Water drum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about musical instrument. For steam boilers, see Glossary of boiler terminology § Water drum.

Water drums are a category of membranophone characterized by the filling of the drum chamber with some amount of water to create a unique resonant sound. Water drums are used all over the world, including American Indian music, and are made of various materials, with a membrane stretched over a hard body such as a metal, clay, wooden top or just wood

Use[edit]

Water drums are used in Iroquois, Navajo, Cherokee, Creek, and Apache music,[1] water drums are common in Native American music, being widespread in North and South America.[2] They are used today both ceremonially and in traditional Longhouse social dances and are the traditional drum for the Huron/Wendat/Wyandot and Iroquois/Haudenosaune tribes.[citation needed] The Ojibwa, Odawa and Pottawatomii called them midegwakikoon,[3][4] with "Mide" referring to Midewiwin.

Construction[edit]

Today they are made of both wood and clay. Wooden water drums are made either by hollowing out a solid section of a small soft wood log, or assembled using cedar slats and banded like a wooden keg. Clay drums are either handmade or an old crock is used. Wyandot and Seneca/Cayuga traditionally used a groundhog skin (daˀyęh) for the drum covering,though a piece of deer skin works well. An Iroquoian or Wendat/Wyandot drum stick is carved from a piece of hardwood with a small rounded tip. Each drum style has a unique way of tightening the hide to maximize the sound. The drum head must be both tight and saturated with water for best results.

Native American Church ceremonies often use a water drum made from iron, brass or copper kettle. These styles of water drum are more common than the woodland form and can be purchased in numerous locations.[5][6]

Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-WzJyNNBUc

Pop culture[edit]

Since approximately 2006, the American heavy metal band, Mushroomhead have used nontraditional water drums in their live show.[7][8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Green, Rayna (1999). The British Museum Encyclopedia of Native North America, p.56. Indiana University. ISBN 9780253213396.
  2. ^ McAllester, David P. (1996). "North America/Native America", Worlds of Music, p.56. Titon, Jeff Todd, ed. Schirmer. ISBN 0-02-872612-X.
  3. ^ Depasquale, Paul; Eigenbrod, Renate; and Larocque, Emma; eds. (2009). Across Cultures/Across Borders: Canadian Aboriginal and Native American Literatures, unpaginated. Broadview. ISBN 9781460403037. "Mitigwakikoog (Little Boy Midé Water Drums)."
  4. ^ Nichols, John D. (1995). A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe, p.88. U of Minnesota. ISBN 9781452901992. "mitigwakik na Mide drum; pl mitigwakikong; dim mitigwakikoons
  5. ^ King, Claire. "Tuning the Water Drum". From Cradleboard to Motherboard. Archived from the original on July 19, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2007. 
  6. ^ Shore, Alexa. "History of the Seminole Tribe". FSU World Music Online. Retrieved 18 September 2012. 
  7. ^ "Stitch of Mushroomhead Interview October 6, 2010", MuenMagazine.net.
  8. ^ "Slipknot, Mushroomhead Members Perform Together In Minnesota (Video)", Blabbermouth.net.