Imam Singer/Drummer

In the village, there was a huge celebration one day honoring the chief 40 days after his death, as was the custom. The festival was interesting to me on many levels, not the least of which being that it was a display of the unique co-existence found here of traditional “animist” beliefs and Islamic practices. Muslims and non-Muslims gathered together to celebrate with music and dancing. In this drawing, an Imam leads a group of dancers in song, keeping time with the traditional tama drum (sometimes called the “talking” drum for its ability to “talk” as the player squeezes the drum to change its pitch).