CaribPR Wire

Menes De Griot

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. June 29, 2011:  A celebration of the International Year for People of African Descent through drumming is coming to Brooklyn, NY.

 Guyanese master drummer and herbalist, Menes De Griot along with Wesley Gray of One Billion Drumming for Peace Network, Granmaster Kham and the International African Arts Festival will host the Inaugural Global Day of The Drum this weekend in Brooklyn, home to a significant percentage of Caribbean nationals.

 The idea of people drumming all over the world to commemorate IYPAD, International Year for People of African Descent was conceived by Ian Douglas of Barbados.

 Menes de Griot, son of famed late Guyanese musician, Art Broomes, will begin the ceremony on Friday July 1 at the International African Arts Festival with a drum invocation while Granmaster Kham will pour Libation each day of the festival as the Ancestral Ngomas drums are played.

 On Sunday July 3^rd from 3 to 6 p.m., the Global Day of The Drum Celebration will take place at Prospect Park’s Kongo Square, Parkside and Ocean Avenues in Brooklyn  New York while on July 5^th from 6 to 6.18 p.m. EST, drummers around the world will be drumming simultaneously ,as part of a  healing vibration for peace.

 “This is a time for all good hearted people to come out organize and send a healing vibration through drumming, songs, poetry, dance, chants, etc. on this planet,” said De Griot. “This is about using positive vibrations to create a necessary change, a change that would see more love and less war, a place where people could feed, house, clothe and educate themselves.”

De Griot is a phenomenal master drummer and Kweh Kweh specialist who continues to maintain the African tradition of Guyana, the Caribbean and America. He has been playing drums for almost 60 years and performing professionally, for more than 45 years. 

Known as the Shanto Man or the Shanto King, De Griot is a captivating presence in the community. His outstanding performances have been recorded on the prestigious stages of New York’s Lincoln Center, Central Park “Ecofest,” Prospect Park ”Celebrate Brooklyn,” the Grand Army Plaza Library “Celebrate Brooklyn International Drum Festival,” Prospect Park “Drummers Grove” Congo Square,  and the celebrated halls of the Kennedy Center.

He has also engaged audiences with his dynamic performance at the Monument Mall in Washington DC, Million Woman March in Philadelphia, Jo’Berg Stadium South Africa for their 2002 “Peace Concert,” Trinidad National Stadium, Guyana National Park, Carifesta 2008, Guyana Cultural Center. He’s also performed at various events within Canada and Jamaica, and has been invited to perform at numerous colleges and universities. De Griot has also performed for many of the Presidents in Guyana and has had the honor and privilege to perform at very historic events such as Yankees vs. Mets World Series.

For the past 18 years, he has been performing for the “Tribute to the Ancestors” at Coney Island Boardwalk, Sponsored by Medgar Evers College and The People of the Sun Collective.  De Griot’s group Shanto is one of the few in existence that has children included to play drums at a professional level.  His performances are considered edutainment for all ages. 

De Griot migrated to the United States as a young man and joined the US Navy where he was a medic. He served for 4 years and was honorably discharged. 

All drummers are welcomed to join the event. For more information on the July 3-5^th event, call 718-342-6257 or 201-320-7396.

 CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 2, 2010: Guyana-born award-winning cultural ambassador, natural lifestyle consultant and master drummer, Menes De Griot, is set to bring a traditional twist to Easter celebration in his country of birth this weekend.

 Griot, son of the late Art Sebastion Broomes, will be celebrating Easter in true Kweh Kweh tradition on the Essequibo Coast from April 5 – 7^th.

The true essence of Kweh Kweh is set for Lot 14 Reliance, Essequibo, Guyana. The three-day event is being presented in memory of Josephine Kellman, better known as Ma or Aunt Elvy, the matriarch of the Kellman clan, and the late Mondelle Kellman.

 According to Menes De Griot, the event is to “keep our tradition heritage and culture alive.”

 Joining in the celebration will be Essequibo’s number one cultural icon, Leary Mc Kenzie and his group Afida of Linden, singer Syd Hooper, saxophone player Wilbert Saxie, Guyana’s legendary pan player, tuner, pan maker and arranger Frank Nigerian Lynch and John Miller on drums.

 Menes De Griot, who has performed throughout the world promoting and lecturing on Guyana’s culture, will also host a village town hall gathering on Wednesday April 6^th focusing on health and wellness.

 Menes De Griot has received many community and political citations for his work in New York and is the winner of cultural awards from the Ifaorisa International Organization of Trinidad and the Guyana Cultural Organization of Canada.

 He continues a 17-year tradition as part of the Medgar Evers College of New York’s tribute to the ancestors.  

 For more on Menes De Griot and his work visit him at http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?v=wall&viewas=504402806&ref=ts&id=1600713451