Drum Lodge: Frame Drum Making Ceremony

The Drum Lodge is a ceremonial gathering where participants create their own elk-hide frame drums on maple rounds — powerful instruments of rhythm, song, and prayer. Making a drum is not only a physical craft but a spiritual activation: every step of the process becomes part of the prayer, and every gesture carries intention. These drums are built to last for generations, carrying song, rhythm, and movement into the future.

Program Highlights

• Elk-Drum Crafting: Guided step by step in the mindful, prayerful process of crafting your own elk-hide drum on a maple frame.

• Ceremonial Practice: Every action in the lodge is done with presence and intention, honoring the drum as a sacred tool.

• Prayer & Song: Discover how the drum elevates prayer, grounds rhythm, and amplifies song — a companion in both personal and communal ceremony.

• Lineage of Teaching: This particular style of drum was passed to Lena by her teacher, Claire D'Gaia. Lena has been teaching drum-making for nine years, utilizing the drum as a tool for healing, rhythm, and empowerment.

Acknowledgment

Lena is a non-Indigenous woman who walks with the drum as part of her personal and community-based spiritual path. She offers this work with deep respect and gratitude to the Indigenous nations who have kept the drum and drum-making traditions alive through the generations.

What to Bring

Come with reverence and readiness. Drum-making is both craft and ceremony — the drum you create will walk with you and those after you.

Tuition

Includes all materials, food, and lodging