Drum Circle Debuts With Uplifting Harmony In Greenport

GREENPORT, NY —A soft breeze in the air, night falling at the 5th Street Park in Greenport, a group of men and women, carrying instruments and music in their hearts, gathered for the first drum circle organized by Baiting Hollow's Erin Prince.

Whether they were longtime musicians or trying an instrument for the first time, the circle was welcoming. Prince began by smudging the area with sage, thanking all who turned out.

"It takes a community," she said, adding that one of the most beautiful aspects of the gathering is to start with one person's song and listen as all join in. "The songs become one."

After the session, Prince reflected on her dream realized: "Although we were small in numbers we were large in smiles and laughter," she said. "The small flags were flapping in the winds against the gray, slightly unstable skies, but everyone who came walked to me, smiling brightly, instruments in hand. Some djembe. Some a snare drum, bongo and maraca. They were all there to lend their talents and rhythm and also to congratulate me, which was so humbling."

Prince maintains that it's not about a single person but a shared vision that makes the drum circle come to life. "It wouldn’t have been possible without those who gathered this evening," she said, adding that many onlookers expressed curiosity.

"The greatest moment of the night was when I saw those that thought themselves inexperienced catch the beat and we all synched up playing a nice set. I felt a sense of pride, both personal and for others to see the magic of music bringing it alive," she said. Although this was just the first gathering, my heart swells with anticipation of what this will become. "

The night, she said, was all she could ever ask for. "The eager reception from others of something that was once something I thought was a deep personal dream brought to fruition. If there is word beyond overwhelming gratitude, that best describes how I felt tonight."

Prince said the idea for a drum circle was born when she was sharing the experience with friends. "The dream came to me one night at a friend's circle, when I said, 'Why don't we have something like this on the North Fork?' And it wouldn't let go after that. During this particular night, something happened. It's difficult to say, but I felt a pull, an inner voice loudly saying with affirmation, 'Do this.'"

At that moment, Prince said, "Something had struck my heart. I saw it all then and there, like a vision in the greatest detail."

Her dream drum circle, she said, will include "driftwood poles with prayer flags softly flying in the warm winds, strung up with dim fairy lights, colorful tapestry blankets on the ground, the magic of a dusky summer eve. The drums and rattles laid out in preparation for the gathering."

Drum circles have been taking root on the South Fork and across Long Island, joyful gatherings of friends and the community, coming together to play various percussion instruments, to make music in harmony.

"The beautiful thing is everyone plays their own individual song — and everyone's songs meld onto one. It's all about listening to one another, Prince said.

Prince, touched by the experience, said she attends a biweekly drum circle at a friend's in Port Jefferson Station. "That's where my beginnings came from — where my roots will be forever — a wonderful gathering of people and friendly faces," she said.

At the drum circles, people play African hand drums including djembe, dundun, darbuka or goblet drums, maracas, tambourines and even rattling shells.

The drum circle, Prince said, is "literally a form of magic. The circle is a special place for everyone, regardless of age or religion or beliefs to come together as one. Everyone can take it a different way, that's the beautiful thing. Some play to let go, some play to raise some energy. Others play for sheer enjoyment of music. It's quite literally an invisible bridge that connects everyone whom participates."

Creating the drum circle resonated with Prince, who said she has a deep desire to be part of the community and give something back.

"Although I am an illustrator and graphic designer by trade sometimes those skills get lost in the sea of faces. If by the grace of music I can bring people together I have truly made a difference," she said.

Patch photos, video by Lisa Finn.