Last Tuesday, it was a pleasant surprise to see a dear friend post one of my posts (a memory) from four years ago of an owl spirit-drum i had birthed. I had to smile with gratitude for her kind thoughtfulness though, i also shed some tears as well. Birthing drums was my life for close to 20 years or more. I birthed many drums and rattles over that time and sometimes i had wished i had counted just how many. It’s probably close to 500 or so.
I also helped guide many people to birthing their own drum during that time. I loved sharing my process with those who were called to hold ‘the voice of our blessed earth Mother. I was guided and eventually realized i had to stop this work (for a few reasons) though it was also a clearing of the way for other things i wish to create, like concentrate on my music, writing and explore the fluid medium of watercolour.
I will admit that i grieve not doing this spirit work any more and sometimes really miss it—that deep process of inquiry i would allow myself to go into. The older i get, i realize i can’t do as much as i once used to. I have to say i have found that frustrating though have learned to accept it. I listen to my body now more than ever, especially when she yells loud.
The drum in the image(s) below show that one my friend shared in her post. I believe one of last few drums i birthed, on a 20-inch frame on a beautiful elk hide. It was a fun drum to play ‘cause of it’s strong and big song.’ I share more about the spirit of this drum below, including some more photos.
This dear drum was a dreaming from a deep place. When i birthed drums, i would sit in an inquiry with the hide, hoop and all it’s materials and ask spirit + our earth Mother what might wish to come through… welcome the spirit-rebirth as drum. I would always offer prayer and respect. Sometimes i didn’t get an answer right away though, am guided to just begin within a safe container-space that i create around myself and trust. I sometimes ‘journey on it’ or do what i call ‘grounded daydreaming.’ I attempt to not use the over-marketed stolen term, ‘shaman’ or ‘shamanism’ as it’s not my word to use. Those words come from deep within Siberia, the Tungusic people of the historical region of Manchuria in Northeast Asia.
This is just some of what came through for me, this wondrous drum of heart…
‘Remember you grew up with snowy owls and we loved hanging out with you whenever you could... i, owl would sit with you in the fields, we would watch together, the land, the big open sky, the clouds…’
Being pretty much a loner, growing up on a farm, i used to track the snowys when out in the back fields, i’d yearn to get as close as i could... though they seemed to love teasing me… I’d crawl on my hands and knees creeping ever so slowly, closer and closer. Though, only as soon as i’d get anywhere’s near to one sitting stately atop a fence post, they’d glide over to the next post. At times, i thought i could see them snickering at me, appreciating their little game. I would gather their pellets that they’d spew up after their last catch, take them home to unwrap a tight bundle of fur and bones, to discover what had been on the menu that day. It was often field mice, the odd bird or mole.
They are one of most beautiful birds, and are they huge!! ... with amazing eyes and fly so elegantly, silently low to the ground as they hunted. It always amazed me how they could turn their heads around almost 360. Some call the owl the night eagle.
During this drum’s birth, it spoke to me saying she also represents the ‘old hag’ the Cailleach… the old woman/goddess who brings in the dark half of the year…hailing the strong winds and storm of winter. She can be an ally to remind us of many things. It is ancient lore to the Celtic peoples that the owl represents the Cailleach as goddess… deity, depending where you’re from.
The drum is 20-inches in diameter on soft and wild abstract elk spirit on a red ochre finished burned maple hoop... the mallet is a burned foraged branch with a dyed red suede top...
The handle in the back is a from a unique found piece of driftwood that was lovingly gifted to me...a natural wood piece that grew on the side of the branch in the shape of a bird, i felt looked very much like snowy owl. On the front i painted a snowy owl in acrylics + ink. She sounds amazingly deep with big resonance + rich overtones + very healing. I feel it’s one of the best sounding drums i’ve ever birthed = strong!
I really enjoyed playing this power-full drum as it helped shift my consciousness to the spirit realms. I also played this drum during one of our Solstice concerts, opening the show by calling in the Cailleach. The drum did find her own caretaker over four years ago and i believe now lives in the lower mainland in service to our earth Mother. x (((🦉))) ... ❣️
If you wish, you can view my online portfolio of some of the work i created over those years here »
You can have a listen to this special drum here on my bandcamp page »
Snowys at Boundary Bay, with mount Baker holding us where i grew up… x (((💜)))