Caring for your

medicine drum

Depending on the humidity and temperature, your drum will sound different every day. Store it wrapped, face up in a warm, dry place.  Keep it from extremes in temperature like direct sunlight, and away from gas or oil heat sources which can dry the skin and possibly split the head.  Never leave the drum close to a fire or radiator or in a hot car. The natural law of hide drums is water expands and heat contracts. In a dry, desert climate you can place a slightly damp cloth on the drumhead before you wrap it in a towel or drum case to keep the tone. When it is hot - cool it slowly. You can bring the tone down (loosen) by spraying water on the drumhead, up (tighten) by using a heat source such as a hair dryer about 12” from the drumhead, putting it in the sun for a bit or by a fire (if you are outside). I would be careful here though and not put it too close as heating/stretching it too fast might split it or permanently compromise the sound. It’s a good idea to drum while it is “stretching” so you can hear the changes…  Be patient in this process as it takes time to adjust the tone with water or heat. When it is damp or humid you can protect the tone by storing your drum in wool or cotton or even a plastic bag. When it is cold, always warm it gradually. 

Before the indoor heating season (extreme dryness); condition the lacing, edges and drumhead with shea butter, lanolin, or any other natural oil or fat, as this will protect it from drying out and potentially cracking. It is a good idea to do this at least once a year (before the Autumn heating season) or if you live in a dry climate, more often. Once you get to know your drum, you will know when or what it needs. The best way to do this is by rubbing the “fat” in your palms, then gently work it into the edges and lacing. Lastly, with less “fat” left on your hands, caress the drumhead. Conditioning the drum is a nice way to deeply connect with it by touching and massaging every part of it.

There are also ways you can feed your drum. First, the full moon! I like to expose my drum to the full moon, even just have it out and put the intention that the full moon will empower, feed and cleanse it. Also playing them during this time - it's so beautiful to think that we are all playing our drums on the full moon, a collective force field of power and healing for our planet. Please join me! Secondly you can feed your drum strawberries, the Ojibwe honors strawberries as Spirit-food as they resemble our physical heart in shape and color. They are pure love and they are sweet, so it brings in the sweetness of life. You do this by taking a bite of a strawberry and sharing it with your drum, rub the juicy side around the drum in a circle, then make a cross in the middle like the medicine wheel... then finish eating your strawberry : ))

I usually leave any juice or marks as a reminder that my drum is fed and happy.