What is Ile Ayan?
Ile Ayan is the institution of technical training and development of traditional drummers amongst the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria and other indigenous areas throughout Afrika.
A child at a very young age may be brought into Ile Ayan by his father, who may be a master drummer. Or a child who shows he has a keen sense of rhythmic qualities may be brought into Ile Ayan.
Ile Ayan is not an institution in the western sense of the term. It is more of a spiritual commitment and cultural necessity.
In order for one to be considered a professional accomplished drummer, he has had to complete his training at Ile Ayan. Those who have accomplished this are known through their names, as well as their artistic technique; for example, Ayantunde (Ayan has returned), and Ayantunji (Ayan is rising). Ile Ayan, in essence becomes a family. Ayantunde and Ayantunji are names that are the same equivalent to surnames in the English custom.
Ile (house) Ayan (female spirit) was developed by a woman who wanted to please the king, so she was going to a festival for the king. Before she went, a priest divined for her and told her to make a four footed sacrifice (Ebo) and to make a drum out of its skin. The day of the festival it rained and all the drummers who were going to attend were unable to, except Ayan. When she arrived at the festival’s location, she was the only one who could play for the king. After she passed away, all drummers praised and respected her spirit for being the only one able to play for the king at that time.
So it is today relived within us, and here we bring you the spirit of Ile Ayan.
Who We Are
Nana Yaw Asiedu Brief Bio
Nana Obrafo Yaw Asiedu is the Founder and Director of the Ile Ayan Cultural Institution of Higher Learning, which uses drumming as the vehicle for the uplift of the human spirit. Nana believes it is important to bring the value of “Culture” back into our society as a means to heal or prevent dysfunctionality. His work with children has proven to help them become more self-disciplined and able to focus. It balances out the right and left brain, while stimulating endorphins. Drumming breeds integrity. Many children Nana has taught have gone on to become professional musicians.
Nana Asiedu has taught African drumming and music instruction for all ages (toddlers to adults) at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park, San Diego, for the last thirty years. He instructed 10,000 5th grade students each year from 2004 to 2010, as part of the San Diego City Schools’ “Balboa Park Integration Program”. Nana has brought his program into the elementary schools, working both as a music teacher during the school day (seeing K-6th grade classes, one after the other, one day a week), as well as working in After-School programs twice a week for various school districts. Nana has been very successful in working with “At-Risk” teens, both in alternative school and juvenile hall settings. He gives workshops/performances for libraries, Homeland Security events, military functions, corporate workshops (in team building skills), and workshops for organizations which provide leadership skills to CEO’s and Presidents of Corporations. He directed the “House of Blues Children’s Drum Program” for two years. He also offers school assemblies, workshops for private birthday parties (toddlers to adult), private drum instruction, workshops for the deaf and blind, workshops in convalescent homes and hospitals, as well as interactive African drum and dance performances for parties.
Nana has performed with many of our country’s greatest artists, including Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock (CD), Billy Childs (CD with Akron Symphony Orchestra – he co-directed the African music score of this 99 piece orchestra), Taj Majal, Patrice Russian, Debbie Allen, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Munyungo D. Jackson, to name a few.
Nana has appeared in several movies, including “The Color Purple”.
Nana was the Lead Foreman and Musical Director for the African Percussion Ensemble’s production of “The Lion King Celebration” at Disneyland, CA (1994 - 1997), and opened up the first African dance performances at the Wild Animal Park (now called Safari Park Zoo) in San Diego some thirty odd years ago.
Nana was selected for a cultural exchange program at the University of Lagoon in Ghana, West Africa and has studied extensively in Ghana, (his family home), bringing back their rich cultural heritage through drumming, song, music, morals, integrity, responsibility, purpose, and intent.
Nana also has co-founded Izinde, an African fusion band. (See Youtube, “Kumerera by Izinde”, to see the band’s last video). Please also log onto Facebook and put “Children’s West African Drumming” in the search bar and you will see Nana’s page of video’s, photos, letters of recommendation, letters and certificates of achievement.
Esi serves as Nana’s Agent/Manager for all bookings.
Who is Ile Ayan?
Ile Ayan is an ethnic folkloric ensemble, comprised of individuals from the Caribbean, Afrika, and North America, who understand the cultural and historical continuity amongst themselves.
As Dr. Fanon has stated: “The plunge into the chasm of the past is the condition, what must be done, and source where your ideas develop from for freedom.” In order for an artist to create to his/her fullest potential, he/she must have the freedom to do so. Freedom not as an obstruction from day to day reality, but freedom with responsibility to his/her individual and national character so that his/her historic background, his/her present status, and potential historic future can be realized and fulfilled.
Music and dance of any group must express the national character and spirit of a people. Ile Ayan has taken the task of expressing the spirit, of one people, while focusing upon the various national characteristics. Ile Ayan covers the areas of Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Mexico, and North and South Americas.
Afrika’s original name, “Alkebulan”, meaning “Mother of Mankind” or “Garden of Eden”, represents the umbilical cord of all civilizations. Afrika’s musical and cultural influence has been unquestionably large throughout the world. For example, in Brazilian Samba dance, Salsa, Cuban dances, and even hip-hop, one can see Afrikan influences. In Mexico, as another example of Afrika’s influence on the world, Gaspar Yanga (1545 - 1618) from Gabon, led one of colonial Mexico’s first successful slave uprisings and would go on to establish one of the Americas’ earliest free black settlements. Everywhere the Afrikan slave ships settled (Afrikan diaspora), Africans have had an undeniable positive contribution to those countries.
Being musical and theatrical artists from these areas, we bring to you the homogenous and heterogeneous influences upon these areas.