
Drummies
- Publisher
- GOST Books
- Year
- 2021
- ISBN
- 978-1-910401-66-8
- Specifications
- Hardback, clothbound, foil debossed
240 x 290 mm
128 pages
63 colour images
Essay by Christine Eyene
This long-term project by South African photographer Alice Mann explores the unique sport of drum majorettes. The images depict the aspirational subculture surrounding all-female teams of drum majorettes affectionately known as 'Drummies'. The sport has a long history in South Africa, becoming popular in the early 80s, but participation has since dropped dramatically. In contemporary culture there is a strong sense of nostalgia linked to drum majorettes; it is viewed as the pursuit of a bygone era. However, in many marginalised communities across the country it is still taken seriously and is considered a highly competitive sport. For the girls and young women involved, being a drummie is a privilege and an achievement, indicative of success on and off the field. The notoriously demanding practice schedules are representative of the girls' commitment and their ability to work hard. Mann's intimate portraiture explores picture-making as an act of collaboration, aiming to empower her subjects through engaged and nuanced representations.