In the beginning 8 .::Native American Frame Drum::. “Mi Corazon”.

After placing the frame on top of the skin, Stan gave me some measurements on how to cut around the frame drum and create some slits.  So I started to cut the skin and the slits with the aid of a friend. I was very happy how this was coming along.  Now in waiting to the next step from Stan, I looked around and noticed  mostly everyone that was building this type of drum were finishing and showing their accomplishments with joy and relief.  I was truly happy for them because I knew they also worked hard “birthing a drum”. I too was going to have the same feeling once I would finish, but right now I was not even close….

Now Stan was so extremely busy with everyone else but very patient and polite.  So I waited for the next step.   After a while I caught him and he said “cut around the frame three times creating strips”. These strip will be weaved together with the ring and skin that wraps the frame.  So I cut three strip like pieces.  I remembered looking at the other individuals that was doing the same drums and recalled that my strips(s) was shorter than theirs…I thought to myself something is not right…I looked again and noticed that I cut three pieces not one long piece three times around I just stood there in front of my table in disbelief, totally numb. I felt like my entire head just fell off!…

AAARRHHH! Nooooo! What on earth! After all this hard work and now this! But I kept my cool and with faith and going with the flow… I went over to Stan and looked at him, actually stared and dragged him over to my table. I thought I was going to have a cardiac arrest.  He looked, quietly and said “are the pieces long?” I said yes! Not knowing how long. Then he said start weaving them unto the ring, through the slits and the skin that wraps around the frame and lets see what happens.

Okay! Hope! There is hope! With faith and determination I started to weave the skin strips. After I finished with one strip of skin I continued with the other I said to myself, “Okay I think this may work”.  I had two strips on the drum. And one to spare which I put aside.  I dragged Stan over to my table and he helped me with tieing some knots and he said start pulling real hard so the skin on the drum can start stretching.  I sat on my chair, drapped a towel over my lap and started to pull and stretch.  I can not believe how much skin can stretch I pulled and stretched, pulled and stretched and I felt like my hands were going to fall off.  This was harder than the pulling of the fur…but thats okay, even if it kills me I will finish this drum.

After I could no longer continue with the pulling and stretching I needed Stan’s help. I put the drum down and started to visit others as they admire their new build drums. But poor Bruce, he needed so much  help with his drum so when I dragged Stan again to my table…we decided that he help Bruce first and I would wait.  That was about 8 PM.  It was dark already and everyone was leaving. I was tired, hungry, smelly, still with fur all around.  I felt like I went through a war. I started to pick up my tools, was going to throw away the extra third piece of skin strip but decided to save it…for just in case, closed the foldable table and put the items in my SUV.  Drapped a plastic over the back seat so I can rest my drum.

Then started to think did I actually do this, go through all of this..in one day, unreal!.  What a roller coaster ride. But I am here, almost done! I am almost to the finish line. Now Stan was ready to help me out.  He started to stretch the skin and the strips some more but now some of the strips were popping, so he knotted them, then another popped, he knotted and I was just looking and thinking PLEASE! no more popping.  Then he asked me, did you keep the extra strip? and I said”Yes!” “Yes!” “Yes!” so thankful I did not throw it away! “THANK YOU! So he tied the end and more pulling and stretching. My poor drum has gone through so much, up to the very end!  Stan then wrapped the horn to the back, making sure all was aligned and the position was correct.  Once he finished, it was perfect.  I was smiling.  The skin was still wet but Stan started to beat on it.  He asked me “Do you like deep tones” I said “Yes, Yes! I do” he said “this drum will have a very nice deep tone” and I said “Yes! Thank You!

He gave me the drum and now I had to trim the ends of  the skin that was wrapped around the frame for a  nice finish look.  So very carefully I grabbed a blade even though by this time I was seeing double but started to cut in a scallop design.  When I reached the part where the deers heart was- I did not cut that area.  I took one last look at my drum then glanced over to Bruce, he glanced over to me, we smiled and hugged each other. What a journey, what an adventure, what a learning experience. What a day!

I took my drum over to my SUV and carefully placed it over the plastic sheet. Said good-bye to Bruce, Stan, Susan, Brad and couple of others that was helping with the clean up, by then it was 10 PM.  I started my drive back home in awe and in disbelief.

Once I arrived home I took my drum and placed it on the side of a furniture so it could dry.  I walked over to my desk and sat down and stared at the drum…in shock.  Then it came to me…

This dear animal is not dead, it still lives, it lives in my drum, it sings, it voices through my drum. I started to cry because of the magnitude of life and the cycle of life. Its selfless, if we allow it.

Now because I knew where the heart was located,  I made sure it was aligned with my heart when I hold it to play.  So I named the drum “Mi Corazon” which means “My Heart”.  When I play it, I hear the deepness of life, the feel of strength, of love, of my inner voice and the strength of our Maker. “Mi Corazon” Forever!

Through all of the hardships, struggles, pain, patients, hope and faith, I was able to move forward. I learned to flow. I personally am an easy-going person, always enjoying what surrounds me no matter the circumstances. But during this event and building this drum I have learned to have more faith, not to second guest and just move on and by doing this “Mi Corazon” was created in a very special, spiritual way. So when you have troubles, hardships step back and start flowing with what is ahead of you and see where is takes you…you will be amazed! The End

We see with our eyes. We know with our hearts. Outside…Inside. ~~Cantus Fraggle

**I write how I think and feel…

**Please feel free to look into the Essence in Photography to see “Mi Corazon”

and all the knots. 🙂

In the Beginning 6.::Native American Frame Drum::.Part 2.

Now continuing with my adventure in building my Native American Frame Drum…As you recall, I arrived early to Susan’s house.  I settled to my area, opened my foldable table, took out my tools, put on my working gloves and started to sand paper the frame…Music was on, my friend was with me, the day was nice and crisp, and I was sanding along, ever so happy.  All the corners and edges were nice and smooth, perfect!.  Now do remember I have to finish this drum in one day when it really should have been two days…so I was like a little machine…”Lets see how fast my arms and hands can move… HAHAH!

I finished with the sanding then walked over to Stan, the instructor to get his approval. As I was handing him the frame and he was reaching over to take it…the frame dropped. AHHH! We both looked at each other and then looked down unto the floor that seemed like a million miles away…the frame had broken into three pieces.  I wanted to totally die!  I could not believe this, first the date issue then this…how could this be?…maybe not meant to be, are you kidding me,  No! this is like a fighting battle, I am persistent, I am strong, I am patient…Okay! I need to breath, can I just go home now!  All of this ran through my mind. This was not an “Aha!” moment!

Then Stan said to me “See if you can put it together and I will glue it” I said “Okay, I’m good with puzzles” I can do this, (looking up) “Please help me!”.  So I took the three pieces ever so gently making sure to remember the joining parts.  After a few minutes, I shouted “I got it!” Then Stan came over and  glued the pieces,  then he said “Good thing you were able to connect the pieces because there was only one frame and this was it.  Geez!

Even though all of this happened I was grateful and relieved.  Now I had to wait until the glue would dry, so I can stain it…”Patients is a virtue” Is that how it goes?  and I have a lot of that as some would agree.

Stan pointed and said  “Go over to that large green plastic bag and take out the skin that speaks to you” I said “Huh?”  “Okay”  I went over to the green plastic bag, cracked it open and wanted to die again…so far I have died twice… and resurrected.  At least that’s a good thing! HAHAH!

There were deer skins of all sizes, shapes, colors and not to mention the smell…but with the fur still intacked.  I then said to Stan”Wait a minute, they are still walking! “Noooo!!!”And he said “Yeeees!!” and started to laugh.  So there I was with these skins with bullet hole openings, some blood stains…and all, great! I pulled then out one by one and started to drap the skin over the top of the frame and made sure the size was perfect plus to see which one speaks to me…”Talking? they were still walking!” But one did…it was beautiful and of light brown shade fur.  So I called Stan and showed it to him, he then picked up the skin and started to look at it and feel it and said “Good choice” now I was feeling much better.  I am moving forward, everything is looking brighter now.  Until Stan demonstrated what the next  step would be.  He said “Milly, now you are going to take that box, have a seat and start pulling the fur off with your hands” I said “Nah! What? this is like plucking a chicken” He said “Yes, see you in four hours” AAAHHH! HAHAH! I went quietly like a good little girl, took the skin, took the box, went to my area, sat down, blasted my music, put on my gloves, put a large towel over my lap, and started to pull…and repeating these words “I  will love my drum, I will love my drum” I had Bruce laughing…then started singing away with my music…I remember saying to myself “Am I really going to finish my drum today?” “Oh! Please help me!”

As I had this skin over my lap and pulling hard, I would see everyone else arriving and getting started.  They were half way into their drums, some were building djembes, re-heading their drums, the native american frame drum as well, and Bruce with the Djun Djun.  They had already completed this part on Saturday but I was just starting…and thought, I need to move faster…and boy, I was.

But I was blessed that the gloves I brought with me, had leather finger tips and I was able to grasp the fur and pull it. I thought I was never going to finish…The more I pulled and more fur I saw…

But as I was pulling the fur off…I cast my eyes unto the fur, felt the fur, felt the skin underneath , started to think of this animal, how it was at one point alive and now no longer. How it will become part of my drum.  It no longer mattered   how fast I was pulling the fur off or the smell.  I started to care, I started to warm up to it and pull the fur with love and compassion.  How this animals skin was distend to be with me, be a part of my life, my passion, who knew.  This is when it started to speak to me… (to be Continue…)

We see with our eyes. We know with our hearts. Outside…Inside. ~~Cantus Fraggle

**I write how I think and feel…