Where have all the drummies gone?

Did you know that only South African drum majorettes use maces? This school activity that was once the highlight of high school girls' life, is in danger of fading away. Drummies drew school girls who dreamt of tossing double-headed maces or had nightmares about dropping them. Now there is estimated to be fewer than 5000 active drummies left in the country. The number of schools taking part is also at a record low. In 1981 the Western Cape Outdoor Drill Championships had 26 high schools competing; this year there were just five. The National Championships used to have 36 large drill teams, now there are no more than 16 teams. Sponsors have fallen away, and its only due to drummie mummies and dedicated teachers that some school girls can still toss the mace. In the Western Cape, the majority of drummies are now from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds, quite a recent development. The forerunners of drum majorettes were active as early as the 1920s at exclusive schools like St Dominic’s in the old Transvaal, but it was only after the first official drummies competition in 1974 that the sport really took off. The teams usually had up to 50 girls, divided into various sections: the mace-carrying leader and sub-leaders, flag-bearers or flaggies, and the rest of the squad.