Music is the universal language.

If you want to understand another culture, listen to their songs.

There are so many things I love about doing world music at colleges and universities. I get to expose students to new cultures and languages. I get to introduce them to music they would otherwise never hear.

And they join in because they grab the drums and other percussion instruments down front and make a joyful noise with me.

Many say this chance to play is their favorite part.

They honor me with the trust that I won’t make them look bad and that together we will lift our voices to the heavens.

And sometimes I get this sort of feedback and it floors me.

What sort of music comes from your culture? I’d love to hear it and learn about it. Let me know in the comments.