The lilting sound of the bazouki floats on to the street, the thump of the African drum joins in and then the distinctive beat of the bodhran, the Irish drum, joins the melody. A beautiful west African voice sings along to the uniquely haunting music created by the fusion of different cultures, languages and instruments.
The scene is a coffee night in Galway on a Monday where local musicians from the Global Music Project meet weekly to welcome non-Irish nationals in the creation of music, song and story.
FAS community arts officer Ellie Cummins explained: "It has been an enriching experience. These kinds of session differ from Irish folk sessions in that everyone gets involved. You either sing or keep time or play looping licks on guitar or bass and usually dance, too."
Ellie points out that music is a part of life, and it saddens her to see elitism, even in Irish folk music, where people can feel inhibited, hold back and not join in.
A jazz singer and musician herself, Ellie got together with Rab Fulton and Norwegian flautist Ranveigh Nordbryhn to set up the Global Music Project. They did not like the way asylum-seekers were being treated and felt some effort was needed to help them integrate into the local community.
They went to the accommodation centres and invited the asylum-seekers to turn up for a session every Monday night. The original venue was a pub in Salthill, but the event has now moved to Java's coffee house in Abbeygate Street, the ideal venue for those with not much money to spend on a night out.
Between 20 and 30 people from Romania, Lithuania, Somalia, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, the Congo and many other nationalities attend the sessions. Local poets and musicians also recite poetry, join in the session or simply enjoy the entertainment.
Ellie says: "It's mainly about the exchange of cultural ideas as the asylum-seekers can enhance communities with new ideas. Singers and songwriters who have nowhere else to go are welcome to turn up here. Unlike some pubs, anybody who wants to come is welcome. The emphasis is on courtesy, on welcoming people, but we also keep a good standard of original and folk music from all around the world."
Until now Ellie, who is a part-time student herself, has provided the instruments for the sessions, but they do need new ones. She is also anxious to attract more women to the evenings as they are in the minority at the moment.
She points out that the asylum-seekers feel vulnerable, so when they meet friendly people they respond quickly to them. On the other hand, it is a good way for lonely Europeans to make new friends who enjoy talking and spending time sharing their various cultures.
"The sessions are about including people and transcending the individual ego to make the music as good as possible. In a way, we are creating music of the spirit. It's about being yourself through music no matter where you come from," she said.
Anybody interested in finding out more about the Global Music Project can contact Ellie Cummins at 091-585856.
People with stories, poems or news to be published in the project's sister journal An Mhuc Dhubh Mor should send them to Rab Fulton at the Galway One World Centre, Small Crane, Galway. This journal is supported by the English Department at NUI Galway and reflects minority cultures.
