I felt I was back in the Masai Mara. Incessant African drums beckoned me to walk over to Parc du Mont-Royal and investigate.
It seemed hundreds of drummers had descended on the memorial hours earlier and there was no sign of them stopping. With more than a hint of wacky-backy in the air, hundreds danced to the hypnotic rhythms.
Apparently, it’s a weekly event called Tam Tams.
Thousands of drum players, dancers, vendors and visitors come together every Sunday afternoon in the summertime. There is even a Tam-Tams Montreal Facebook Page!
It is not an officially sanctioned nor sponsored event, simply a regular if technically spontaneous event. As such, it’s difficult to pinpoint when it started or what motivated the first drum circle.