DILOKA

DILOKA is the art of playing percussion on and in water

« Dilo » means water in creole

« Ka » originates from a significant African word: « tambourine » or « playing the tambourine ». In Guyana it is also the name of a creolean tambourine.

The exercise is based on a drum game on the element Water, the percussion and contact of hands on this element to create a sound or a rhythm.

Originally, this exercise was used to reinforce the body and endurance of the Tanbouyadô people (djokanka playing tambourine). In fact, the rhythms can be intense and played over a very long period of time. In the villages of Guyana, there are cultural gatherings where the presence of the tambourine is essential and is played the whole night, even during multiple days.

The DILOKA often integrates itself in a training of DJOKANO so it could still be played without the tambourine. Nature helps to continue the study of the warlike rhythms of DJOKAN, by the mean of a tree trunk, the roots of giant trees from the Amazon forest, the earth and of course the water.

DILOKA takes its inspiration from ancient practices of African descent. The Bushinengé, also called the warriors of the river, used water daily, in different practices and sacred rituals. The fighting techniques in and on water (their canoe) were developed in case of violence on the river system.

DILOKA allows the connection with the fundamental elements of our planet, Earth. Rivers and seas became the place of practice for the school of DJOKAN (Djokaz) to train for DJOKANO and DJOKAN.