Women have an extensive history of a close ceremonial relationship with the frame drum. Ancient artifacts carved in stone have survived, indicating the importance of the frame drum in ritualistic practice and celebrations.

Recorded on clay tablets dating back to 3000 BCE in Sumer (modern-day Iraq), the feminine-centric story of Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth, mentions the drum. Just before Inanna leaves to respond to the call to visit her sister Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, she directs Ninshubar, her faithful servant. 

‘If I do not return, 

set up a lament for me by the ruins.

Beat the drum for me in the assembly places.’

Crafting your Ritual Frame Drum is a very satisfying experience. As you select your sticks for the handle & beater, stretch the rawhide over the frame and choose the trim that you personally like. You are ensouling your drum story, the story of your sacred instrument, as we honour the materials, the Paulownia tree, the spirit of Goat that gifts rawhide and the Earth that nurtures all into being. We enter a process of enlivening these materials with our intention, our prayer. During this process, we are invited to consider & reflect on what needs to be enlivened in our being and in our lives.

The steady beat amplifies our heartbeats and attunes us to the pulse of the planet that nurtures us. The rhythm of the drum reminds us of the cyclical nature of life. For thousands of years, ritual frame drums have supported sacred practices in ancient cultures worldwide, enriching lives and providing notable health benefits. Today, scientific research shows that drumming facilitates synchronisation between the brain's hemispheres and shifts us from the active Beta brain waves (14–21 cycles per second) to the more relaxed Alpha brain waves (7–14 cycles per second), fostering introspection and greater access to intuition. Alpha brain waves also enhance creativity, information absorption, and openness to new ideas.