Drum It With Brummet

  Drummer's Sage " Another great obstacle to the relaying of drum messages over great distances is  the fact of the tribal nature of most drum languages.  Since the drum language is based on the tribal tongue it is usually understood only  by members of the tribe.  There is no "international" drum language in Africa any more  than there is a  common spoken language. ..So that at the boundary of the tribal group sending out a message  there would be a check in transmission.  This check could only be overcome if a drummer were available  who understood the drum language of his own,  and of the neighbouring tribe.  Such men do occur in boundary villages. Children of parents who come from two different tribes  often learn both languages and become bilingual on the drum.  But they are not numerous  and this fact makes it difficult to relay a drum message  across the boundary of the tribe.  Thus, many of the ...