Dance Drum

Item number A8138 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Circular drum (a) made from deer hide stretched over circular wooden frame with seven lengths of cord meeting at back. A hand-hold is created at the back from cloth. The wooden rim is steamed, bent, and nailed. The drum is painted with two eagles and a man wearing Plains-style headdress and clothing. The matching drum stick (b) is carved and has a cloth head secured by off-white string. Some brown cord is also wrapped around the handle.

Cultural Context

ceremonial

Specific Techniques

Anthropologist William Elmendorf notes that: "The skin drum was a tambourine with single-skin head of uncured deer hide. During the reservation period horsehide came to be preferred for its louder tone. The single head was stretched across a circular frame of wood, usually a vine maple hoop. The head skin covered the side of the wood frame and was held taught by thong lacings. The frame was thin, one to three feet in diameter, three to four inches deep. It was made of a single piece of wood, bent with the aid of hot water (1960:221)."