This pancocojams post showcases nine videos of Fruit Of Islam (FOI) and Muslim Girl Training (MGT) drill teams.
Most of these videos were taken at Nation Of Islam's Saviors' Day events. Information about the Nation Of Islam & Saviors' Day is found below.
The content of this post is presented for historical and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the founder & religious leaders of the Nation Of Islam. Thanks also to the drill team instructors, drill team members, video uploaders, and all those whose comments I have included in this post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATION OF ISLAM (NOI), SAVIOURS' DAY, AND NOI DRILL TEAMS
The Nation Of Islam is an Islamic religious organization that was founded in the United States by an African American.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_Islam
"The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a syncretic new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930. Its stated goals are to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African Americans in the United States and all of humanity...
After Fard's departure in June 1934, the Nation of Islam was led by Elijah Muhammad, who established mosques called Temples, Schools named Muhammad University of Islam, businesses, farms and real estate holdings in the United States and abroad..."
-snip-
From http://www.noi.org/sd2012/about.shtml
"The 2012 Saviours' Day convention marks the 82nd year of the Nation of Islam's existence in North America. Each year, to commemorate the birth of its founder Master W. Fard Muhammad (February 26, 1877), thousands of members and supporters of the Nation of Islam from around the world make the journey to attend the annual convention during the last week of February for a weekend of fellowship, networking, information dissemination and spiritual renewal.
Also during Saviours' Day, some of the best academic minds, entertainers and activists come together for strategizing, organizing and mobilization..."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_Islam
"The Fruit of Islam (FOI), or "Fruit" for short, is the male-only paramilitary wing of the Nation of Islam (NOI). The Fruit of Islam wear distinctive blue or white uniforms and caps and have units at all NOI temples. Louis Farrakhan, as head of the Nation of Islam, is commander-in-chief of the Fruit of Islam, and his son, Mustapha Farrakhan Sr, is second in command. The women's counterpart to the Fruit of Islam is Muslim Girls Training (MGT)..."
-snip-
A comment about the purposes of Nation of Islam drill teams is found after Video #4.
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FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: FOI Drill Team, MM#1B, West London, UK, 1997
Uploaded by quintillion2black on Jan 4, 2012
FOI Drill Team, Nation of Islam, Muhammad Mosque 1B, West London, UK, 1997.
-snip-
Click http://cocojams.com/content/black-drill-teams for my transcription of this chant. That link also includes additional videos of Black drill teams.
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Video #3: F.O.I. DRILL TEAM
Uploaded by shabazzmedia on Aug 18, 2007
Newark N.J. crack Drill squad
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Video #4: M.G.T. Drill Team 1 (Nation of Islam, Minister Farrakhan)
Uploaded by MosqueNo7 on Apr 29, 2008
www.Mosque7.org
Drilling is The Exercise of The Gods...
-snip-
Here's a question & response from this video's viewer comment thread about the role of drill teams in the Nation Of Islam:
"besides being uniform and precise in movement and somewhat exciting to look at what is the purpose of "drilling"? how does it serve in the overall scheme of the mission of the nation of islam?
-bashe82; 2009
**
Thank you for your comment. Drilling helps us to maintain discipline within our ranks, and it allows men and women to work together in harmony with one sound or command. This makes for effective movement, and helps us to achieve what many would deem impossible. Peace!
-MosqueNo7; 2009
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Video #5: MGT Drill Competition at Saviour's Day 2011
Uploaded by a1partyvideo on Mar 6, 2011
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Video #6:
Fruit of Islam Drilling in Brooklyn @ St. Pauls Community Baptist Church
Uploaded by MosqueNo7 on Jun 28, 2011
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Video #7: Saviours' Day 2012 Drill Competition Atlanta F.O.I
Uploaded by rashadkilla on Feb 28, 2012
Atlanta F.O.I drill team SD 2012 ,,, wegotnow.net
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Video #8: Saviors Day 2012 Chicago Drill team
Published on Mar 1, 2012 by mdoublec37
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Video #9: NOI Drill & Martial Arts Exhibition. Edited w/h Music
Published on Aug 2, 2012 by SilasShah
Saviour's Day 2012
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COMMENT & RELATED LINK
It seems obvious to me that drill teams are one of the sources for the performance art called "steppin". That synchronized, choreographed percussive performance art is most closely associated with university based Black Greek lettered fraternities & sororities. Not only are the movements in drill teams and steppin similar, but also both of these performance arts may also include call & response chanting. That said, I believe that the performance of African American military cadences is an earlier source for drill teams & steppin.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATION OF ISLAM (NOI), SAVIOURS' DAY, AND NOI DRILL TEAMS
The Nation Of Islam is an Islamic religious organization that was founded in the United States by an African American.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_Islam
"The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a syncretic new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930. Its stated goals are to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African Americans in the United States and all of humanity...
After Fard's departure in June 1934, the Nation of Islam was led by Elijah Muhammad, who established mosques called Temples, Schools named Muhammad University of Islam, businesses, farms and real estate holdings in the United States and abroad..."
-snip-
From http://www.noi.org/sd2012/about.shtml
"The 2012 Saviours' Day convention marks the 82nd year of the Nation of Islam's existence in North America. Each year, to commemorate the birth of its founder Master W. Fard Muhammad (February 26, 1877), thousands of members and supporters of the Nation of Islam from around the world make the journey to attend the annual convention during the last week of February for a weekend of fellowship, networking, information dissemination and spiritual renewal.
Also during Saviours' Day, some of the best academic minds, entertainers and activists come together for strategizing, organizing and mobilization..."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_Islam
"The Fruit of Islam (FOI), or "Fruit" for short, is the male-only paramilitary wing of the Nation of Islam (NOI). The Fruit of Islam wear distinctive blue or white uniforms and caps and have units at all NOI temples. Louis Farrakhan, as head of the Nation of Islam, is commander-in-chief of the Fruit of Islam, and his son, Mustapha Farrakhan Sr, is second in command. The women's counterpart to the Fruit of Islam is Muslim Girls Training (MGT)..."
-snip-
A comment about the purposes of Nation of Islam drill teams is found after Video #4.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: FOI Drill Team, MM#1B, West London, UK, 1997
Uploaded by quintillion2black on Jan 4, 2012
FOI Drill Team, Nation of Islam, Muhammad Mosque 1B, West London, UK, 1997.
-snip-
Click http://cocojams.com/content/black-drill-teams for my transcription of this chant. That link also includes additional videos of Black drill teams.
****
Video #3: F.O.I. DRILL TEAM
Uploaded by shabazzmedia on Aug 18, 2007
Newark N.J. crack Drill squad
****
Video #4: M.G.T. Drill Team 1 (Nation of Islam, Minister Farrakhan)
Uploaded by MosqueNo7 on Apr 29, 2008
www.Mosque7.org
Drilling is The Exercise of The Gods...
-snip-
Here's a question & response from this video's viewer comment thread about the role of drill teams in the Nation Of Islam:
"besides being uniform and precise in movement and somewhat exciting to look at what is the purpose of "drilling"? how does it serve in the overall scheme of the mission of the nation of islam?
-bashe82; 2009
**
Thank you for your comment. Drilling helps us to maintain discipline within our ranks, and it allows men and women to work together in harmony with one sound or command. This makes for effective movement, and helps us to achieve what many would deem impossible. Peace!
-MosqueNo7; 2009
****
Video #5: MGT Drill Competition at Saviour's Day 2011
Uploaded by a1partyvideo on Mar 6, 2011
****
Video #6:
Fruit of Islam Drilling in Brooklyn @ St. Pauls Community Baptist Church
Uploaded by MosqueNo7 on Jun 28, 2011
****
Video #7: Saviours' Day 2012 Drill Competition Atlanta F.O.I
Uploaded by rashadkilla on Feb 28, 2012
Atlanta F.O.I drill team SD 2012 ,,, wegotnow.net
****
Video #8: Saviors Day 2012 Chicago Drill team
Published on Mar 1, 2012 by mdoublec37
****
Video #9: NOI Drill & Martial Arts Exhibition. Edited w/h Music
Published on Aug 2, 2012 by SilasShah
Saviour's Day 2012
****
COMMENT & RELATED LINK
It seems obvious to me that drill teams are one of the sources for the performance art called "steppin". That synchronized, choreographed percussive performance art is most closely associated with university based Black Greek lettered fraternities & sororities. Not only are the movements in drill teams and steppin similar, but also both of these performance arts may also include call & response chanting. That said, I believe that the performance of African American military cadences is an earlier source for drill teams & steppin.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
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