The 18th of November 2007 we celebrated the worlddrum 1st. Anniversary with a big consert in Kulturkirken Jacob. Kulturkirken Jacob is an old church that is now beeing used for concerts. Together with artists such as Joseph and Gil Silverbird, Ricardo Sanchez, Kouame Sereba, Sidiki Camara, Celhio De Carvahlo, Zotora and Lidia. The intention of the consert was to meet both cultural and political notabilities in addition to ordinary people.

The consert started with a short blessing cermony by Joseph Silverbird and a videopresentation of the drums journey so far.  Further on there were held appeals from Whitecougar and Birger.

The musicians helped us create the magic feeling stitching the appeals and dancing together to the journey this celebration was. The multimedia presentations  combined with kids dancing made a strong impression on the guest, there was several people crying among the audience. It was a good picture of whats happening to Mother Earth. Our impression is that we made some people think, maybe even woke them up.

The Dance

The stage is dark and quiet. Slow music starts on the stage is a white, living earth. Its heart is beating with the drums. The sight of the white earth makes a strong impression on the audience. It is made by the dancers of a white sheet. The dancers themself are the frame. It reminds us that we are all related, we are all one. Then the danscers start coming out from the earth, being born one by one. The dancers are from 9 to 17 years from U&I Dancingstudio Lørenskog, Norway. With their elegant moves they are describing the critical situation on mother earth. In the background pictures of war, pollution, garbage is shown.They show us their sorrow and uncertainty that is transferred to our children because of the ruthlessly exploitation our generation do to Mother Earth. What is gonna become of our children and the coming generations.

The dancers are slowly changing from being children into the monster we have created, that are eating away whats sustaining our life. The pictures and music is increasing in intensity and horror. Its only the youngest dancer left , she is being pushed and thrown between the other dancers. Is the monster winning? Together with the crescendo in the music they create an almost electric mood.. Is the monster exterminating itself and everyone? It all ends in a violent chaos and everyone falls "dead" to the ground.

The oldest dancer is waking up, dancing with great care, and wondering. The dance and the music is again increasing in intensity. Splits, spin and acrobacy in a playfull way. Is there still hope, is there still joy and happiness? In the uncertainty the dance is projecting there is a seed filled with faith, love and hope.

The Appeal from Whitecougar (Translated)

The Worlddrum is a drum that was created to wake up people. To make a bond across borders, because they have a burning wish to do something for the critical situation on Mother Earth. For one year this drum has travelled from Scandinavia to Hawai, New Zeeland and USA. On its way it has met everything from homeless people to politicians. Several thousand have heard the message of the Worlddrum.

The Drums simple message is that we, as people must stand together.. If we should be able to handle the crisis that is here NOW. Stop the war between human and nature. Only if we can put our differences aside can we cooperate on the issue that is the most important in our lifetime: Our survival.

We are living in a time where humanity is faced with big challenges. Our consuming society leads to that we this year is consume 1/3 more than Mother Earth can produce. The global manmade heating is accelerating even faster than the scientists first believed. We have now reached a level that Science didnt belive we would face until 2017.

At the same time our politicians pratice local responibility denial. They want to solve the problem anywhere else but here in Norway. What will happen to our planet if all the countries are thinking like that. It seems to me that they are afraid of making themself unpopular to the economic forces, who show no will to initiate changes.

In addition to weak politicians we have national and international coorporations who is not willing at all to show responsibility for cleaning up. Even if they know that their action is contributing strongly to global heating and pollution in general. Maybe in a few decades, sosciety will look upon them as great criminals against humanity, but then it will allready be to late.

Behind these companies, behind the mask that politicians carries in public. There is living, thinking humans. Just like you and me they have a family they care for. Hopefully they have a good and healthy life. They have a partner and children growing up. Its these living, thinking humans i ask: IS THIS THE FUTURE YOU WANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN?

Birgers Speech (Translated)
There is not much positive I want to say when it comes to climateproblems. We cannot avoid a catastrophic escalation of  the nature and climatecrisis. But if we act NOW with great wisdom and all our power, we might avoid annihilation of human sivilisation. But I have a bad feeling for our future...It is all to clar to me that behind the politicians nice words and figures of speech, little will be done. In reality, money talks, deeper insights, understanding, wisdom and justice has fallen from the agenda and is yesterdays values. The "Big-guys" who are deciding the communitys direction are blinded by their succsess, money and power.

If common people doesnt wake up from their trance and uses their power to force the politicians to change their politics, we have lost.

The fronts today is like when the white christian man came to America. The last aboriginal people are still struggling for their life and we are ruthlessly killing the nature in our hunt for wealth. Which are in mather of speaking an grotesquely rich elite, while millions of people around the world are living in poordom. And it is going to get worse.

What is the deep underlaying causes to the tragic reality we have made here on earth; Where we have continious wars and conflicts, an extremly unjust sharing of our common resources, and a climate and nature which are accelerating against total collapse. Can it be that it has something to do with our values? Religion and haughtiness ? Capitalism egosentrism and greed maybe?

In a way it may seem as if the modern man has lost its soul and are moving around in a bubble where the meaning of life is money, shopping, consuming and entertainment. Maybe the answer to all our problems lays on a spiritual level; We need to live our life more for life itself and calm down. Our headless search for the price we never reach are leading us and life on earth into catastrophic times.

We have allready passed the point where the domino bricks who mother earth ha carefully placed there through millions of years, has started to fall apart. Where one brick takes the other. It is a tough process to stop, but we must try with all our heart, we cannot sleep.