​What is Drum Culture? I see it as a practice of an ancient tradition that becomes somewhat of a lifestyle, used to teach and share what we are taught and how we respectfully share with all Nations and how we pass it on to our children and future generations.​ ​​

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Culture represents the customary beliefs, social practices and material traits of a racial, religious or social group or Nation. All combined into a way of life.

Using the drum has been the so termed, ‘heartbeat’ that announces or vibrates the electromagnetic connection to our brains. Soothing, motivational, spiritual and healing for a healthy lifestyle.

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Benifits of Drum healing vibrations 

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There are a multitude of vibration benefits that have been scientifically and medically researched for many years now with amazing results, and without spending a ton of money.

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Here are ten proven benefits that can be done anywhere, anytime, with any type of drumming instrument or even drumming in music.

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1-Reaching all areas of the brain

2-Enhancing Immune System

3-Deepening meditative focus called ‘Theta State’

4-Reducing Stress, Tension and Anxiety

5-Reducing Body Pain

6-Inducing Synchronous Brain Activity

7-Enhancing Cancer Killing T Cells

8-Strengthening the Eyes

9-Detoxing the body

10-Fighting Diseases

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There are many more that you can research on the internet as I have done, with great amazement and enthusiasm.

It was wonderful to know that this small Traditional Drumming presentation I had been performing, was so much more than I’d ever imagined. More than just a cultural act.

My Tsimshian ancestors used drums on a daily basis for many purposes, like entertainment, healing, spiritual ceremonies, war and hunting journeys. It was a very natural co-existance with their electro magnetic world.

Many wonderful memories from my career journey. I am truly blessed to have met so many wonderful people and to this day who share the same unified heart beat, especially during special events where I can play my drum, even with my granddaughter and daughters, invited drummer guests and many people clapping in time with our traditional drum song.

 

Being Grateful

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Learning our traditional songs has also helped me to learn some of our launguage and to better communicate messages and stories that honour our Creator and all the earth and creatures he’s blessed us with.

I am very thankful for all the learning experiences, some very humbling, that are now foundational in my teachings and my lifestyle examples. Battling drug and alcohol addictions and an ego that birthed out of my art career and the money I was making, eventually leading to the loss of everything important in my life, family, family business and almost my life. My learning journey continues with a more humble mindset.

Adding health issues on top of the load it was a tough and costly battle to stay alive but also to maintain what was left of my business and career only to be slammed by this covid curse, especially since I know and understand it’s dark root and purpose.

I am truly grateful to be alive and healthier than I’ve been in many years, and to be able to offer some comfort in my vibrational practice, drumming comforting vibes to those who need it and want to learn it as a way of bettering their overall health and wellness, as it is so very powerful in so many ways.

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Family Traditions

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My family lived away from the reservation in a small town called Prince Rupert and were only exposed to the tradition of drinking parties that took place every weekend and after all the basketball games that my dad was addicted to. Occassionally we would have family members staying with us from the village, now called Lax Kw’alaams, and we would visit there during fishing seasons on our commercial fishing boats.

Life was certainly simpler there and I always wondered why they were so messy in their lifestyles compared to us in town, living like the ‘white folks’ they used to say. Be careful talking like that now though. Dad didn’t want us to live that way, even though he was a hoarder of fish boat stuff that clogged up the garage and ever small out building he made for storage, to his dying day.

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Historical Inspirations

 

I was never interested in our tribal arts as a youngster because there wasn’t any teachers or teaching books that I would’ve been inspired by, so I gravitated to comic book art and wild fantasy art, even though that’s what I didscovered about our Tsimshian art forms in 1990 when I went to Native art school in Hazelton B.C. Teachers were awesome and the atmosphere where the school was really connected me with my ancestors, some were alcoholics but the earlier ones were speaking a beautiful message through a mysterious and multifacated art language.

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What about Drumming

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I believe that again my ancestors were sending vibrations through the art of drumming to entice me further into understanding what the Tsimshian Prophet Benaie spoke of when he told the Chief’s and council, and Matriarch’s, that they needed to protect themselves from the pale visitors and their dark intentions to destroy our traditons and take our children away. He even spoke of the intentions of their leaders to destroy the salmon and other survival foods.

Drumming was one of the many practices that was restricked along with doing the arts and speaking our traditional language. I was fortunate enough to learn about our drumming, dances and songs from a couple of our elders, one in particular was Joe Morrison. Joe was a difficult elder to communicate with, for me as a rebel and entrepreneur anyways, and he really taught me how be respectful and patient in the learning of these important teachings.

So I learned the basics from him and then he unfortunately died after a few years of limited visits from my home on Vancouver Island, he lived in Prince Rupert. I have been blessed having teachers like him throughout my life who encouraged me to do much research and put more time into drumming, dancing and singing. So I did.

Drumming and storytelling around the fire