An Artistic Product of Globalised Singapore? The Damaru Pan-Indian Folk Drumming Ensemble

Abstract

Damaru is a Singaporean Indian folk drumming ensemble that promotes pan-Indian identity and Indian folk drumming in the city-state. This article examines how Damaru navigates and carves a niche in Singapore’s multicultural milieu with the concept of a pan-Indian folk drumming ensemble, and how drummers create artistic products that engage an audience of different sociocultural backgrounds. An analysis of two of Damaru’s rhythmic compositions suggests that drumming, mixing Indian folk drums and rhythmic patterns, and performing the rhythmic patterns in sequence have helped Damaru’s rhythmic compositions reach a broader audience, enabling the ensemble to win state grants and performance opportunities.