Drum

About this object

Narrative

Said to have been made by David for his father's memorial feast. Later sold through the Vancouver Museum's gift shop (in 1980). Norman Tait also used the drum to rehearse his dance troupe for performing at the Field Museum in Chicago.

Physical description

Drum and drumstick. Round drum (part a) is made of skin stretched over a circular wood frame and nailed to secure along the frame’s bottom edge. On the underside, thin strips of hide are connected in 4 places to the frame and come together in the centre, tightly wrapped around themselves, to join at a small wood handle. The face of the drum shows a painted lightning-snake design, with a large centrally placed head showing bared teeth and curling hair in red and blue, the long thin body wrapping around the outside edge of the drum top. Part b is the drum stick, consisting of a long wooden shaft, rounded, and a leather covered head attached by a leather strip wound around the stick's neck.