DC AFRICAN RHYTHMS
An ethnically diverse city, the District of Columbia is predominately defined by its governmental presence and museum-oriented tourism. And unknown even to many Washingtonians is the African drum circle at Meridian Hill Park every Sunday afternoon during the warmer months. Started during the 1950s, the drum circle attracts the city's musicians, dancers, and people-watchers who come together for an explosion of African rhythm. At the south end of the park, informal dance instruction draws visitors into a sense of belonging. Others come to what many affectionately refer to as Malcolm X Park, prepared with picnics, or yoga mats, and settle into the north end of the gathering. Year after year, the same people orchestrate the rhythm and dance, joyfully sharing an electric energy fueled by the setting sun. And week after week, it offers the perfect finale to the weekend.