COLLECTOR'S DOCUMENTATION:
"Native Drum"

-William Fisher

REMARKS:
Drums, whistles, and rattles were the musical instruments of northern peoples. Drums were played by men to accompany song and dance. The drummer would strike the rim or center of the drumhead to produce various tones, using a special rod. Drumheads could be made from different types of skin, most commonly of seal hide or halibut stomach in Prince William Sound, or the bladder of a seal or walrus in western and northern Alaska. The drum could be tuned to a higher or lower pitch by tightening or loosening the cords wrapped around the rim of the instrument. Some Alutiiq drums were painted with figures representing shamans' spirit helpers, while others had carved and painted handles.

-Dee Hunt

CATALOG NUMBER:

72505

OBJECT TYPE:

drum

ACCESSION NO.:

12209 (1882)

YEAR COLLECTED:

1879-1882

FIELD NUMBER:

42

GROUP NAME:

Ugaasarmiut

GROUP NAME RECORDED BY FISHER:

UGASHAGMJUT TRIBE

LOCATION:

Ugaasaq (Ugashik)

LOCATION RECORDED BY FISHER:

UGASHAK RIVER, BRISTOL BAY, ALASKA

NATIVE LANGUAGE TERM:

cauyaq

NATIVE LANGUAGE TERM RECORDED BY FISHER:

TSHAU-JAK

DIMENSIONS:

diameter=49 cm: height=3.5 cm;
length of handle=21 cm