Drummers, dancers unite at annual gathering
During its 40-year run, Garcia’s Internazionale Restaurant was not only a purveyor of Peruvian cuisine but also a point of convergence for different cultures in Columbus. Both words and artistic customs were exchanged at its location on High Street in the University District.
For the owner’s son, Iggy Garcia, that meant learning different styles of drumming. A significant moment in his development occurred at 14, when a Macedonian band was playing regularly in the restaurant.
“One day, the drummer got sick so they just threw me in,” said Garcia, 52, of the Northwest Side. “I just kind of progressed and I stuck with that band. … And then the belly dancers came. That’s where I learned the Middle Eastern drumming.”
Today, Garcia is an accomplished musician who teaches, performs and provides music-therapy services. And on Sunday, he will help organize the seventh annual Gathering of 1,000 Drummers & Dancers at Scioto Audubon Metro Park.
“It kind of started as a joke,” Garcia said. ”‘What
happens if we get 1,000 drummers out here?’ … I think the closest we got was about 800 people. We just stopped counting (over) the years. But, roughly, we have about 400 to 600 people.”
The massive drumming circle has become a facilitator of community, bringing together drummers from all over the region. Many cultures are represented through the players and dancers; it’s not unusual to see belly dancing, African dance and even people who think they’re at a techno club.
“It starts off a little bit choppy,” Garcia said of the rhythms. “Eventually, it all meshes. It just organically develops. … No one’s in charge.”
Garcia encourages everyone to bring their own drums. A couple of his signature instruments are an African djembe drum, as well as a powwow drum. The latter, made of bull skin and Alabama cedar wood, is significant in Native American and other indigenous cultures.
“We actually use it for healing,” said Garcia, who emphasized the sacred