Deerfeathers

 When I first started studying Shamanism, I purchased this wonderful hand drum for journeying, This drum was made by the artist who created the authentic Lakota decoration and regalia in Dances With Wolves, among other movies. Gloria D, as she is known, was taught by the Lakota elders the crafts of the Lakota and has made it her life long work to bring this beauty into the non-Native American world. My drum is a wonderful example of her art.

 But I found myself schleping this glorious drum to drumming circles in a large plastic bag and across the country to vision quests in bubble wrap. This was not appropriate for so wonderful an instrument of journey. I needed to find a special carrier and home for this drum that was becoming part of my family.

 

Alas, my search returned nothing worthy of such gentle magnificence so I set out to Tandy leather, bought some tools and deer hides determined to make my own special carrier. 

 

Little did I know how the hides would speak to me, that their beauty and tender feel would cry to continue their usefulness beyond the deer's life. These lovely creatures live on in yet another, interim form before they will die again and create an even newer life, fulfilling their role in the cycle of birth/death/birth.

 

I am priviledged to be part of that extension of their living, and that is what Deerfeathers is all about; honoring and extending the lives of these glorious creatures to cradle and protect the precious instruments crucial to our travel in the non ordinary world. 

 

 

In the spirit of this honoring, each bag is smudged with sage and blessed with tobacco prior to commencing the work and upon completion before leaving my studio.  

 

 

 

If you are not familiar with Shamanism, there are many sites which provide information about the practice. I would suggest www.shamansong.com for some basic information and the Foundation for Shamanic Studies.  The Drum Bag, Medicine Bag and Animal Spirit sections of this site contain tools which are primarily used by the Shaman. All other bags are more generic.