How to make Drums, Tomtoms and Rattles

Drums to have fun with, drums with magical powers, dance drums, tomtoms, water drums — just about any type of drum you could wish to know about or make is described in this book by Bernard S. Mason, well-known crafts instructor and authority on Indians.

Complete, thorough directions for making each of the various drums are given, and you may be surprised to note that many can be constructed from such simple, everyday materials as wooden kegs, flower pots, coffee cans, buckets, old inner tubes, and airplane cloth. Also drum-related articles describe drumsticks and many different kinds of rattles, and include instructions on how to make them. To the craft of drum-making Mr. Mason brings his deep knowledge of Indian tradition, imparting a good deal of the lore and legend associated with drums along the way. You'll be able to make your drum as authentic as you wish, modeled after any of the Chippewa, Sioux, Cheyenne, Slav, Arapaho, or Blackfoot drums depicted in these pages. And once your drum is finished, Mr. Mason provides a wide variety of authentic decoration ideas to truly capture the flavor and appearance of actual American Indian drums.

Scout leaders, camp directors, and school teachers will find this book perfect for making easy and inexpensive percussion instruments for jamborees, shows, etc., and young people will discover that making their own drums is fun as well as rewarding.