Alaskan Peace Drum in Adelaide Hills for Global Vigil

Seventy local people from surrounding villages and towns in the Adelaide Hills joined together as part of the world-wide vigil for peace on Sunday 16th March at 7.00 pm at Davenport Square in Macclesfield. The event was strengthened by the presence of the Grandmother Drum, currently in Macclesfield as part of a Second World Tour for Peace.

Local peace activist Kate Burns said she was delighted to be able to share in the vision of "Alaskan indigenous grandmothers who, when they met at the first international, multicultural, interactive "world drum" sought to develop a Project that would through ceremonial engagement symbolise the heartbeat of one family, one earth". She added, "the message from Alaskan grandmothers that we are truly one people, that Mother Earth is our one country, that love is stronger than fear, and that peace is the birthright of all humanity sums up our desire to join with others around the world in a vigil for peace".

The Alaskan Grandmother Drum Project saw the construction of a kettle-shaped drum, seven feet diameter, built by thousands of Alaskans as part of community healing ceremonies in the 1990's. The physical labour took 13 years to complete accompanied by prayer and ceremony.

The Peace Vigil in Macclesfield was supported by the Battunga Growers Market that is held every Sunday in Maccelsfield.

As a result of the Vigil a Macclesfield Peace Group is being formed. It will meet for the first time at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 19 March in the Macclesfield Institute.

-- ENDS --

Contact for enquiries:

Notes for editors:

The Grandmother Drum Project launched its first tour in 2002 with the theme "The Heartbeat of One Family, One Earth" and toured 6,000 miles across Australia and New Zealand participating in many Aboriginal and Maori community healing ceremonies. The second Tour commenced recently in South Australia.
See http://www.whirlingrainbow.com">http://www.whirlingrainbow.com