Students at K鈥檃tllodeeche First Nation鈥檚 (KFN) Chief Sunrise Education Centre recently got a lesson in traditional drum-making 鈥� and drumming鈥檚 significance in Dene Culture 鈥� thanks to Elder Roy Fabian.

Fabian has been making traditional Dene drums since the 1980s, and began to dedicate more time to the craft when he retired in 2018. His drum-making workshop ran from April 15 to 19 at the school. Seven students and two adults took part, and by the time it was over, the group had made nine traditional drums 鈥� three small ones, and six larger ones.

Making each drum was a long and delicate process.

Under Fabian鈥檚 watchful eye, the group began by soaking the deer hides they used in place of the traditional caribou hide, which is 鈥渢ough to get these days.鈥� When the hides had soaked for about a day, the group 鈥渟craped them down鈥� to make them 鈥渁 little bit thinner,鈥� and stretched them out over the frame of the drum, which is called a shell. They then drilled holes through the shell and laced the hide into place, and later, added 鈥渞attle strings鈥� that enhance the sound of the drum, and handles that make the drums easier to play.

Drums are 鈥渞eally important鈥� in Dene culture, according to Fabian, with uses in 鈥渃eremony, celebration, and healing.鈥�

鈥淸Dene] believe that the Creator put everything on this land for us already 鈥� our needs are fulfilled completely,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e give thanks to the creator for everything with water ceremonies, fire ceremonies, earth ceremonies, hunting ceremonies, harvesting ceremonies. Everything is about giving thanks to the Creator. That鈥檚 what the ceremonies are for, and we us the drums in that way.

鈥淲e also use the drums for celebrations, like drum dances, and in hand games. Today, we play [hand games] as a sport, but one time, the Dene men used the hand games as a healing a process, and the drums were used as part of our healing process.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I make the drums 鈥� so we can try to keep ceremony and celebration and healing alive for Dene people, and so we can maintain our beliefs and our knowledge and our values and skills.鈥�

Some of the students that attended Fabian鈥檚 drum-making workshop were quite young, but Fabian patiently shared his wisdom with the group over the five days they spent together, and is confident all of the participants appreciated the significance of what they were hearing.

鈥淒uring the workshop, I talk about everything while we鈥檙e working,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e talked about the culture 鈥� I explained it through the five days of the workshop.

鈥淭hose little kids, sometimes they get distracted and they play around, but they still hear, they still listen,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hey understand that this is about being Dene.鈥�

To see the young people in attendance absorbing and appreciating their Dene culture was a moving experience for the Elder.

鈥淚 see the little children participating in the culture, and I feel a lot of love for them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 try to be kind and respectful and show them that I care about them. To me, that鈥檚 what pride is. Pride is about love, kindness, respect and care. That pride is something that鈥檚 alive still, and we鈥檝e got to be keep it alive. We鈥檝e got to be proud of who we are.鈥�