Community has always been important to me, and I wanted to create an opportunity for people in Burnaby to experience the joy of drumming in a welcoming, beginner-friendly environment. Music has a unique ability to bring people together, regardless of age, background, or musical experience. My hope was to create a space where people could meet new people, try something new, and experience the connection that comes from making music together.
Planning the workshop came with several challenges. One of the biggest was finding an affordable indoor venue. With rising rental costs and fewer community spaces available for grassroots projects, organizing accessible events like this has become increasingly difficult. I am incredibly grateful to Burnaby Neighbourhood House for recognizing the value of the project and making their community hall available. Their support played a significant role in turning this idea into reality.
To help spread the word, I promoted the workshop through local Burnaby community Facebook groups, community event pages, and bulletin boards at neighbourhood coffee shops and businesses such as Buy-Low Foods. The response exceeded my expectations, with 23 people registering for the workshop—many of whom had never played a djembé before.
Another challenge was ensuring there were enough drums for everyone who wanted to participate. Since many attendees were complete beginners and didn’t own a djembé, it took careful planning to make sure enough instruments were available. In the end, we had just enough drums for all 23 participants, allowing everyone to fully take part in the workshop.
The workshop was facilitated by Sofie Heye, whose experience teaching traditional West African drumming created a relaxed, encouraging, and fun atmosphere. By the end of the session, participants who had never touched a djembé were confidently playing rhythms together, smiling, and encouraging one another. Watching strangers quickly become a supportive group through the shared experience of music was one of the highlights of the day.
The biggest lesson I took away was how much people are looking for opportunities to connect. In a world where so much interaction happens online, gathering together to learn something new and create music face-to-face felt incredibly meaningful. Seeing participants leave with smiles, new skills, and a desire to continue drumming reminded me how valuable simple community experiences can be.
I am deeply grateful to Burnaby Neighbourhood House, the Neighbourhood Small Grants program, Sofie Heye, and every participant who helped make this workshop such a welcoming and memorable experience
