The Breath of the Drum/Redemption Voyage

A series of Cultural Reconnection by Melodious Thunk and Students from HBCUs and Tribal Colleges & Universities

The Breath of the Drum/Redemption Voyage is a journey of cultural reconnection taking place between 2023 and the U.S. Semi-quincentennial in the summer of 2026. Our series produces and documents “Second Line” style performances in key areas in the U.S. and West Africa. By using the “Second Line”, a New Orleans based music/parade tradition that traces roots to West African processions, alongside influence of Native ceremonial traditions, we look at how this ancient vehicle of transformation was used historically and to this day as joyous vehicle for community connection, and how culture has survived across centuries and continents. The Second Line is a tradition that incorporates many different artistic modalities – music, dance, oral storytelling, “rhythmic storytelling”, costuming, and community engagement.

Short excerpt from Super Sunday Second Line, New Orleans, 2023

Throughout this series, students from HBCUs and Tribal Colleges & Universities join Melodious Thunk, a production crew with 30+ years documenting parade cultures of the African Diaspora, search for “the Spirit in the Breath of the Drum” – that special something that happens in Second Lines / Pow Wows / Ancestral Processions and the like – where musician and communities come together as one to sign, dance, rejoice through city streets and natural public spaces. These community events, open to all, break down cultural, racial, economic barriers while honoring and celebrating the cultural roots that trace back to West Africa and pre-colonial Americas. The Students become an integral part of telling this story, from their own lenses and through their respective artistic practices, interviewing culture bearers and griots in oral traditions, documenting ‘rhythmic traditions’, and learn to use and traditional and emerging technologies as tools to recognize and immortalize African and Native American contributions to American culture.

By selecting areas important to our shared history – National Historic Sites, documented arrival sites, sacred Native sites, the musical / parade performance become an artistic way to.

birthed and continue to influence many American music forms from jazz to country music. The locations and parade / ceremonial cultures look into the co-evolution of music and cultural practices of African cultures, Native cultures, without shying away from acknowledging intersections with and contributions from European American and Latin American cultures.

The “Redemption Voyagers” will bring the world with them across the Atlantic Ocean, aboard a recreation of The Amistad slave ship, Ocean to Benin, Ghana, The Gambia, and Senegal, where they will be welcomed by the elders and be reunited with family. Voyagers will return to the U.S. from Senegal by way of Fort Monroe in Hampton, VA (noted as the location of the arrival of the first Africans to English-speaking North America in the year 1619), followed by Charleston, SC, and then complete the epic journey in Mobile, AL where it began.

At each of these locations, the Redemption Voyagers will be met by the Breath of the Drum crew and Students, as we produce and document Second Line and/or documents local celebrations and ceremonies at the different Redemption Voyage destinations.

This map represent a tentative list – locations may change based on Research & Development phase

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

National Historic Site / Point of Interest

Redemption Voyage

Documented Arrival Site (without marker)

Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project (MPCPMP)

National Historic Sites

Redemption Voyage

WHO WE ARE

Melodious Thunk & Advisors

• Nelson Eubanks – The Breath of the Drum program director / field recording
• Evan Clayburg – cinematographer / multimedia designer
• Vincent Deforest – advisor
• Donald Harrison Jr. – music director
• Michelle Elmore – photographer
• Jack Marley – drone videographer
• Jeff Kos – lead historian
• James E. Ford, CREED (Center for Racial Equity in Education) – HBCU and educational curriculum consultant
• Audri Scott Williams, 20 Million Women Strong – Redemption Voyage program director

Potential Advisors (in conversation with / not yet confirmed)

• Joy Harjo (not yet confirmed) – advisor / Native cultural consultant
• Travis Mammedaty – Native College & University consultant
• Elisa Harkins – Native College & University consultant / Native cultural consultant
• Rachel Wenrick – Community engagement consultant

Redemption Voyage targets specific HBCUs to be a part of the sailing voyage (18 total).

The Breath of the Drum crew targets HBCUs outside of the Redemption Voyage list, as well as Tribal College and Universities. ~12 students will be selected.

Our documentary crew will participate in traditional documentary filmmaking as well as in emerging technologies to create a multimedia series.

• Digital Video Cinematographer
• Virtual Reality Cinematographer
• Drone Cinematographer
• Audio Engineer / Field Recorder
• Photographer
• Production Assistant
• Writer / Poet
• Visual Artist / Muralist
• Dancer / Performance Artist
• Community Engagement
• Graphic Design / Web Design
• Musicians

Fall 2023: Send out applications to HBCUs and Tribal Colleges & Universities

Spring 2024: Student participants announced

Summer 2024 – Winter 2026: Program Production – U.S.
Student Crew / Melodious Thunk crew travels to key locations in the U.S. to document historic figures / parade culture in areas throughout the U.S.

Winter 2026: Program Production, Redemption Voyage – West Africa / U.S.

Student Crew / Melodious Thunk crew travels to West Africa ports / U.S. ports upon return to document Redemption Voyage arrivals / events

Summer 2026: Redemption Voyage / Breath of the Drum Semi-Quincentennial celebration
Student Crew / Melodious Thunk crew greats the return of Redemption Voyage for final celebration in New Orleans during the U.S. Semi-Quincentennial

Summer – Fall 2026: Post-Production / Exhibition Development
Prepare materials gathered throughout the program for digital and physical exhibitions (National Parks / National Historic Sites / museums and cultural institutions)

FUNDING

Grants / Sponsor Funding / In-Kind Donations

• Project Management costs (Melodious Thunk crew & Advisors)
• Research & Development costs (project planning, historian advisors, cultural advisors, community engagement with local groups)
• Breath of the Drum Melodious Thunk crew – production costs / travel and lodging / per diem
• Breath of the Drum Student Prorgam – paid internship program / production costs / travel and lodging / per diem
• Second Line Musician Program costs – (Donald Harrison Jr. music director / musicians / travel costs / per diem / performance wages)
• Equipment Purchases and/or Rentals – VR cameras / VR audio equipment
• Production Insurance
• Post-production / Exhibition Development
• Implementation of National Parks / National Historic site AR/VR applications
• Implementation of Cultural Institution Exhibitions
• Travel – Airlines / Vehicle Rentals / Visa, Vaccinations etc. required for West Africa locations
• Lodging – Hotels / Short Term Rentals
• PR / distribution of multimedia series and exhibitions
• Educational Curriculum development

Grants / Sponsor Funding / In-Kind Donations

• Project Management costs (Melodious Thunk crew & Advisors)
• Research & Development costs (project planning, historian advisors, cultural advisors, community engagement with local groups)
• Breath of the Drum Melodious Thunk crew – production costs / travel and lodging / per diem
• Breath of the Drum Student Prorgam – paid internship program / production costs / travel and lodging / per diem
• Second Line Musician Program costs – (Donald Harrison Jr. music director / musicians / travel costs / per diem / performance wages)
• Equipment Purchases and/or Rentals – VR cameras / VR audio equipment
• Production Insurance
• Post-production / Exhibition Development
• Implementation of National Parks / National Historic site AR/VR applications
• Implementation of Cultural Institution Exhibitions
• Travel – Airlines / Vehicle Rentals / Visa, Vaccinations etc. required for West Africa locations
• Lodging – Hotels / Short Term Rentals
• PR / distribution of multimedia series and exhibitions
• Educational Curriculum development