WILLITS, CA., 4/24/2 — This Sunday, curator Leyna Lightman and Ridgewood Ranch along with Mendocino Art Center, will present a Senegalese animal-to-drum making workshop, using the hide of a cow born and raised on Ridgewood Ranch in Willits. At the workshop, held at Ridgewood Ranch, one to three communal drums will be crafted and then donated to the Mendocino Art Center in Mendocino. On Saturday, May 2, the drum or drums will be activated in a ceremony and celebration at the Arts Center.
This Sunday’s drum-making workshop will be taught by Saliou M’Boup, a multi-instrumental musician specializing in West African and Senegalese drumming, songwriting and teaching. He will be joined by his father, Bara M’Boup, a storyteller of oral tradition and master drummer from Senegal, West Africa.
Chef Caroline Radice of Black Dog Farm Catering will cook meat of the same cow and serve small bites to attendees at the workshop.
In Mendocino on May 2, the event will start with an artist talk, followed by a procession and activation with visiting artists and local African dance and drumming performers. Toward the end, a community meal made by local chef Chantelle Sookram will be served.
The Willits workshop is Sunday, April 26, from 1-3 p.m. at Ridgewood Ranch, 11725 Orchard Lane in Willits. The workshop participation cost is a sliding scale of $30-200 with no one turned away for lack of funds. The drum activation and celebration is Saturday, May 2, 4-7 p.m. at the Mendocino Art Center, 45200 Little Lake St., Mendocino. The celebration will cost $50 but can be reduced by 20% using promo code DRUM20