Drums


	Edith Leopold.com


	using ancient arts to find answers...


	Drums

Drums can be used as a musical instrument, or as a tool for healing. I use drums in my healing work to cleanse energy and to bring myself closer to Mother Earth. And then there are days that I drum just for the love of it.

I choose to make Celtic Bodhrans because they are the drum to which I am most connected, a trait that I probably get from my mother's Irish lineage. The Celtic Bodhran is hand drum whose origin can be traced to Ireland. Traditionally they are 10 to 25 inches in diameter, with a cross brace and mounted with goat skin. You use a beater / tipper to sound the drum; they can be single or double ended.

Our drums range from 14 to 20 inches in diameter, depending on the size of the individual who creates the drum. My rule of thumb is the bigger the person, the bigger the drum. A smaller in size person will tire very quickly if the drum is too large. An average drum is 18 inches with a double cross brace.

Each rim is custom made depending on your physical size prior to the workshop. Rims are usually 14 to 20 inches in diameter and are 3.5 to 4 inches deep. Rims are mounted with deer hide that you learn how to prepare. The hide preparation is a very spiritual and meditative experience. You not only learn the technique of hide preparation, you also experience a bonding with the spirit of the deer as you and your hide become one. By the time your drum is finished, it will feel as if your drum is an extension of you; you will know it as well as you know yourself.

Beaters / tippers can be turned for you during the workshop.

I am always amazed at the many stages a person goes through during the creation process. Most start with rubber gloves because the hide is wet and cold to handle, and the texture takes a bit of getting used to. It is messy and just the thought of it is borderline gross. By the end of the day, the gloves are off, and you cannot touch it enough. You become literally mesmerized by the wonderful piece of art that you have created. It is a very powerful experience, and my words do not do it justice.

At the end of the day, you will walk away with your very own drum and instuctions on how to care for it. You also will receive instruction on how to make a rattle out of the left over hide, if you are drawn to make one; rattles are a take home project.

This is a very messy workshop and can take up to 10 hours to complete. I recommend a change of clothing, rubber gloves, raingear, sunscreen, and a sense of humour. Everything else, we supply.

Workshops are available on an individual or group basis.