Apache Native American Drums - The Soul Of Indian Tribal Heritage By Nelson Montana Native American drums;
are undeniably the most loved Native American instruments among Native and non Indian people alike. drums;
for hundreds of years have certainly been at the hub of American Indian lifestyle, forming what is now the foundation of religion and spirituality as well as social gatherings where a pow wow drum is center stage.
Indian people in North America history have all used drums;
in various ways to communicate with a higher power known to most as the Great Spirit. To Native people, Indian drums;
are much more than just decorations or interesting musical instruments. American Indian drums are said to speak to the drummer. Native drums;
being made in a circle represent the earth and life. The most identifiable being hoop drums and shaman drums;
which are Indian hand drums;
used in many personal healing and religious ceremonies as well as public ceremonies such as a Native American powwow.
The hide of the animal that is placed over the ring brings with it unique characteristics of the spirit of the animal and brings a sense of life to the drum when played. Many people think of beating a drum to make a sound, but to Indian drummers and those involved in modern drumming groups and drum circles, the desire is to draw out the sound. The beating drum is compared to the beating of a human heart and is said to represent the heart beat of the earth which is a belief that is classic Native American. drums;
in this way become the foundation to connect one's spirit with that of the earth and the Great Spirit through out the history of American Indians.
Native American Indian drums;
have a beautiful culture and because they are so important they are used in not only music but art and dance as well. Adding decoration to a drum becomes a very personal job to the owner. The Indian drummer becomes an artist and communicates impressions of his inner feelings and beliefs which adorns his drum. Some American Indian tribes use pictures of animals to adorn their drums;
and others use geometric patterns and everything in between. In some tribal Indian cultures the drummer will place some item of personal value inside the drum to permanently join himself with his hand drum.
The different Native American icons that
the artwork
on the drums;
depict is often painted with natural earth colors taken from nature.
Some are dull and others are bright coming from flowers, roots, berries, bark
or herbs that are boiled to release their unique earth tones. Other Native American drums are adorned with iron oxide which is a naturally occurring red rock
that can be easily crushed. When mixed with water, it produces a rich orange
red dye that is much like paint and is indicative if the surrounding hillsides
and rock formations like those of the beautiful Arizona red rock canyons. The
region of Sedona is thought to be a special place with spiritual energy like
the energy created by American Indian drums.
The intent of Native American Education except for those Indian boarding schools
that have tried to stamp out Native culture has always involved the sharing of
beliefs through music, songs, stories and legends. It is in harmony with these
forms of learning that the communication and cultural importance has been found
in the use of drums. If you are interested in the spiritual aspects of life as
pertain to Indian beliefs, you will get a lot out of using and playing Native
American drums.
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