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American Western

Use Shaman Drums To Create Unique Western Interior Design

Want to give your home authentic rustic style decor? Try including Shaman drums along with your southwestern home furnishings like I did. My love for these beautiful, American Indian drums began right after my husband and I purchased our new home last year. We knew that because of our love for the southwest, we wanted true southwestern and Native American style home decor with unique rustic home furnishings. Once that was determined I started filling my new home with beautiful western and country pieces that would match my southwest decor and entertain my guests by telling a story at the same time. That is when I came across how simple it was to give my home that chic western style that you see in designer home magazines, by decorating with shaman drums.

Maybe you are like me when I first began digging into the history and meaning of Native American drums, and have only a vague idea of what the Shamans drum is. Or, maybe you are wondering how to choose the best drum to play in your Shaman drum circle. Whatever the case, it is necessary to understand the significance this raw hide drum plays in Native American culture so you can develop a true appreciation for its art and let its power influence you in the right direction.

If you are fortuneate enough to attend or be involved in a Shamanic ceremony you will notice that the Shaman, or spiritual leader, will beat a unique looking raw hide hand drum with a soft drum stick to create the rhythmic monotonous beat needed to take him to an altered mental state. During this altered state of mind, called the Shamanic journey, the spiritual leader receives healing and spiritual powers he uses to guide his people. If you look closely at the Shaman's drum you will realize that unlike many other leather Native American drums used for tribal ceremonies, these rustic drums have natural raw hide, stretched over a wood frame on one side and are laced with raw hide string on the other side. They don't have the loop hold like many other Indian drums do. A drum made in this way gives you a natural hand holding position so you can be in full contact with the drum and easily create the sound that is very important in bringing out the right tones necessary to lead you on your Shamanic journey.

You will also notice that many Shamanic drums have painted designs on the rawhide drum head. These unique western symbols often depict a map of the universe or symbols of spiritual powers you can use to help you in your meditating and journeying experience. If you are using the drum for Shamanic work, take time to look into the significance of the painting. Since the southwestern designs have spiritual power that guides the journey, you want to make sure it is in agreement with your own practices and guides you in that direction.

Also, I always make sure to check the quality of the drum before buying. It's necessary to make sure there are no thin places at the points where the cords of the drumhead are connected. This is vital to the quality and life of your Shaman drum and will ultimately save you money by not having to have it repaired or buy a new one.

Most focus is placed on the drum alone but it's also important to choose the right striking mallet so you can enjoy the rich sound of these native drums to its fullest. You will see that there are many different types of mallets that pull out different tones from the drum and although I personally like to use a mallet with a fur covered head, it is a matter of what you like best. Whether you are buying Native American musical instruments such as drums to incorporate into your home decor or are using it to help you in your spiritual journey, you will definitely fall in love with the authentic rustic style and western charm added to your life and home by Shaman drums.

About the Author

Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and author offering free information online about how to use Shaman Drums for American Indian drumming and for chic southwestern home decorating. For more information visit http://www.missiondelrey.com

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