In October, Burundi, a country in East Africa, banned all wome | TED

In October, Burundi, a country in East Africa, banned all women from playing the country’s renowned royal drums. The decree was an effort to regulate and preserve traditional drumming in Burundi, which has been symbolic of the royal kingdom and traditionally done by men. Kenyan drummer and @TEDFellow Kasiva Mutua was outraged. “Culture doesn’t make the people. It’s the people who make the culture, and live with it,” she says. “Culture evolves, culture keeps changing. And if women want to play drums, let them play.” To learn more about @kasivamutua’s experience fighting gender barriers and cultural stereotypes as a female percussionist in Africa, visit go.ted.com/drummingrights

Illustration by @cosmicsomething

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