I gave my home that great, southwestern look by adding ceremonial drums to my rustic decor. I was so impressed with the beautiful, rustic feel that the Native American drums added to my home, that I started learning about the history and the influential role they play in Indigenous cultures. If you are like me, you have probably seen how meaningful ceremonial drums are to the Native culture but do not know their significance in tribal ceremonies or how exactly they are used. Every tribe is unique in how they use ceremonial drums but one similarity between each tribe is that the Native drums are very important and part of the main focus of the ceremony. Throughout my studies, I have found that learning about these drums truly gives you a great appreciation of the Native American culture and their customs.

As you begin studying about ceremonial drums, you will find it very intriguing that the American Indians think of the ceremonial drum to be sacred. They are most often used in powwows, Shamanic ceremonies and honor ceremonies to call on the Spirits and to connect with their creator. It is believed that each drum holds a spirit and that the drum beat signifies the heart beat of Mother Nature. Since the drum is thought to connect the people with the spirit world and lead the a healer in helping his people, you will see that they are commonly used by the healers to enter the mind state, known as the Shamanic journey, needed to connect with the Spirits.

Also, as you learn about the importance of ceremonial drums in modern culture, you will see that Native Indian drums play a significant role in the preservation of American Indian tribes such as the Tarahumara. Making and selling these rustic style drums gives them the opportunity to earn a living, through selling and trading their cultural hand crafts, and helps them extend the knowledge and traditions of their culture to those who buy them. The drum making knowledge, passed on from generation to generation in these tribes, teaches the drum makers how to make durable and long-lasting ceremonial drums with elements from the Earth and the environment around them such as pine wood and natural raw hide.

Now days, Indian drums are not only used in Indian ceremonies such as Native American drum groups and as Native American musical instruments, but they are also gaining popularity as pieces of decorative art, instruments used in school music classes and even as canvases for Native American art projects and southwestern paintings. Some types of ceremonial drums are also used as southwestern style furniture and western decor, such as the larger powwow drums and pedestal drums that are used as rustic,decorative tables. Today, it is very easy to find these unique Native American ceremonial drums online and in stores that sell southwestern, western and rustic home decor. However you choose to use your ceremonial drum, whether for drumming purposes or in home decorating, you will definitely be drawn to the rustic charm and western style of ceremonial drums.