Talking drums of africa
Alyssa Payad
Swinburne University of Technology
This publication is a typographic interpretation of Lokele drum language, a form of communication in which instrumental tone and rhythm become a surrogate for human speech. Drawing from John F. Carrington’s 1949 Talking Drums of Africa alongside contemporary scholarship, the project explores cultural knowledge and intricate linguistic structures that shape traditional languages. As drums represent the identity and collective voice of their communities, the rhythm of the typography mirrors their resilience, unity and continuity throughout colonisation and commercialisation. Serving as a scholarly resource, exhibition publication and cultural artefact, the work offers an accessible introduction to African drum language, linguistics and culture.