The Popularity Of One Sided Shaman Drums

Native American drums and shaman drums of the famous Tarahumara Indians are rustic Native drums made by hand. The Tarahumara are said to be North America's most primitive people. As a part of their American culture and throughout their Native history, they have inhabited caves and cliff dwellings of their native southwest lands. 

Shaman Native American drums sometimes called spirit drums or heart drums are made with a piece of native yellow pine bent into the shape of the drum. Thin goat skin rawhide is stretched over one side, completely covering the drum ring to form a sturdy hand drum laced toward the four directions of the earth and forming a good hand hold on the back.  Shaman drums and shamanism has come to be a general term used to refer to traditional beliefs and practices using a shaman’s drum and other instruments and articles by people, mostly men who claim the ability to cure human illness. Shamans have also been said to be able to control things like weather which are beyond the control of ordinary men and such things as interpreting dreams.

Shamanistic drumming practices using shaman drums is prevalent around the world and their drums have also been called healing drums or medicine drums. True Native American shaman are said to enter a trance like state brought on by the rhythm of the shaman’s drum and rattles and in some societies by use of drugs. Working in this state of altered consciousness, they are claimed to act as intermediaries between the natural and spiritual worlds, influencing the rains, healing, hunting, contests between tribes or other activities in the surrounding environment in which they work. Because of either real or perceived power, a shaman holds positions of great authority among their people serving as spiritual leaders, doctors and counselors. Although unorganized, and acting independently, shaman share common characteristics with their counterparts in other cultures. 

For that reason, shamanism has come to mean many things to many people, some who practices its beliefs and others who simply like drumming. In the same way the term shaman drum has also come to mean a style of Native drum apart from shamanic drumming or journeying. However, in the Tarahumara shaman world of warcraft spells are used to overcome rivals factions as well as treat illness. In this way, shaman wow on watchers, building confidence.

The "shaman drum" is a one sided drum style that has become a favorite in drumming circles and most thought of when considering ancient drums. Because of the way the drum is laced on the back shamanic drums form a natural handhold. A shamans drum never uses the glove type loop on the back as is the practice with many modern drums because the drummer wants to have full contact with the drum. By holding a shaman style drum with the hand, the drummer can manipulate the sounds produced by squeezing the rawhide thongs or by actually touching the under side of the drum head. Shaman drums can be played using a drum stick or by hand or using both methods using a finger or thumb as well as the drum beater to pull out the sound which is the intent in shamanic journey drumming.

There is a group of Native Americans from northern New Mexico who use Tarahumara drums almost exclusively in their drum circles. They travel many miles to personally select the drums and return them to the other members of the group. The one sided shaman drum is the type they use. We have watched and listened as they select their drums and have seen their smiles and nods of approval as they play the drums. Nearly all Native American cultures use drums and shaman drums are perfect for drumming, rustic decor and as a canvas for art projects. As symbols, Native American drums have become a Native icon.

See Other One Sided Drums.