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The Healing Drum

© Traute Klein, biogardener

Women's drums brought peace and healing to feuding tribes, and their drums are still bringing healing to their Winnipeg community.

A Place for Women

I found the North End Women's Centre shortly after my life had fallen apart as a result a disabling car accident. I knew no one at the centre, and no one knew me. That suited me fine. I did not want people to see my pain. I would drop in, pick up some used clothing, look around, and disappear. Gradually I noticed that the other women who came around were also hurting. It showed in their eyes, in their body language, in the tone of their voice. I was not alone. Some of these women were receiving free counseling. I was not ready to talk. What would I have talked about? I had no idea what had caused the trauma, because I had blanked out the experience right after I reported it to the police.

Information Sessions

When the Centre sponsored information sessions, I attended as many of them as I could. I don't really know why, but I felt comfortable at this place where I was able to hide as a stranger among strangers, where no one knew me as I had been in my pre-accident years. One information session touched me deeply. It took place on the parking lot on a warm June afternoon. Mae Louise Campbell, a native elder, had brought the women of her drumming circle, "The Daughters of the Dream Drum," to demonstrate a drumming session. She also explained to us why the women called themselves by that name.

The Dream Drum

An Ojibway woman had received the purpose of drumming in a dream revelation. She had learned that women need to unite in drumming to bring peace to their warring tribes. Women would have to take the initiative to bring peace, because the men were too busy feuding. She was given exact instructions for the construction of the community drum. She got the women of her tribe together to build the drum, and when it was finished, friends and enemies alike were invited to come and drum together. As the rhythm of the drum united them, the two tribes made peace. I have written about this in my article "The Peace Drum" which is linked below.

The Healing Drum

During Mae Louise's presentation, I found myself wishing that I were in the circle, drumming with the other women. When we started our own drumming circle, I became one of the founding members. Our North End drumming circle does not have a functioning community drum, but we have a large collection of hand drums and various rhythm instruments from many places of the earth.

The copyright of the article The Healing Drum in Natural Health is owned by Traute Klein, biogardener. Permission to republish The Healing Drum in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.