Native American Drum - Rawhide Drum, Buffaloskin Drum, 18 inch Drum, Ceremonial Drum, Hand Drum, Native Buckskin Drum, Mayan Nahaul Qanil

Native American Drum
18 Inch Ceremony Drum & Drum Stick
Made from Rawhide Buffaloskin

--- Spirit Medicine ---
Medicine of the 4 Legged - Buffalo (Bison Rawhide)

Buffalo medicine is prayer, gratitude, and praise for which has been received. Abundance, incorporates our own efforts to embrace and hold life, burdens and rewards are carried, keep self well grounded, follow the easiest path, don't use force in areas of life, flow with it. Teaches creativity, courage, sacred knowledge, sharing with a sense of community, survival strategies, teaches how to challenge with forthrightness and grace. A time to honor your path and ask for assistance from Spirit. Buffalo teaches abundance and strength of character along with harmony and expression of gratitude and honor for all creatures.

Spirit Medicine Drums are made in much detail. Each drums rawhide goes up the side of the frame and a few inches past on the back side. What this does is create a much deeper base in the sound quality of the drum. This is a very important feature that many drum makers neglect to do to save hide and money. The extra few inches of rawhide on the back also helps hold up the integrity of the drum thro the years and makes a better and stronger drum overall. I also hand cut all my own lace and use extra wide thick lace on drums so to ensure the lace will not snap over time. My handles on my drums are also very thick and heavy duty. They are made with more rawhide lace. I make them thick to create a strong grip for when holding the drum. They are not flimsy and are for normal to large hands. The handles are covered with soft deerskin hand cut lace to enable a soft grip when holding the drum and playing it.

I make the drums in alignment with my traditions of the Cholq'ij Mayan Calendar. I walk this tradition and been passed the teachings as a spiritual mayan day keeper and i am an Aj Q'ij. Thus each drum is made in prayer to the Nahual (energy) of the day with invocation, velacion, and copal.

This exact drum was made on the day of 13 Q'anil.
The nahual Q'anil represents fertility, seeds, and children. It represents all the little ones, all the children and as well all the unborn children. The seeds to be planted. As well it represents the seeds we sow in the ground, thus all food we eat that comes from seeds. It is a powerful nahual to plant seeds, new ideas or concepts. The energy 13 is a cosmic number and brings much power to this nahual and spirit of the seeds, crops, fertility, and children.

This specific drum is made from a thick Buffaloskin.

The maple hoops and rawhide come from trading posts and other first hand sources. The animals have been hunted. Tho i do wish they were roadkill or hunted in ceremonial ways, this is a very unlikely option for any drum maker. And when you are lucky enough to find this option, most likely the drums will not be for sale. That said, after receiving the rawhide i put alot of prayer into each hide and drum.

Unique one of a kind handmade Drums: Drums are made from Buffalo skin Rawhide,
Maple Frame, and the back handle has buckskin for a smooth and soft grip.
Deerskin fringe adorn the tip of the drumstick and the handle on the back of the drum.

Drum Sticks are made from Redwood (harvested by myself), Recycled wool insides, and Buckskin Coverings.

The Drum Stick Handle and the Rawhide on the Drum are both covered in buffalo grease made by my dear friend. This traditionally is used to help cure the drum's finish, keep the rawhide from cracking, and make the drum a little water resistant.

Each Drum was dried for 4 days after making it. Afterwards i have let the drum go cold a few times and heated it back up to help activate its unique sound. Each drum has its own song and it can change in the beginning of its life. Drums need to be cared for like babies; as many medicine tools and sacreds. When first making the drum i am bringing it to life and creating its very own song. Each drums holds it own energy and sound. No two are alike. Its important after its creation and 4 days of drying to find its song. This is the toddler stage. By letting it go cold and then heating it up again, you are tuning the drum. Even tho i do this a few times after i make each drum, i still recommend that after purchasing a drum that you do this as well.

DRUM CARE
Drums are sacreds, we must treat them as such. It is important to take care of your drum. Please do not store on its belly. It is only made of rawhide and can be ruined. The most important note is to never leave your drum outside in the rain. It is best to not leave it outside overnight at all due to humidity. Rain or water can ruin a drum. It will loosen the drum up and when it dries the sound quality can change or be lost forever. As well it is recommended to not leave your drums in windows, cars, or direct sun that is too hot; Specifically southern states. Too much heat (100 F+) for too long of periods can be harmful. Yet at the same time you do not want to especially leave your drum in a too cold environment; especially cold moist areas due to mold. Also travelling to dramatically differing climates/environments can be tough on drums. Keeping your drum in a drum bag is great.

Drums when they are cold have no heartbeat. They need to be heated up again. If your drum is stored in a cold home, it will need to be heated up each time before you use it. Heating it up tightens the rawhide once again. This is with all rawhide hand drums, tho bison drums warm up easiest and fastest. This is due to the varying thickness of hides. Deer is normally the thinnest, Elk a bit thicker, and bison much thicker. My personal preference in drums is bison hide drums, tho they are pricey due to rawhide costs.

I have always been taught to warm up my drum in ceremony next to a sacred fire. You will have a few drum makers not agree here, yet everyone traditional i know uses the fire or sunlight to warm up their drum before using it to play and pray.

I am of mixed ancestry. Mexican, Californian Native, & European. I work with many Nations all over the States, Canada, Mexico, & Guatemala. My traditions are mixed, like me. Thus my artwork and offerings are of not one nation, but many. As one Mayan elder i work with in Guatemala says, "We are from the Stars and are of all Nations." This is my offering to you, thro my artwork.

Handmade with Prayer & Love
Xochiketzalli


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