Kumina players miss the sounds of the drum

Drummer Artnell 'Sengeh' Bernard of Port Morant in St Thomas says he misses the intoxicating experience of a good Kumina ceremony, which is a celebrated practice in his community.

Famous for the role he played as a part of the Kumina group, the 64-year-old entertainer said he has loved the cultural exercise since he was a child.

"Mi grow up in it. A me help carry the group with Bernice (late renowned Kumina Queen) go number one. We used to go all over Jamaica... even when Coney Park used to go on, but now we can't really move because the COVID thing a mash it up," said Sengeh, a bandu drummer.

His protege, Samson Bryan, who knocks kata sticks, shared that he understands why a ceremony at this time is not a good idea.

The vibe that it creates

"Kumina creates very large crowds. If right now drum is playing in Port Morant and Stone Love, Bass Odyssey or the baddest sound in Jamaica is playing nearby... everybody is going to be at the 'drum knocking'. People come from abroad and are just fascinated by it, and like the vibe that it creates. COVID has really impacted things because a lot of people die up here and no Kumina couldn't knock, and that's a main part of the ceremonial setting in this area," said Bryan.

The Afro-Jamaican practice tends to result in participants falling into a trance-like state called myal. Often, as the hypnotic drum beats permeate the atmosphere, revellers begin to dance almost as if influenced by an external being, some even acting in paranormal ways.

Sengeh shared, "Me see somebody catch in myal and him foot turn up in the air and head turn down, and him climb the tree go way up, all pon some small limb, and come down wid him head turn down same way. You all have certain times you hear the man dem say 'ease up', and when we get up them throw the white sheet over the drum that we were knocking and you hear the drum a knock still."

It is believed that oftentimes, drummers intentionally play in such a way to invoke these spirits. Sengeh said the spiritual practice has been used to heal people from unknown illnesses.

Bryan said, "Sometimes the myal creates a lively vibes and some people start speak what their ancestors tell them to, as their eyes turn over.

"One of the reasons, too, is most times there are unsolved issues within families, where a member can be hurt, and because the spirit doesn't want that to happen, they always pass on that information to who is in the myal to give to other person. I experienced that when my mother died," Bryan said.

"The lady that got in myal asked where is the son of the deceased, and then she started to tell me exactly where I worked and that I was up for promotion, but someone was against me. She told me that I was to buy a bottle of olive oil and wash my body with it... it was all true."

The drummers also shared that they have the remedy to normalise the situation.

According to Sengeh, "We just want likkle white rum and a box a matches. We strike three and make an 'X' in your hair front, shub one in we pocket and spin you and rub up your face with the white rum, and you muss have to come out."