The Miniature Drum kits come pre-cut complete with drum ring, Birch Bark strip, sinew as lacing at approx. 32″ long, 2 Rawhide skins 2″ diameter., beans, and step by step instructions also included a History of the drum and incorporation and benefits to the Ontario Curriculum and learners. Our most common sizes are 2 ¼ inches. This would be essential for grades JK through to grade 8 as well as any secondary school students.
This workshop may take about forty-five (45) minutes to one (1) hour, depending on how learners want to further dress up their drums with lace and beads added. All kits will be prepared as kits for participants and rawhide should be soaked overnight or at least 6 hours before the workshop takes place.
Today, some Indigenous people exclusively follow traditional beliefs. Many are Christian, while others maintain both Christian and traditional beliefs. Still, others have adopted new Indigenous religious traditions. Some of these are associated with particular regions, while others are practiced by Indigenous people across Canada.
For many Aboriginal Elders and spirit keepers, the drum is an essential instrument of communication between the spirit world and the everyday world. In many Aboriginal societies in Canada, the drum has become a symbol of the living relationship between Aboriginal people and the land. Drums from different geographic areas are made in various forms and materials, reflecting the diversity of Indigenous cultures.
Indigenous groups of North America were a deeply spiritual people, and they communicated their history, thoughts, ideas and dreams from generation to generation through such as the drum. The meaning of the drum was to signify the heartbeat of mother earth. They are used in various ways to interact with a higher power known to most as the Great Spirit or Creator. The drum plays an intricate part in the rituals and ceremonies of the Indigenous peoples. The traditional Indigenous peoples’ American drum is quite large, two to three feet in diameter. Drums are made from the natural resources available to them, so vary in design from one region to another, but they are made from a hollowed-out log or wooden frame. The opening is covered with a deerskin or elk skin which is stretched and secured with thongs made of animal sinew. The drum is essential to the rituals and ceremonies that feature dancing as they provide the beat and rhythm for dancing. The drum symbol would indicate that a significant event had taken place in the tribe.
At the beginning of the project, you will gather everything you will need to make your drum in one place.
Plugin your glue guns to warm up.
Take your drum ring and a glue gun and glue the outer side of drum and place your birch bark strip onto the bottom of the drum ring or use Le Page’s white glue with a stick and hold till dry with an elastic band or with your hands.
Lay one of the rawhide pieces down in front of you, then place your drum ring onto the placed rawhide and place the other part of rawhide on the top of the drum ring.
Take your sinew and begin to lace it in the cut-out holes and pull the one end to equal lengths of the lace to half and start to fasten in one way till they meet at the end.
Make sure that all lacing is equal in length on the sides of the drum ring then slide in your beans into the drum.
Once everything is together, then proceed to tighten the lacing all around the drum equally and tie a knot.
The rawhide should take about 12hrs to dry and will shrink as it dries and ready for your designs or additions to decorate.
This traditional Drum workshop compliments well within the Ontario Curriculum, such as History, Science, Numeracy, Social Studies, Geography, Art, Music, Language and Culture. e.g. Numeracy – Geometric shapes – circular, 12 lacing holes in each skin, lacing design of triangular shapes.
