Students at KSA国际影视传媒檃tllodeeche First NationSA国际影视传媒檚 (KFN) Chief Sunrise Education Centre recently got a lesson in traditional drum-making SA国际影视传媒� and drummingSA国际影视传媒檚 significance in Dene Culture SA国际影视传媒� thanks to Elder Roy Fabian.

Fabian has been making traditional Dene drums since the 1980s, and began to dedicate more time to the craft when he retired in 2018. His drum-making workshop ran from April 15 to 19 at the school. Seven students and two adults took part, and by the time it was over, the group had made nine traditional drums SA国际影视传媒� three small ones, and six larger ones.

Making each drum was a long and delicate process.

Under FabianSA国际影视传媒檚 watchful eye, the group began by soaking the deer hides they used in place of the traditional caribou hide, which is SA国际影视传媒渢ough to get these days.SA国际影视传媒� When the hides had soaked for about a day, the group SA国际影视传媒渟craped them downSA国际影视传媒� to make them SA国际影视传媒渁 little bit thinner,SA国际影视传媒� and stretched them out over the frame of the drum, which is called a shell. They then drilled holes through the shell and laced the hide into place, and later, added SA国际影视传媒渞attle stringsSA国际影视传媒� that enhance the sound of the drum, and handles that make the drums easier to play.

Drums are SA国际影视传媒渞eally importantSA国际影视传媒� in Dene culture, according to Fabian, with uses in SA国际影视传媒渃eremony, celebration, and healing.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淸Dene] believe that the Creator put everything on this land for us already SA国际影视传媒� our needs are fulfilled completely,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e give thanks to the creator for everything with water ceremonies, fire ceremonies, earth ceremonies, hunting ceremonies, harvesting ceremonies. Everything is about giving thanks to the Creator. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what the ceremonies are for, and we us the drums in that way.

SA国际影视传媒淲e also use the drums for celebrations, like drum dances, and in hand games. Today, we play [hand games] as a sport, but one time, the Dene men used the hand games as a healing a process, and the drums were used as part of our healing process.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 why I make the drums SA国际影视传媒� so we can try to keep ceremony and celebration and healing alive for Dene people, and so we can maintain our beliefs and our knowledge and our values and skills.SA国际影视传媒�

Some of the students that attended FabianSA国际影视传媒檚 drum-making workshop were quite young, but Fabian patiently shared his wisdom with the group over the five days they spent together, and is confident all of the participants appreciated the significance of what they were hearing.

SA国际影视传媒淒uring the workshop, I talk about everything while weSA国际影视传媒檙e working,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e talked about the culture SA国际影视传媒� I explained it through the five days of the workshop.

SA国际影视传媒淭hose little kids, sometimes they get distracted and they play around, but they still hear, they still listen,SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淭hey understand that this is about being Dene.SA国际影视传媒�

To see the young people in attendance absorbing and appreciating their Dene culture was a moving experience for the Elder.

SA国际影视传媒淚 see the little children participating in the culture, and I feel a lot of love for them,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 try to be kind and respectful and show them that I care about them. To me, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what pride is. Pride is about love, kindness, respect and care. That pride is something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 alive still, and weSA国际影视传媒檝e got to be keep it alive. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e got to be proud of who we are.SA国际影视传媒�