlds 5 © Goethe-Institut

What Language does the Talking Drum Speak?

By David Odiase

Before tongues were,
I was.
A deity descending from the void,
A monument carved from thickets of silence.
Before teeth and lips conjured vowels and diphthongs,
I spoke,
As Voice; As being In that small hut of creation,
Where the Orisa made fate, I was an hourglass - the eldest relative of time.
I was the first orator, the Akobi of all languages,
I was the ensemble:
Ìyá-ìlù,
Kẹríkẹrì,
Gángan,
Omele Ìṣájú,
Omele Atèlé
Gúdúgúdú.
Gúdúgúdú kan! Ìyá Ìlú kan! (X3)
……in whose gyrations, Edumare made the planets move,
I was and am, the eternal DunDun dance that is divinity,
The muse for why Obatala made footsteps.
I was and am, Àyàn Àgalú
A deity descending from the void,
The matriarch mother of music,
Handed down to mankind,
Custodian of heritage
Come listen to the genealogies of kingdoms drummed into my hide,
I was…

Drumming New Worlds Members

Josh Egesi is a visionary designer known for his ability to document culture and convention through various materials. With a passion for art and design, he pushes boundaries and redefines the artistic landscape. Josh blends traditional techniques with innovative approaches, creating thought-provoking pieces that resonate on intellectual and emotional levels. His work, showcased globally, captures the essence of diverse cultures and preserves their heritage. Through extensive research and immersive experiences, he infuses his creations with deep cultural resonance. Josh Egesi's commitment to authenticity and excellence has solidified his position as an influential force in the design world, inspiring meaningful dialogue and leaving an indelible mark on the artistic landscape.
Orinayo Odubawo is a graduate architect from the University of Lagos. She enjoys traveling and learning about various cultures through design, music, and food. She has won various design competitions both locally and internationally. She recently presented a paper at the University of
Cambridge while serving as a research assistant at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS) at the University of Lagos. She aspires to express her creativity through various mediums as an architect, experience designer, photographer, and writer. She contributed
creatively to the production and curation of the magazine by writing an article for the African travel publication Irin Journal. Among her areas of interest include the preservation of Nigerian history and culture, the role of women in precolonial African cities, architecture
and urbanism.
Ìràwọ̀ Olúwakẹmi Fáḿùgbódé AKA DJ Ìràwọ̀ is an Editor, Musician and Yorùbá Teacher.
Her dexterity on the Yorùbá family of Talking Drums such as the Dùndún, Bàtá and Sákárà, shapes her Yorùbá language courses where she infuses the primary symbolic language of the drums.

She writes about music and lifestyle on djirawo.com. Her first book is titled How to Play the Talking Drum in Seven Days (2012) and she has presented academic papers such as Gender Discrimination in the Nigerian Music Industry: A Musician's Reflection - Lagos Studies Association Conference, University of Lagos (2023).

She studied music on scholarship at the PEFTI Film Institute and graduated with a distinction as the best stage performer (2008). She has been recognized with various awards for her dexterity on the talking drums such as, The Talking Drum Magician (2012) by The Art Colony International and the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) where she emerged the winner of the
Christmas Magic Charity Concert and Music Competition;Talking Drum Ambassador (2014) by Intro Afrika, organizers of the Yorùbá Talking Drum Festival; Àyàn Àgalú Amazon (2022) by the Ọọ̀ni of Ilé Ifẹ̀, Ọba Adéyẹyẹ̀ Ẹnitàn Ògúnwùsì (Ọ̀jájá II) at the 2022 edition of the Àyàn Àgalú Drum Festival, Ilé Ifẹ̀, Ọ̀ṣun State.
David Osaodion Odiase, is a storyteller and multi-disciplinary artist who tells conscious African stories through poetry, visual arts, performance, film, docu-poetry, and experimental art forms.
His poetry films and docu-poetry have made official selections at international film festivals such as the African International Film Festival & Zebra Poetry Festival. He has worked on projects with bodies such as Change.org, The Canadian High Commission, and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall. David has also graced platforms such as the Open Society Foundation Global Convening for the Restitution of African Heritage in Ghana, Lagos International Poetry Festival, Performed at the Oceanside Theatre San Diego in the USA (virtual), the Green Economy and Environmental Summit at the Nigerian Climate Innovation Center, and the commissioning of the African Quality Assurance Centre, amongst others.
A 2023 Alumni of the Obsidian Foundation Poetry Retreat in the UK, He has been a top ten entrant of the Nigerian students' poetry prize in 2016, a recipient of the Ekonke African Storytellers prize in 2020, a contributor to the West-Africa to West Oakland poetry exchange in 2021, and amongst others, emerged Winner of the Lacasera National Poetry Slam competition - Spoken Wars, 2022.
His work extends to community engagements at home and abroad, and He is currently the community manager of TrueMyVoice, a literary community of over 400 storytellers across Nigeria, where he helps groom them to apply their art, as a tool for advocacy and social change.

Product Designer Josh Egesi and the team embarked on a quest to unravel the essence of the talking drum—the cadence of its sound and its unique ability to mimic the language of the Yorubas. Understanding its core, they reimagined and constructed a prototype that modernizes the material while still resonating with the essence of this ancient technology.
In their innovative redesign, they replaced the traditional wooden core of the drum with hollowed plastic, a material readily available and otherwise would contribute to pollution in the region. Retaining the stretched goatskin and tension chords, they introduced a microphone and transmitter, revolutionizing its capabilities. Leveraging 3D printing technology, the updated prototype authentically echoes the drumsticks’ reverberating strike against the stretched goatskin, while the transmitter relays its deep, rhythmic sounds to a connected speaker.

Drumming New Worlds

Exhibition Statement

What Language does the Talking Drum Speak?

Drumming New Worlds Members

Josh Egesi

Orinayo Adebayo

Ìràwọ̀ Olúwakẹmi Fáḿùgbódé AKA DJ Ìràwọ̀

David Osaodion Odiase

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