Mar 26, 2010
Drums and People come in All Sizes
In early March Kaye and Estee ventured into the State of Oregon for a special drum making class. What makes this group of drum making participants so special is their age and common bond. This group, a cub scout troup, consisted of 8 boys, each who worked quite diligently to create their own unique drum.
Cynthia Jolley Stidd, host to Kaye and Estee for the weekend, and mother to one of the cub scouts, shared with us: “Hey you! I so enjoyed the visit. Thanks for coming. It was wonderful! The boy scouts were really impressed with the drums. I don’t think they expected them to be that nice!”
We knew from the beginning that the drums would be prized possessions for these boys. Estee shares, “Kaye doesn’t cut corners on her drums, even the most basic of them. A drum is not a Wii or bicycle, something that will be outgrown, it is an expression of the makers energetic presence.”
You would think that a drum making class would be chaotic with so many hands in the process, but the morning went surprisingly well. All the drums were finished and drying in a protected area within a few hours, and the group then gathered for song and drumming with the finished drums we brought for the weekend. “The boys were all attentive and interested in learning how to hold and handle a drum. Each took home a drum beater, and they had a chance to practice in anticipation of playing their own drum.
Adrian, Cynthia’s husband and father of Ian, later told us that the boys did a smudging ceremony once the drums were dry. This ceremony awakens the drums and sets a sacred space.
Congratulations to all the boys, and their fathers who helped build the drums! Overall the event was a fun and successful event!
Sign up now for the next Healing Drum Retreat, April 16-18, 2010 near Yelm, Washington. Pre-registration is required, with discounts when you sign up before April 10th. Drum Making Friday evening (April 16th) is by pre-registration, talk to Kaye about your hide and frame before signing up for the optional drum making class.
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