In Partnership with RI Haitian Community Center/HAPPARI , Hope and Change For Haiti is hosting an event to bring the rhythms of traditional Haitian music to Rhode Island. This event is a one day workshop about Haitian Drum teaching to benefit the Rhode Island community. Haitian Master Drummer Leon Mackendie from Jean Appolon Expressions (in Cambridge MA) is the facilitator of this workshop. This event will be an opportunity to teach the youth in the Haitian community and other communities about the fundamentals, rituals, and history of the Haitian drums. Considered as a sacred musical instrument in the Haitian culture, drums sounds have played a significant role in the slaves’ strategic battle to defeat the great Napoleon’s army of France to set Haiti as the first Black Country independent in the world in January 1st, 1804. While this workshop is designed to welcome participants that have no prior drums skills, it also suitable to advanced drummers. As a trainer, Mr. Mackendie will cover a variety of drumming techniques, patterns, and sounds genres with the participants so they can learn to drum.